As an artist; may I hope to surpass the works of my predecessors! We can live in pain our entire lives. Don’t fear pain. — Gibbons. Harvard community reflects on the lessons of a solemn inaugural for troubled times. Increase my satisfaction, and appreciation and thanksgiving: A prince, who would be rich in a private station, may be exposed by the increase of his wants to all the anxiety and bitterness of poverty. Imagine our lives. To dispel superstition, to dispel avarice, and the hunger for more followers, likes, money, power, influence. Don’t do anything that lessens my freedom in life. Show genuine interest in others. A lot of our obstacles in life are self-imposed phantoms, that don’t exist: “We may rest assured; from the love of glory; and contempt of danger; which formed the character of Julian, that he was not discouraged by any trivial or imaginary obstacles.”, “The frequent and familiar companions of the great are those parasites who practice the most useful of all arts, the art of flattery; who eagerly applaud each word and every action of their immortal patron; gaze with rapture on his marble columns and variegated pavements, and strenuously praise the pomp and elegance which he is taught to consider as a part of his personal merit.” — Gibbons. Study the stoics, and Epictetus to ‘purify the heart’. — Gibbons. Be rich to myself. Remember, I am stronger than I think I am: Courage arises in a great measure from the consciousness of strength. 3. — Gibbons. Russia has been invaded again and again but everytime invaders got the bloody nose. Don’t be an art collector; make my own art. But remember, all wealth is relative. People are already calling this the “COVID era” as if they are reading about it in a history book. If I don’t advance in life; I will retrograde: All that is human must retrograde if it does not advance. History repeats itself and one who doesn’t learn from the past pay the price in future. — Gibbons, “Freedom is the first step to curiosity and knowledge.”. Yet these monuments are perishable and frail. This goes to our wealth, accomplishments, etc. The force of your inner-genius is phenomenal. We have more energy and bliss, thinking of a blissful life after death. Conversation is good to enrich our understanding, but solitude is key. I used a lot of semi-colons; which is easier to type than commas. No matter how rich or powerful, I will always find myself in the common place — the grave. Love is immortal. In a realization, Ambrohom Lincoln said that America can never be destroyed from outside world but can be destroyed enemy within the home. The passions of the people are furious and changeable. The purpose of a government isn’t to enriched the monarch or emperor. — Gibbons. Although he said this for America it goes for everyone that enemy within the home can destroy the undestroyable. — Gibbons. They will corrupt you. What will you do in life, and what will you not do in life to make that big change? What practical lessons can we learn from history, and what mistakes can we avoid? Why keep pursuing pointless pleasure? Turns to good; and bad. In our past, we got several great leaders and preachers whos teachings we should always remember and also the incidents especially disastrous one so we never face them again. They aren’t 100% accurate quotes. Anything can happen in politics and any conspiracy can be done by even closest to your friend when it comes to political power. Over the past 40 years, planet earth has lost 60% of its … Rather, be appreciative of the wealth I already have. This cycle happens forever. Gibbons in describing a statue; probably some of the most beautiful poetic lines I’ve read: Snowy arms; rosy lips; swimming eyes; arched eyebrows; the harmony of her shape; the lightness of her drapery; and her flowing locks that wavered in the winds. The COVID-19 crisis has led us to embrace new technologies to revitalize old social networks. — Gibbons, The observation that in every age and climate, ambition has prevailed with the same commanding energy. After a Roman triumph, an emperor would ride around the city in a chariot — and a slave would whisper in his ear, “Memento mori.” (remember, you are mortal, and you will die), in order to not enlarge the ego of the emperor. Aspire to free others from self-imposed mental slavery. — Gibbons. To help make people become happy. Just imagine like me talking to you, or me talking to myself, kind of in the spirit of Marcus Aurelius in “The Meditations.”: My interest and duty is the same; to serve others. Our bodyguards are our saviors but these saviors can kill you very easily in case you will make them unhappy. What History Has Taught Us About Epidemics May 08, 2020 Editor's note: This piece is part of an ongoing series on Caltech scientists who are researching the COVID-19 pandemic, each according to their own specialty. I think 9-11 taught us some very valuable lessons about reality. With the two simple elements of darkness and fire we can create a sensation of pain; which may be aggravated to an infinite degree by the idea of endless duration. Love him or hate him, Donald Trump has shown us a great deal in his short time on the political stage. To have that inner-hustle; and not become complacent in life. While we cannot and will not live in fear, we should not be complacent or overly confident either. Just like the CEO of Renault-Nissan, Carlos Ghosn, we are also big supporters of frugality. Then you will wake up with vigor, and energy to pursue your passion. Winston Churchill like his bold personality made it clear that only victors will remain in the imprints of the history. David Slack 05:00, Jan 05 2020. Some people are late bloomers. Learn from from the foolish mistakes from the past Roman Emperors, and of Rome. With the hundreds of Roman emperors from the past. “The name of Poet was almost forgotten, and the Orator (usurped by the sophists). You can’t eat it. we would not let our enemies have guns, Why should we let them have ideas? A history of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; the greatest, perhaps, the most awful scene in the history of mankind. “The most worthless of mankind condemn in others the same disorders which they allow in themselves; and can readily discover some nice difference of age, character, or station, to justify the partial distinction.” — Gibbons. — Gibbons. Don’t expose myself to the greed and vices of others. Also to realize, Gibbons wrote about thousands of years of history in some days. LESSONS COVID-19 ERA HAS TAUGHT US!! Avoid the critics, compilers, summarizers, and commentators. No matter how high I build statues of myself, it will all crumble: The art of man is able to construct monuments far more permanent than the narrow span of his own existence. To think of other planets, and to study astronomy is to realize how little we are as humans: The sublime science of astronomy; which elevates the mind of man to disdain his diminutive planet and momentary existence. It’s so easy to think, early on in your career, that you are just never … The wishes and interest of the people; whose happiness is the first object of government. But the same idea operates with an opposite effect on the continuity of pleasure… — Gibbons. … Are you aware of these lies we believed as true about India? We compare humans to one another. Who remembers any of these 60 emperors in 2017? 18 History Lessons Your Teacher Lied to You About Elisa Roland Updated: Mar. A vase or statue of those precious metals gold and silver might tempt the vanity of some barbarian chief. The role of the historian. Don’t think of ‘enlightenment’ as some silly, new-agey, concept. Your force of your single mind can move mountains. In-fact, it is better to trade money to have more freedom and time. To learn from the mistakes of foolish past Roman emperors. In the office of nuncio, or the rank of cardinal, he may acquire some knowledge of the world; but the primitive stain will adhere to his mind and manners: from study and experience he may suspect the mystery of his profession; but the sacerdotal artist will imbibe some portion of the bigotry which he inculcates.” — Gibbons, The changing wheels of fortune; which spares neither man nor the proudest of his work; which buries empires and cities in a common grave. Rather, to ‘enlighten’ yourself is just to shine light upon yourself. The Cold War era taught us the importance of committing to well-rounded language skills and cultural knowledge. To help rescue others. To help others increase their own personal wealth, for helping themselves. Joseph Stalin, Russian dictator gave a very important piece of advice he said “Ideas are more important than guns. To change theory and concepts and ideas into deeds, and action. — Gibbons. A lot has changed in the last several weeks, and it likely won’t be going back to being completely normal soon. 21, 2020 Alternative facts have always been with us, and they've always … Napolean made a mindblowing remark he said: “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake”. The one appears an animal fearful of the land; the other a creature apprehensive of the water. Juleous Ceasor murdered is the classic example when he was stabbed in the back by his closest friend Brutus. Know that you have the power to change the hearts of millions. It makes us soft. Some meditations on my personal life, through some wisdom of the past. It is humbling to know that in 600 years, there were 60 emperors. Probably you will live to 90 if you don’t catch some weird disease, cancer, or something else. We need money for our basic needs. Don’t be a meek animal that is fearful of the land; or fearful of the water. Ambition is a weed of quick and early vegetation in the vineyard. The most important scenes will depend on the character of just 1 single actor: In human life; the most important scenes will depend on the character of a single actor. Not after we die. — Gibbons. This is one of the most important lessons that Shakespeare has to teach us (I know recent times has us associate these words with race, but let's step past that idea for a moment here). — Gibbons. — Gibbons. To treat others like you would like others to treat yourself. Strength in poverty and simplicity in life. All ‘personal merit’ is relative: “Our estimate of personal merit is relative to the common faculties of mankind.”. We will ruin other nations, trying to be hungry for power. My father will give me wealth; and I shall squander the wealth. Fortune is like a wheel. They will darken the face of learning. We have the internet. In the space of 1,000 years (ten centuries) the infinite variety of laws and legal opinions had filled many thousand volumes, which no fortune could purchase and no capacity could digest. You can have 1 billion dollars, but you are poor compared to the guy with 10 billion, or the guy with 100 billion, or the guy with 10 trillion dollars. To cherish the hard work and hustle people put in. The single fiber of you can change the fate of the world. To realize all the ambitions, hopes, dreams, and accomplishments of these emperors just fades into dust. Similarly, one great emperor can prevent the suffering of millions. “In the trammels of servile faith he has learned to believe because it is absurd, to revere all that is contemptible, and to despise whatever might deserve the esteem of a rational being; to punish error as a crime, to reward mortification and celibacy as the first of virtues; to place the saints of the calendar above the heroes of Rome and the sages of Athens; and to consider the missal, or the crucifix, as more useful instruments than the plough or the loom. So strong was my passion; that the lessons which I had imbibed in the day were the constant subject of my nightly dreams. Do I really want to maintain owning a thousand cars? And do I dream of pursuing my passion? And leads to moral weakness. People will never be constant. The hope to change our lives for the better. I wrote this mostly for myself. For myself, it is easy for me to criticize the negative actions of others. — Gibbons. To not do unto others as you don’t want others to do unto you. Don’t just follow in the footsteps of my past masters. 600 years has rolled on by, so fleeting: In a composition of some days; in a perusal of some hours; 600 years have rolled away — Gibbons. To elevate my mind to disdain my little body, and my little fleeting time on the planet Earth. The only way to achieve it — believe in yourself (the strength of your single mind), and pursue a single object with all your heart, soul, and energy. Don’t be a monk — living in solitude, and trying to cut away my own sins. If you are a leader, make your duty be the same as your pleasure. True genius: to create. Announcements Applying to uni? It is human nature to condemn in others the same faults we have. Conversation enriches the understanding; but solitude is the school of genius. Love of luxury, fashion, pleasure, and vain furniture: “Fashion was the only law; pleasure the only pursuit; and the splendor of dress and furniture the only distinction of the citizens of Antioch.” — Gibbons. In heaven, or in a future life. But that is not always true. To help those who are living in poverty. “After 120 years; Romans beheld an emperor who made no distinction between his duties and his pleasures, who labored to relieve the distress and to revive the spirit of his subjects; and who endeavored always to connect authority with merit, and happiness with virtue.”. History undertakes to record the transaction of the past; for the instruction of future ages. If we compute the number and duration of the reigns between Heraclius and Andronicus it will be found that a period of 600 years is filled with 60 emperors. We will always be compared to others. Contemplate the principles of a science so important to the peace and happiness of society. We need to simplify information. While the philosopher condemns the ‘vanity of ambition’ — we ‘try to understand the motive of this universal desire to obtain and hold the scepter of power/dominion.’. A cloud of critics; of compilers; of commentators, darkened the face of learning; and the decline of genius was soon followed by the corruption of taste.” — Gibbons. Many Crusaders picked up their swords, to fight the Arabs of the middle-east. Why do we all have a universal desire for power? But to remind myself, to be ambitious — for good. “Surrounded with imperfect fragments, always concise often obscure, and sometimes contradictory, the historian is reduced to collect, to compare and to conjecture.” — Gibbons. In life, we should judge ourselves to our ‘real elevation’. It is alarming that history has not taught us anything, it is open season on Jews. But wealth is always relative: Thirst, hunger, and nakedness are positive evils; but wealth is relative. To only reward those who deserve the prizes. “The experience of four thousand years should enlarge our hopes and diminish our apprehensions… “. — Gibbons. Why fatigue ourselves with senseless business, to increase our pile of gold? To have a thousand cares? #1 Report Thread starter 7 years ago #1 In your opinion what are some of the greatest lessons has history taught us? Never retreat in life. 5 Lessons History Has Taught Us About Impeachment. — Gibbons. What are commas, zeros, added to your bank account? Don’t increase my wants. The emperor is not a God. No matter how glorious of a life I live, or how humbly I live, we all share the same fate — the same tomb. Rep:? "The value of history is, indeed, not scientific but moral: by liberalizing the mind, by deepening the sympathies, by fortifying the will, it enables us to control, not society, but ourselves -- a much more important thing; it prepares us to live more humanely in the … — Gibbons. — Gibbons. Of course you need some money to have some basic comforts in life. “The happiness of an hundred millions depended on the personal merit of one or two men, perhaps children, whose minds were corrupted by education, luxury, and despotic power.” — Gibbons. With the Crusades — the Roman emperor woke up the people. Here are the lessons taught by Prof. Trump. Seeing history as a glass half empty. Romeo and Juliet became the symbol of love and preached world that war can end lovers but not love. The aspiring efforts of genius or virtue; either in active or speculative life; are measured not so much by their real elevation as by the height to which they ascent above the level of their age or country; and the same statue which in a people of giants would pass unnoticed (next to midgets). Don’t believe in a heaven or hell after death. Have we learned our lesson? If I am conscious of my own strength; I will have great courage. To humble the emperor. To have $40,000 or $400,000? I read Edward Gibbon’s “The Decline and the Fall of the Roman Empire” via quotes from Eugene Ho. Vaccines alone aren’t enough to eradicate a virus – lessons from history January 14, 2021 5.07am EST Caitjan Gainty , King's College London , Agnes Arnold-Forster , University of Bristol So Eric, don’t waste any precious moment. We need to eliminate thirst, hunger, and being naked. 2. Hitler and Napolean both tried but eventually failed. History is more like story-telling. — Gibbons. Increase our wealth, to pursue more virtue, wisdom, and happiness. We can live in pleasure our entire lives. Stay hungry, stay foolish. See every stranger as your brother or sister. Nothing is black and white. Carte blanche. The pivotal role of the private sector. At best, you might live to be 120. 12 Important Lessons, History Taught Us We Should Never Forget 1. Food, water, sanitation, shelter. Advance in life. don’t even by mistake help your enemy. Strive to learn more, to create more, to empower others more. … To also know, ‘immortal reason’ will survive forever: The duration of a life or reign is contracted to a fleeting moment; the grave is ever beside the throne; the success of a criminal is almost instantly followed by a loss of his prize; and our immortal reason survives and disdains the 60 phantoms of kings who have passed before our eyes; and faintly dwell on our remembrance. To think today is a new day, and you can start fresh. — Gibbons, We contemplate the decline and fall of the Roman Empire; on Rome — contemplate her fortune at first with admiration; at length with pity, always with attention. What are the greatest lessons history has taught us? German Nazi rule taught us the great lesson that person can turn out be corrupt as soon as he will get power. Earth is just one planet. Make technology our slave. What is my passion in life? Hitler and... 2. O The pandemic, which became known as Spanish flu, is thought to have begun in cramped and crowded army training camps on the Western Front. This surprises a lot of philosophers. One evil emperor can fuck up the lives of millions: The disorders of the moral are sometimes corrected by those of the physical world; and an acrimonious humour falling on a single fibre of one man may prevent us to suspend the misery of nations. So a millionaire can be living in poverty, if he is comparing himself to a billionaire. Find your group chat here >> start new discussion reply. Not to compare our height with others. anti-Semitism is reaching alarming levels and it seems that the lessons of the past are all but forgotton. Prison is a nightmare. For most of my friends and family, the social distancing and handwashing aren’t that bad. To help spread love, understanding, and wisdom with others. Don’t study abstract philosophy. 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