The Responsibilities of Freedom

The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate our independence, freedoms, and in my mind, the contract of personal responsibility that our forefathers wrote not only for us, the rest of the world, but also for us. The Fourth of a July is a day for celebration but only if we can remember what the day truly means. For example I know someone who thinks that the Fourth is about one thing, and one thing only, that is setting off fireworks, and making as much noise as possible while doing so. Does anyone actually believe that's the reason for this day besides this person? I am talking about someone who spends all of his available time if allowed playing video games, and yet doesn't know how many states there are in the U.S., doesn't know what the 13 stripes on our flag means, and perhaps worse, doesn't know enough about U.S. or World history to know the significance of what things like the war in Iraq meant.

While I personally consider this to be a tragedy, I know that there are people who would laugh and scoff at me for even being worried about it. What use is there for world history when the world is constantly writing new history? Well I think that it is best summed up in a very famous quote by poet and philosopher George Santayana: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." If we forget our past, if we forget our history, then we will be fated to do nothing more then what our ancestors themselves have already achieved. Does this mean that we would do nothing new, or that we should do nothing but study history? No, for while learning about history could help us prevent repeating the mistakes of our fathers, we must also remember, that we are marching forward into the future, not stopping or retreating in to the past.

 
In short, keep your mind open to the past, the present, and be mindful of the future. Don't let something like Video Games, Television, or the Internet dominate your life. While they can be fantastic tools for learning and entertainment we have a contract with our forefathers to be the best that we can be, and being someone who doesn't know there history means that your failing them, and your failing yourself.