Quote:
Originally Posted by ship_it_trebek
What's your favorite part of history? Are you tired of American history like me since it has been beaten in my head since 3rd grade?
I guess I like history because it is interesting to see what in our past has set on us the path to where we are now. So many things had to happen for us to arrive at our current society.
i.e. if Germany/Japan had won WWII (read Man in the High Castle - good book).
It's interesting to hear people's reactions about history too. Generally, most Americans feel that we have a civilized society, although future generations might look at us as barbaric.
There are a lot of downfalls with history as only bits and pieces of things get reported, so a lot of the time we aren't getting the whole story of what really went on. Also, authors and historians try to connect events together in cause-and-effect relationships when there might be more to the picture than meets the eye.
Yes, I am sick of popular US History. It's funny how perceptions change when you look past the patriotic BS that is drilled into your brain as a kid. Abe Lincoln is a perfect example (may have been bi-polar, gay, and is on the record as disliking blacks while he is considered the "Great Emancipator"). What is preached to children in the classroom is usually only one side of the story - the mainstream one that makes everyone feel good, safe, and secure. So, yes, I am sick of that stuff
At UofI you don't have to specialize in any certain type of history, so I've taken classes all over the spectrum (military history - US - Chinese - Race and Science - Latin America, etc.)
I'm a big fan of the skill set being a histroy major gives you. I know how to analyze something and prepare an argument for one side or the other. I think reading comprehension, critical thinking, and writing are all very helpful skills regardless of what profession you are planning to go into. I'd like to think that I would be better at most non-scientific based jobs than many people who are in school to pursue that particular career (i.e. I think I could pwn people in the business world - but maybe that is just me being arrogant).