History UP-Cycled

How to PRESERVE our prosperity and potential for GOOD

- Terez Hartmann

“Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it…”—George Santayana

…Or ARE they?

We have long heard this phrase, and throughout the world we have been sure to teach the newest generations the most gruesome aspects of history with a passionate attitude of prevention. Yet, if this actually WAS the path to halting any present or future injustice, prejudice, crime, catastrophe, disease, etc., don’t you think we’d all be living the “Life of Riley” (a life of peace and plenty) by now?

Did you know that the moment you identify something as important or interesting (especially if you have a strong emotional response to the data), your Reticular Activating System (RAS), a network of neurons in your brain stem, goes to work to help you focus to find MORE examples of related things? It is the very same phenomenon that occurs when you take an interest in a new car, a travel destination, a memory, or a certain animal, symbol, number, etc., and then start seeing said “thing” virtually everywhere you go. It’s not a problem when your attention turns to things that are fun, innocuous, or desired, but—without meaning to—every time you focus on history that highlights the darkest aspects of humanity (or your life), your brain actually starts to look for more examples of that in the present.