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Open House
Feb. 1st, 2008 07:16 pmToday the History Department held an open house, in honor of the completion of the renovation of their building. They had several lectures and things. When I first heard about it, I thought, "Dang! Why are they having this on a Friday when I can't come?"
Then I realized that of course I can come and I requested vacation time, which I received.
First I saw a talk on the effects of spices, sugar, and salt through history. I didn't learn too much.
Then I saw a talk comparing the current US downturn to that of Japan in 1990 and to the Great Depression. People are calling our current situation the sub-prime mortgage mess, but the speaker says that our current economy is based on a mountain of bad debt that is being underplayed by everyone but gold investors.
So I thought of that saying that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. And I thought to myself that those who do know history are also doomed to repeat it. At least the cyclical parts of it.
Because let's say I knew there was going to be another Great Depression exactly like the last Great Depression (which never actually happens in history). I actually have very little idea what anyone could have done to prepare. Take all your money out of stocks and out of banks and put it under your mattress and buy good deadbolts (so your money doesn't get stolen) and (nowadays) install a sprinkler system (so it doesn't burn up)? And stock up on canned goods and don't tell anyone you have them?
Then I watched a movie about ladies who worked in various factories in Mexico on the US border. They received above average wages for Mexico, but it sounded just like the late 1800s in the US the way the factory owners just spray toxic filth around and otherwise refrain from basic human decency in order to earn a few more bucks.
Then I realized that of course I can come and I requested vacation time, which I received.
First I saw a talk on the effects of spices, sugar, and salt through history. I didn't learn too much.
Then I saw a talk comparing the current US downturn to that of Japan in 1990 and to the Great Depression. People are calling our current situation the sub-prime mortgage mess, but the speaker says that our current economy is based on a mountain of bad debt that is being underplayed by everyone but gold investors.
So I thought of that saying that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. And I thought to myself that those who do know history are also doomed to repeat it. At least the cyclical parts of it.
Because let's say I knew there was going to be another Great Depression exactly like the last Great Depression (which never actually happens in history). I actually have very little idea what anyone could have done to prepare. Take all your money out of stocks and out of banks and put it under your mattress and buy good deadbolts (so your money doesn't get stolen) and (nowadays) install a sprinkler system (so it doesn't burn up)? And stock up on canned goods and don't tell anyone you have them?
Then I watched a movie about ladies who worked in various factories in Mexico on the US border. They received above average wages for Mexico, but it sounded just like the late 1800s in the US the way the factory owners just spray toxic filth around and otherwise refrain from basic human decency in order to earn a few more bucks.