Wikipedia as a historic tool
On occasion, I stray away from domains and technology, to comment on society and politics. And the recent gathering of world leaders in London for the G20 summit is one such occasion that I’d like to comment on.
The other day, I was reading random historic facts on Wikipedia. It’s fascinating to follow link upon link of events that occurred hundreds of years ago, following not a linear time-line, but a relationship of events amongst nations: wars, truces, invasions, occupations, abandonment of lands and strongholds.
And then, I take a look at the group photos of world leaders at the G20 summit – among them German, French, Italian, British, American, Turkish and Greek – all smiling at the cameras and at each other, cracking jokes and sharing lunch – like schoolkids at recess.
I can’t help it, and I wonder – what on earth is wrong with the human race?
We slit each other’s throats, we bombard each other’s homes, we leave the children orphaned and we destroy the hard-earned life of our fellow humans. And yet, as if nothing had happened, we can negotiate, we can discuss, we can party, we can touch, hug and kiss one another.
It’s this sensation of pseudo-euphoria that concerns me the most, as it’s almost always a prelude to major social and political unrest and eventually to war.
And those that do not learn from history, tend to repeat it.