GRE Issue Topic 126

Sample 1:

The world today may be more complex than that of the past, but people's needs and motivations have not changed. People make decisions that they think will benefit them in some way. According the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, all people desire the same things. They want their physiological needs met; they require food, water, sex, and sleep. They want to feel loved and safe. They desire self–esteem and the respect of others. Most humans make decisions to satisfy these needs, and they make use of their own or others’ experiences to help them. This lack of change refutes the claim, in that it shows that the past is necessary to make new decisions even with the fast pace of our current world, because history can be used to inform correct decisions based on similar past situations.

My grandparents are in their late eighties; they were born in the 1920's. In the eighty–plus years since their births, they have seen enormous and increasingly rapid changes occur in virtually every aspect of life. They have seen the advent of commercial flight, the construction of the interstate highway system, the invention of television, and the dominance of the computer in twenty–first century living. The first challenges they faced occurred when they were children during the Great Depression. They have used those experiences to inform most of the decisions they have made throughout their lives. Coming from childhoods of financial struggle, they don't waste anything. My grandmother saves used tinfoil and washes and reuses Ziploc bags. My grandfather holds onto even the smallest scrap of lumber from a construction project. He wears his clothes until they are entirely worn out. Whether the economy is good or bad, they manage because their past experiences have taught them the lessons that help them survive and thrive. The complexity of today's world has little effect on them. They make decisions based on their needs and habits.

President Obama is facing some difficult choices concerning Syria's use of chemical weapons against its own citizens. He has tempered his first instinct to initiate an air strike by considering how Americans feel about entering another conflict. When President George W. Bush reacted to the terrorist attack of 9/11/01 by sending troops into Iraq and Afghanistan, he had the support of most Americans. Twelve years later, Americans are weary of these wars and the great majority is not in favor of any more military action. Based on this twelve–year history of American troops in the Middle East, the President has delayed an air strike and is awaiting results of Russia's offer to help Syria dispose of its chemical weapons. Because the world is more complex, President Obama must keep in mind America’s recent past before making a decision that can have far–reaching effects. Failure to act against Syria may give other hostile countries the impetus to stockpile chemical weapons. Calling an air strike may cause retaliation against American troops abroad. His primary concern is the safety of Americans, and he uses his knowledge of the past to inform his decisions.

Last fall, the eastern seaboard was hit by super storm Sandy. Lacking sufficient protection from the Atlantic Ocean, seaside resorts and amusement parks in New Jersey were destroyed, and downtown New York City was flooded. Both numerous lives and livelihoods were lost. The island of Manhattan was immobilized as subway tunnels filled with seawater and electricity was lost. Historically, this region did not experience such severe storms, so one could argue that looking to the past for guidance was unwise. However, based on this recent event, city planners are considering the construction of some sort of barrier that would prevent the ocean from entering New York Harbor in the event of another catastrophic storm. Ocean barriers have been used with success in the low countries of Europe, and New York City planners can use the historical success of these countries to help them make important decisions today.

The inherent complexity of living in today's world creates more complexity in the decision–making process. However, it does not preclude using the past as a reference for considering the consequences of those decisions. The world has changed, but its residents have the same needs as those in decades and centuries past, making the criteria for choosing a course of action similar to any in history.

Sample 2:

History is a collection of past events. It includes the trends and patterns of people of earlier civilizations, their faith and achievements, along with the details of the lives of great men who created a niche for themselves in social, political or religious fields. All in all, history is the study that teaches us not only about the past events, but also about the cause and impact of actions taken in the past such that they serve as a source of guidance for the present and the future as well.

The achievements and developments of the past assist us in the present. For instance, the knowledge of early man in creation of weapons and various equipments has been the foundation for the tools developed today. The knowledge of making houses, planning of towns, architectural skills, helps in further enhancing these traits without wasting much time and in developing a completely new idea.

History reveals about the achievements in the areas of science, medicine, literature, mathematics, etc. To quote an example, implementations of ayurveda, homeopathy and yoga in today’s life are inspired by the developments and successes in the past. Similarly, the knowledge of mathematical calculations, astronomy, astrology, literature and famous legends are meaningfully extracted today because of the mediating role played by history.

Further, the leaders and other eminent personalities of the past act as a source of inspiration to the present generation. The biographies of Nehru, Ghandhi, Lincon, Napolean and Hitler are not merely amusements today but they definitely make one aware of certain actions and their consequences which are relevant even today. To cite an example, the use of atom bombs in Japan and its aftermaths curtailed different countries from using the nuclear weapons till date. The horrors of the world wars reflected in history warn nations against another such grave mistake. It is history that teaches leaders to restrain from dictatorship and empowers common men to retaliate it. The revolts and revolutions held in the past have set examples for the future.

The study of ancient civilizations and their origin, their belief, their actions and culture gives a deeper understanding of different religions and social norms. This in turn enables us to accept people of different backgrounds by inculcating religious tolerance which is the need of the hour in most parts of the world today.

In addition to this, there have been many gradual climatic changes since time immemorial. Historical records of such changing weather patterns make us more aware and well equipped in dealing with the climatic and ecological changes. For instance, the recent floods in Bihar (India) caused due to the Kosi river could have been better dealt with (if not averted), if the historical records of this notorious river and its highly unpredictable behavior of changing routes was given sufficient thought to.

Conclusively, history is not merely a study of past for information sake, but it gives us a foundation to progress in the fields of science, literature, law and order, politics and social customs. It empowers us with the understanding of various happenings, patterns and likely consequences of different actions in the present and in the future as well.