Yet the folk prejudice against history is hard to shake. In an ever more algorithmic world, people believe that humanities are irrelevant. The spread of automation should put a greater premium on qualities that computers lack, such as intuitive intelligence, management skills and critical reasoning. Properly taught that is what a humanities education provides. Almost no one can fix their own computers: the field is too specialised. People ought to be able to grasp the basic features of their democracy. Faith in ahistoric theory only fuels a false sense of certainty. Few economists expected the 2008 financial crash. Historians were unsurprised.<\/p>\n
Alas, America\u2019s curiosity about itself is suffering a prolonged bear market. What may work for individual careers poses a collective risk to US democracy. The demise of strong civics coincides with waning voter turnout, a decline in joining associations, fewer citizen\u2019s initiatives \u2014 and other qualities once associated with American vigour. The spread of fake news is often blamed solely on social media. Facebook bears a heavy \u2014 and largely uncorrected \u2014 responsibility for the spread of viral harm. But the ultimate driver is the citizens who believe it.<\/p>\n
There is no scientific metric for gullibility. Nor can we quantitatively prove that civic ignorance imposes a political cost on society. These are questions of judgment. But if America\u2019s origins tell us anything it is that a well-informed citizenry creates a stronger society. We may no longer be interested in history. History is still interested in us.<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a> (subscription).<\/p>\n “The folk prejudice against history is hard to shake. In an ever more algorithmic world, people believe that humanities are irrelevant.” https:\/\/t.co\/Wjm0cVcYZ0<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Trevin Wax (@TrevinWax) May 15, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n