Plutarch the ancient historian recounts how festivals and feasts were created in memory of famous heros or perhaps lovers whose love ended in tragedy, or perhaps a demigods exploits. In his book, Plutarchs Lives, I notived he would describe the origin of the feast or festival and then say, “and they still celebrate every your to this day.” What stuck Me as funny was how people are just the same today.
I was just in Memphis Tennessee and There they were holding a candlelight vigil for Elvis. It was either his death of birth that they were commemorating, I’m not sure which , but I know they hold weeklong events for both at different times of the year. I wonder how far into the future these will last?
What is funny to me is how people do the Same things today as try did in ancient times. Instead of gathering to feast or mourn for Hercules, it’s now Elvis. Same thing!
The value in this observation of human behavior is to value and study history as a means of understanding ourselves and as a means of avoiding and or repeating mistakes-
Despite our technology we are still the same un less we can learn from our collective history and personal history.
- So change and wisdom can be inspired through the study of the past. otherwise, we stay the same.
Ben Wagner (218)
Member The 36S Commi+ment
