To What Extent And In What Ways, Can The Past Be A Good Guide To The Future

Time is to the human world, what a river bed is to a mighty river. The river creates her own destiny –her bed determines the places she goes and the rocks she encounters. Thus, in the end when she meets the sea- her destiny is fulfilled under the guidance and strict supervision of the riverbed. For us humans, time seems to play the part of the riverbed.

The human mind, without the benefit of formal learning and literacy, runs on institutions of experience and opinion - something that only time determines. It is with time that we gain experience and after all, experience is nothing but the wonderful syngamy of life and the course of time. Thus, when time plays such a significant role in our lives, is it not proper for the thoughtful mind to evaluate and analyse its deep impact on us? Only then can we understand a little more of the complex nature of man.

Since the future is unfathomable, and the present flees before we may grasp it- the only tense that is left for us to deeply analyse is the unruffled past- whose sweet memories reminds us of its bygone existence. It is the same tense in which old fables are told, myths unfolded and ballads sung in to refrain us from committing similar mistakes.

Mankind has readily made use of its benefits. We often look back into the past to review our shortcomings and plan our future endeavours with a thorough reading of past accounts of not only ourselves but other fellow people. Not only does this make us feel more prepared- but it assures us that we may have control over the situation we are expecting in the future. There are plenty of examples that surround us regarding this very fact. For a small example- the scientific world today is looking for solutions to modern problems in ancient texts so old, that neither their origin nor their exact dates can be determined. Answers to some of the most puzzling riddles are being searched for in written and spoken materials- whose creators are physiologically like you and me- only the time of existence separates us . And, in a “world which is now made one” à la Rabindranath Tagore, even the most trifling decisions can bring in a revolution. Thus, these grave scientific revelations do have a considerable impact on our collective future.

World politics is more wont to look into the past of their legacies and decide on the basis of it- their future action. For example, if a country A has a history of wars with another country B, can we expect them to have intimate trading ties- or a group project of a large measure that benefits both of them economically? Most probably not - their ties are limited to small inconspicuous measure of peace-making and necessary business. Thus, the future is different than what would have been if they had a different story.

When an innocent infant sees a hot teapot - he repeatedly tries to reach for it with his bare hands- unbeknownst of the consequences of his actions. It was only after scathing of his soft rosy palm that he stopped touching it. The future of which is of course different from what would have happened if he had managed to pick the pot up and spill the water. Thus- a past experience- knowledge of the past helped determine the course of future.

This may not be the conventional way of looking into the topic, but even this non-conventional and rather small-scale thinking really shows how much impact our past has on us. We may thus say that as we as mankind walk- time walks also. Both parties stride upon a common path determined by time and made true by the industry of human life.

Belonging to India- “God’s beloved land” as said by the Egyptians and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, I am compelled to state some of the wonderful philosophies born in part of the world.

As per to the Grand book of the Bhagavad Gita- the Hindu believes in the idea of karma and Karmaphala or the idea of karmic circle. In short according to this idea- our future is both consciously and unconsciously built upon the rigid base of our past actions and happenings. According to it- neither is it possible to be free of the consequences of our action nor is it possible to escape action. Inaction is not the property of the physical body- thus we must act and the results (or karmaphala) of past karma (or action) must be faced in the sure future. Since such karmaphala may require a time more than a lifetime- this doctrine rightly advocates the idea of rebirth and moksha (freedom from the cycle of birth).Unlike the Occident where time is linear, the Orient believes in the cyclic nature of time- thus the effects of the past are more visible.

The idea of Advaita again believes firmly in the idea of Oneness. According to it- we are most surely affected by both individual and individualistic actions alike. If, according to such a doctrine- we are not free of the effects of our collective actions- how are thus free from the actions of the past? How can our present or our future be completely free of its flavours or fragrance?

But then again, the contrast and similarities of these thoughts with some of the Western thoughts must be looked into-

While on one hand, thinkers like George Hegel and Karl Popper believe that thought history of human life is valuable and ought to be studied it does not affect the future and the past stops in the present itself. They oppose the argument that the past has some predicative nature and can help us determine the course of future happening given the complexity of the human mind.

On the other hand, Heilbroner mentioned how history helps us to bring social change which again gives space for the opinion that it does help to bring in a change- whose affect last not only in the present but the far-sighted future as well. 

Overall, Western Philosophy looks into the past or history only for self-learning and scrutiny. But using common sense, we can decide for ourselves how much self-inflicted changes really change our personality and decisions.

Then there is also the underrated catastrophe theory. It is a real testimony to the fact of how dramatically big or “catastrophic events” can really alter the course of the future. This theory warmly welcomes a plethora of “what ifs?” in sciences and social sciences.

Therefore, now we are somewhat sure of the underlying fact that the past does have a hand in determining the future of mankind. But, as we can see with the contrasting thoughts- it is as important to investigate how much the past really affects the future and how much we must really rely upon it.

Going back to Popper and Hegel, it is true that the human institute of thinking is so very diverse and complex that it is impossible to be certain of what he is about to do next. To rely upon only one’s past movements we cannot be entirely sure of what one does in the future. Nothing in this blessed world is impossible and thus, a criminal might end up being a social activist- a pauper may end up rich and a liar may end up being a preacher of truth. All this is not entirely because of their past- but because of their real-time decisions which changed their lives and it is quite possible that they were not thinking of their past action while taking that decision! All it took was just a little sense of judgement.

Therefore, it is never of advantage to us to limit ourselves of undertaking future endeavours in the fear of our unsupportive past. Given the trend of life- it would not be an exaggeration that we may lose the diamond under the rock because of the fear of being blinded by its light. We must thoroughly analyse our past - take precautions and be advised by past accounts but simply must not let it be a hindrance to us taking on new projects and assignments. It is quite possible that things might end up being very different from what had happened in the past.

Nonetheless, whatever may come and whatever may be the end of this thoroughly researched topic- one eternal fact stands out to us. That time is always slipping out of our grasp like a glass string and all we can do is to look at the Past attached to its other end like a kite that is flying high and away from us. The Past does have a beauty which teaches us to be prepared for the future. It also reminds us that the future we are so anxious of will end up like itself. It teaches, so we must learn.