Hatrack River Forum: How much percentage do Americans never learn mistakes from the past and the present?

This is topic How much percentage do Americans never learn mistakes from the past and the present? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by want2write (Member # 6253) on :

My sister said that many Americans don't learn their lessons (probably violence and racism). But I don't know the real survey.

Maybe the cause of this endless cycle must've been not following either media, politics, or something else.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Yeah. It's only Americans who fail to do so. You can tell because the rest of the world is an idyllic utopia. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by SoberTillNoon (Member # 6170) on :

The Germans are a good example of learning form their own mistakes.

Where does your sister get off anyway?

[ April 02, 2004, 08:15 PM: Message edited by: SoberTillNoon ]

Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :

"With great power comes great responsibility."
Given that America is currently the great power, it would be rather unsurprising if want2write's sister is more concerned about Americans willingness to keep themselves informed about what is being done in their names, to learn from mistakes than "Germans" or "the rest of the world".

Or it could be that seeing herself reflected within the American group identity, she is more interested in "cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

[ April 02, 2004, 11:44 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]

Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :

37.7% of Americans learn from their mistakes. The rest keep going back to see Adam Sandler movies.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

Did your sister have the same history teacher you do now? [Smile]

Posted by democrat (Member # 6408) on :

Some people just can't help themselves from repeating mistakes, or the circumstances force the person into committing the same action.

Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :

Short term memories. It's not that we don't learn. It's the fact that we (in general) forget. Now islamic countries almost never forget. Nor do they forgive all that easy.

"Learn from other peoples' mistakes. Life is too short to make them all on your own." -I forget.

Posted by slacker (Member # 2559) on :

Judging by the amount of callers that I get everynight (if I can remember their name, they've called alot) about the same thing, it's a pretty high number.

To be fair, though, it's an abnormally high number of Canadians that call about the same thing on weekends.