Today is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. I was an infant when it happened, so of course I have no recollection of how this pivotal point in history felt to those who were witness to it as adults. Naomi Bloom, a fellow human resources blogger, was an 18 year old college student on November 22, 1963. Naomi submitted the post Where Were You – 11-22-1963 for inclusion in this week’s HR Carnival.
As I read Naomi’s post, I was struck by the fact that we were both alive during this time, and in that way, we were both “present”. But only one of us actually remembers it – the shock, the confusion, the grief. You could say that Naomi was an actual witness to the event, but I was merely a student, learning about it in history class and reading accounts of that terrible day in Life magazine.
So, my Friday “food for thought” is this: is it enough to “know” history (the student) so that you won’t repeat it, as Irish philosopher Edmund Burke asserts, or must you have a significant emotional connection to the event (the witness) in order for it to inform the choices you make?
Peter,
Thank you so much for your contribution. It’s gratifying to know that my post on an American historical event can still be useful for other cultures. My best to you!