recently, i went to the book store, and found a really interesting book, “secret corners of the world”, published by national geographic. which is my favorite sort of thing– places that haven’t been touched on, aren’t popular in the daily workings of the world… those countries i feel are almost the most fascinating. the countries we know the most of– western europe, america, even certain heavily populated counties in asia. i find them an interesting course of study, but something about a country that has existed for thousands of years, yet is not touched– it is both pitiful but also so amazing. that’s sort of what this book is about; even if it covers a power like spain, its in such a specific, undocumented area that’s its still fascinating. i know nothing about the mountains in spain, even though i know many a history of spain and its invaders, its trades, etc. another country highlighted in the book is argentina. of course many know of it, but it covers the very bottom province, tierra del fuego. have i ever even thought about it? not at all. and that is the most interesting part, as i can’t wait to read all of it.
i really think that the expansion and understanding of different countries in the school system is a lost art. a lot of systems in america speak on their own history– which, to an extent, is good information, but is it over the course of 4+ years? i know that my peers are unable to pin most places on a map, but are well versed (to a certain extent…) in our country’s history. but i fear that not having an equal understanding of both your own history as well as the existence of international lives is what sets us apart from everyone else– it is what “makes” us american. to a certain extent, its what makes every person that lives in a country “-ian”. its what makes them apart of their country, but of course nobody can expect everyone to have no sense of nationalism.
in my personal opinion, i just feel that learning outside of your own place is more beneficial than building upon blocks of knowledge that you already know. understanding other humans fundamentally makes you a more understanding, “human” person… and you don’t need to become interested in international affairs or become a historian to do that. anyway… back to my point… a lot of my research journal will probably be related to things like this: the understanding of culture, geography, and how that makes people who they are, how they are, and what they may do. and i feel like a lot of people lack that– and its not their fault. that’s the end of my thesis, really…