A rich potpourri, comme d’habitude. But a bit unfair - you make it tough to decide which of your themes to respond to among so many!
Let me focus on the valuable post you linked us to on the virtues of using history to make policy. The author suggests: “History is not a good in itself: it must be rigorously evaluated and applied, precisely why professional historians are needed”.
I agree, but only up to a point. History feels similar to risk management, in that we need professional advisors on the topic, but if the discipline is seen to be the preserve of a handful of boffins and not a responsibility or a skill set for the rest of us, the experts will get ignored at the most critical times by those ignorant of their craft. So we have to consider how can we make most people in organizations smart consumers of history who can then apply that knowledge constructively.
It might be interesting to train emerging leaders to do some research into why their organization’s longstanding capabilities, standards and processes came to be. What happened back then to which those practices seemed a useful response? What is or isn’t different now?
I particularly wonder whether something could be done to challenge the politicians who want to slash “red tape”, typically meaning regulations that (today) seem more of an irritation than they are worth. Could the politicos first be required to go back into the history of why the regulation was first devised? What problem was it an attempt to solve? Why should that problem no longer concern us or is there a more efficient solution now available? Under what circumstances might the de-regulator agree we need to re-regulate? Walkerton comes readily to mind…
Hoping that you have a wonderful trek - our annual trips to Nova Scotia via New England became a huge part of our family lore. As for different priorities, the complete recordings of Harry Potter by Jim Dale were the perfect antidote to such dilemmas!
Good post and happy hunting for new photos of old presidents. I particularly appreciate your understanding of the immense and irreplaceable value of archives. Happy trails.
Thanks Dan for this smart and fine sign off ahead of your vacation. Like you, I have not always been able to keep up with reading all your posts, or commenting, but no question that being a subscriber has been a great gift to my family of thoughtful historian readers. No need for any extension for us!
Looking forward to your refreshed writing - enjoy your road trip!
A rich potpourri, comme d’habitude. But a bit unfair - you make it tough to decide which of your themes to respond to among so many!
Let me focus on the valuable post you linked us to on the virtues of using history to make policy. The author suggests: “History is not a good in itself: it must be rigorously evaluated and applied, precisely why professional historians are needed”.
I agree, but only up to a point. History feels similar to risk management, in that we need professional advisors on the topic, but if the discipline is seen to be the preserve of a handful of boffins and not a responsibility or a skill set for the rest of us, the experts will get ignored at the most critical times by those ignorant of their craft. So we have to consider how can we make most people in organizations smart consumers of history who can then apply that knowledge constructively.
It might be interesting to train emerging leaders to do some research into why their organization’s longstanding capabilities, standards and processes came to be. What happened back then to which those practices seemed a useful response? What is or isn’t different now?
I particularly wonder whether something could be done to challenge the politicians who want to slash “red tape”, typically meaning regulations that (today) seem more of an irritation than they are worth. Could the politicos first be required to go back into the history of why the regulation was first devised? What problem was it an attempt to solve? Why should that problem no longer concern us or is there a more efficient solution now available? Under what circumstances might the de-regulator agree we need to re-regulate? Walkerton comes readily to mind…
Hoping that you have a wonderful trek - our annual trips to Nova Scotia via New England became a huge part of our family lore. As for different priorities, the complete recordings of Harry Potter by Jim Dale were the perfect antidote to such dilemmas!
Good post and happy hunting for new photos of old presidents. I particularly appreciate your understanding of the immense and irreplaceable value of archives. Happy trails.
Thanks Dan for this smart and fine sign off ahead of your vacation. Like you, I have not always been able to keep up with reading all your posts, or commenting, but no question that being a subscriber has been a great gift to my family of thoughtful historian readers. No need for any extension for us!
Looking forward to your refreshed writing - enjoy your road trip!