Bizarre Ways History Has Repeated Itself

The famous saying "those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it" highlights the importance of recognizing historical patterns to prevent catastrophic outcomes. Although some historians argue that history does not repeat itself due to the uniqueness of each event, paying attention to historical lessons can help us avoid the loss of countless lives. From transportation disasters to oppressive leadership, missed opportunities, and pandemics, studying history is essential to prevent similar outcomes in the future. This article explores several situations that could have been avoided if people had learned from history. So let’s take a look and see what we can learn from these past events. \r \r 1. Sinking Ships\r \r The Tek Sing, Titanic, and Dona Paz disasters all demonstrated a recipe for disaster: taking a large boat, failing to prepare it adequately, rushing to the destination, and ultimately crashing into something. The Tek Sing hit a barrier reef in 1822 while carrying so much cargo that some had to be fastened outside the ship's hull. Just 90 years later, in 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg and  over 1,500 lives were lost. Despite not being overloaded with cargo, the ship did not have enough lifeboats for everyone onboard. Finally, in 1987, the Dona Paz sank in the Tablas Strait after colliding with an oil tanker, causing a massive explosion that destroyed both ships. The Dona Paz carried approximately 4,000 passengers, many more people than its 1,400 capacity.\r \r 2. Oppressive Leaders\r \r Oppressive leadership is another historical pattern that has had disastrous consequences. Ivan the Terrible and Joseph Stalin's reigns demonstrate the dangers of leaders who suppress anyone who opposes them. During Ivan's time, he formed the Oprichniki, a group tasked with arbitrarily rounding up and executing people who opposed him. The next leader to rule in a similar fashion was Joseph Stalin, an incredibly paranoid man who was always looking for disloyal subjects, including top military generals and advisors. The fear of persecution by Stalin's regime caused many people to lose their lives.\r \r 3. Missed Opportunities\r \r Missed opportunities can also have disastrous consequences, and this time, we’re referring to businesses. In the early 2000s, video rental chain Blockbuster had the chance to acquire Netflix for $50 million but dismissed it as “unsustainable and unprofitable”. A few years later, Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy and had to close over 2000 stores. In 2006, Nokia passed on the opportunity to join Apple and Android in revolutionizing mobile phones, believing the innovations to be too ambitious. Today, Apple leads the pack in selling the most phones worldwide, while Nokia has fallen from the mobile industry spotlight.\r \r 4. Pandemics\r \r Pandemics are not new to history, and the debate over how to manage them continues to be fiercely contested. In 1918, a wave of influenza swept across the globe and claimed the lives of an estimated 50 million people. One hundred two years later, in 2020, the world experienced another pandemic which saw the loss of nearly 7 million people.\r \r 5. Dead or Alive\r \r Finally, conspiracies about whether people are truly gone or not are very common, and they often emerge after the passing of a celebrity. Rumors may claim that the individual faked their demise, leading to alleged sightings and claims that they are still alive. In 1825, Alexander I of Russia passed away from typhus, and rumors spread that he had faked his death and became a monk named Feodor Kuzmich. As recently as 2015, handwriting experts suggested this theory could be plausible after analyzing writing samples. Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and Princess Diana are on the list of celebrities rumored to still be alive.\r \r