In the U.S., July 4th is our Independence Day, when we celebrate our declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. My wife is a history buff, which has turned me on to learning more not only about U.S. history, but the complex relationships found in world history as well.

But lately, spurred on by David McCullough’s excellent 1776,
I’ve been re-learning all I thought I knew about America’s fight for independence. I say, “re-learning,” because while I’m sure teachers taught U.S. history well in school, I’m not certain I could connect all the dots with the appreciation that I can 20 or 30 years later. I feel far more equipped to not only connect the dots today, but also understand and appreciate them in a way I never could when I was “forced” to learn this stuff in school.

So much of history can be so enjoyable because it is such a great teacher. You think history has no relevance in modern society? In fact, I think all politicians should be studied historians, because then they would appreciate that the road they’re thinking of traversing has already been trodden by hundreds before them. One of the greatest challenges in living in the U.S. today is the alarming disconnect some of our current politicians have from our own country’s history (and the lessons we’ve already learned, and in some cases, forgotten).

There is certainly psychology to history, to understanding history, to understanding its human context, and how ordinary people (not unlike you and I) have had tremendous impact in the shaping of culture and society. And that, even today, we same ordinary people have similar impact (even if we don’t always appreciate it).

On this day, I give thanks that I live in one of the world’s greatest democracies and societies, while acknowledging that our current raft of politicians leave a lot to be desired. I hope that we, as a society, choose better in the next set of elections, scheduled for next year.

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 3 Jul 2007
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.