January 9, 2024: Our History & The Radical King

Co-hosts Barbara and Louis discussed the importance of history and why (or why not) we need to learn our history.   George Santayana said, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."   Sociological cycle theory, going back at least as far as the Greeks, argues that events and stages of society and history generally repeat themselves in cycles.   Knowing your history may not keep you from repeating it, but perhaps you can be better prepared?  

People are saying 2024 seems a lot like 1968.  Barbara came of age in the 60s.  It was a turbulent time of questioning, challenging, protesting and experimenting that led to social and political upheaval.  1968 was an election year; the USA was mired in war and still mourning the assassination of a president, 1968 saw the assassinations of his brother and Dr. Martin Luther King.  People were in the streets demanding change.  Does this sound like 1968 could be cycling to 2024?

This discussion led to a conversation of MLK in advance of what would have been his 95th birthday on January 15.  Although best known for his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech advocating civil rights, he understood the relationships between civil rights, poverty, materialism, violence and war.  He spoke out against the Vietnam War, demanded that funds spent on war be spent on people to bring them out of poverty, and stood with striking workers demanding fair wages and benefits.  Perhaps these actions led to his assassination?

Our next show on January 16 will be a repeat of our January 2 show:  How Did We Get Here beginning at 11am.  Back live on January 23.

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