Embracing History's Lessons: What Every College Graduate Should Know [Paperback]

Jay R. Allgood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2004

History is a composite of influences of: environment, life forms, great men and women, the common person, class struggle, excesses of leaders, conspiracies, manipulation, modifying events (acts of nature, disease, and so forth), wars, religious movements, and political actions. It is also a useful exposé of human nature, cultural fusions, idea evolution, technological developments, and a flow of events.

What you can expect to gain from this synthesis of knowledge of the ages:

1. What it means and takes to be educated.
2. What the requirements are for an optimal social system.
3. What constitutes overpopulation, and why the problem is so critical.
4. What constitutes the major sources of conflict and how related differences are best resolved.
5. How manipulative leaders control crowds and why you should avoid crowd contagion.
6. What the fundamental differences are in liberal versus conservative views of politics, education, and other aspects of social functioning.
7. What money is, its uses in the markets, and how it can free or enslave one.
8. Why fiat money and debt destroys nations.
9. What key factors influence decisions regarding belief.
10. Core lessons for helping steer oneÂ’s life, nations, and world into the future.

Surprisingly, few authors have attempted to delineate the "lessons" of history in a concise form where they can be easily examined, pondered, and evaluated — in relation to each other. Reading history can be interesting, but learning its underlying lessons will empower you.

A work over twenty years in the writing, Jay Allgood has produced a masterful analysis drawn from the finest minds of history, and has synthesized material from hundreds of sources.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Following Officer's Training in WW2, Mr. Allgood obtained his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering degree from The Rice University, and taught there for two years before a stint in private industry. Thereafter, he obtained his Masters Degree in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from Ohio State University, and went to work at a Navy research laboratory.

Mr. Allgood participated in several atomic tests at the Nevada Test Site, and came up with a concept for simulating blast loads in the laboratory. With the participation of others, the blast simulator was developed and used for testing various full-size structural elements. Jay was also involved with testing models and a 40-ft shallow rectangular-structural shell, among other projects.

Eventually, he did advanced study in theoretical mechanics at Stanford University under a Navy fellowship. He also served in various local organizations and in several national groups. Mr. Allgood is co-author of a monograph, author or co-author of over fifty technical papers and reports, plus being a recipient of several awards and patents. Jay resides in St. George, Utah, with his wife, Roberta. They have two children, eleven grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Mr. Allgood left engineering at age 48 to pursue other interests, including the study of history and the social sciences, which led to this book, his first non-technical publication.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

As Eduard Meyer said, “All of human history is relevant to present and future human needs.” He added, “World history is important that we may learn from past experience, cultural history is important that we may understand our social conditioning, and family history is important that we may feel connected.” He might have added that personal history is important that we may perpetuate fundamental values. James Burke remarked, “You can only know where you are going [in life] if you know where you have been.” To compliment that observation, Newt Gingrich advised: “Combine the potential of the future with the lessons of the past to enrich the future.” Doing so fortifies Disraeli’s conviction, “The more extensive a man’s knowledge of what has been done, the greater will be his power of knowing what to do.” J. Kelly Sowards wrote, “History has revealed powerful ideas with revolutionary potential.” We should know them and about them. Dominant positive ones relate to: morality, liberty, equality, freedom, and the concept of justice; negative ones to: class division, racism, greed, resentment, and the lust to dominate. Significant strides toward sublimating the negative concepts and emphasizing the positive ones have been made over time. That is evidenced in the progress of the principal phenomena of Western history (Anon): 1. Ideas — about morality, moderation, and reason; and doing no harm to others or ones self. 2. Events — evolution of belief systems, development of the scientific method, the Reformation, and the U.S. Constitution. 3. Trends — civilizing mankind; moving toward individual rights. 4. Customs — enhanced: ideals, traditions, and principles. 5. Constants — emotions, change, conflict, and progress. 6. Influences — writing, printing press, and microchips, etc. 7. Challenges — keeping technology, education, and society from turning on themselves. 8. Dangers — power brokers, unrestrained passions, terrorists, taxes, debt, fiat money, regulation, and concentration of wealth. Positive aspects of these concepts have led to: literacy, government, technology, organized religion, city life, and widespread prosperity in developed countries. In the process, as Sumner noted, the evolution of civilization has emancipated many people from (mental and physical) poverty.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Agreka Books (January 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888106689
• ISBN-13: 978-1888106688
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,084,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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