Are we as a species doomed to keep repeating mistakes of the past, never learnin

Question: Are we as a species doomed to keep repeating mistakes of the past, never learning until it's too late!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

If you restrict the question to just politicians, then my answer is a definite "yes!." Politicians as a whole are too dogmatic to admit mistakes, and too cowardly to choose the right choice over either the popular choice or the choice that will give them more power!.

Talking about people in general though, I would say it depends on how wise the individual is!. The best people learn quickly from their mistakes, while the worst will keep repeating them until their mistakes get the better of them!.

Talking about the human race overall, I think the answer is probably no!. Unfortunately, politicians and government play a large role in the affairs of our civilization, and their influence can not be ignored!. I think though that over the long run, decades or centuries, we have been learning, and this has helped lift us from barbarism to the level of civilization we have now!. Just a couple centuries ago, you could be persecuted for being not just the wrong religion but the wrong denomination!. Women & racial minorities couldn't vote or own property, and in fact were treated AS property!. Interracial and interreligious dating and marriage were inconceivable!. Genocide and torture were accepted norms in any war!. Wealth was primarily hereditary!.

We are far, far from perfect as a species or society!. But I think we have learned many things, and I think we will continue to learn and to improve as a result!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Individually we may learn from our mistakes and not repeat them (or most of them) but as a species, we truly appear too stupid to make good use of what has transpired in the past!. As a species we seem to think that the mistakes our fathers and grandfathers had made, we can with the superior technology we now have, do all those same stupid things with a better outcome!.!.!.!.like wars!.!.!.we can now go to was and know we won't have too many human losses, but we don't bother to count the losses on the other side so we continue to anniliate ourselves as we have always done!. And the list of our repeated stupidities goes on and onWww@QuestionHome@Com

I believe that it is up to the individuals who make or don't make those mistakes!.
possibly we will make a mistake to big to fix by ourselves, at which point nature will step in and work to fix it
(if possible)
some people may make the same mistake many times but learn eventually
nations however seem to have similar patterns
1!. ruling class or government takes command
2!. nation prospers
3!. government becomes corrupt and lazy
4!. civil unrest begins to come
5!. government begins reducing freedoms thinking to stops uprising
6!. plan fails and overthrow occurs
7!. rebels take control of nation or appoint leaders from the population
8!. see stages 1-7

as you can see time repeats itself
only when we accept our differences can we come to stop the destruction of our raceWww@QuestionHome@Com

If I were a stoic I would say that every event happens again and again, so don't get attached to events!.

If I were an existentialist i would say Every event is it's own conclusion!.

If I were a fatalist I would say "yet again!."

If I were a sophist, i would offer you a variety of options and hope that one lead to a best answer reward!.

So I guess I am a sophist!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, it's human nature!. And I have only seen a degeneration in morality and thinking in society!. It will only lead to greater consequences with the rise of technology!.

"The release of atomic energy has not created a new problem!. It has merely made more urgent the necessity of solving an existing one!." - Albert EinsteinWww@QuestionHome@Com

yes and no!. i think we only learn from our mistakes if we are willing to!. and some people make mistakes and feel like theres nothing wrong with it!.

be a dear and answer mine

http://answers!.yahoo!.com/question/index;!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

see its like a thousand or two years down the line from the original time, so for my sake I hope you learn the lesson because soon(& I'm just sorry, I have to say it) I will make my presence with a beautiful and suitable view!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

As one answer states, "INVIDUALS" own the greatest freedom there is,,,CHOICE!.

To generalize the Q to our species, one need only look at Politics and War, to find the answer!.

just my two "sense"Www@QuestionHome@Com

as they say, 'history keeps repeating itself'!.!.!.
maybe thats the reason why we keep on repeating the things we dont intend to make, especially the mistakes!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Maybe as a species, but not as individuals!. Hence the saying "learn from your mistakes!." Blessed be!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

everybody has to make the same mistakes with out knowing sometimesWww@QuestionHome@Com

No I have learned how to not repeat the same ones all over again!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

yup its always happened!. in our world history repeats itself!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com