History is not really about the past. It's really a way of talking about the present and the future, a means of trying to make sense of the vital issues shaping contemporary existence. History is not the only means of attempting to do so, but it remains an indispensable approach to grappling with the conditions of the present-day world.
Every generation attempts to reinterpret the past, to tell new stories from history.
In part this desire to reexplore history stems from previously unknown evidence coming to light. Mostly, however, the retelling of history receives its impulse from the new circumstances of the present and the expectations that form about the future. Each generation experiences the imperative of having to define itself and inevitably seeks help through a fresh look at history. Unless assisted by some grasp of the past, the present moment offers little guidance in coping with the enormous demands of a highly unequal and conflictive world. By itself, the current age of unremitting scientific innovation lacks the experience and standards of judgment to define how novel sources of technological power should be used for the human good.