History is Repeating

            It has been said that history repeats itself. Evidence of this can be seen all around us. It happens in both good and bad ways, but it happens. We see many of the same successes and mistakes made throughout history, and some of the same happening today. History is an ongoing process. It started much before we were born and will go on long after our deaths. The book 2312, by Kim Stanley Robinson, puts an interesting spin on this topic. The book describes a future where almost everywhere in the Solar System is accessible and most of it has been colonized. It also frequently goes to a smaller view on how things on Earth itself are working.

            This book is written from the perspective of a rather crazy girl who frequently travels the solar system from her home on Mercury. It is an interesting story, but it isn’t really the story I am interested in. Throughout the book the author will explain certain things mentioned in lists or extracts. In one particular extract it describes the periods between the modern day era and when the book takes place. Between 2005 and 2060 there is “The Dithering,” where there are petty wars between countries and otherwise the wasting of time. These are described as “wasted years.” This is sort of like the Dark Ages with very little technological advancement and many wars between empires. Then from 2060 to 2130 there is “The Crisis.” Global warming catches up to humanity and causes many natural disasters and wars for natural resources. This is the same as the period with the Black Death and 100 Year’s War and other such disasters. Then there is “The Turnaround.” This is a 30 year period sort of like a mini Renaissance. Different technological advancements and explorations that turn around the course humanity was taking. Then comes “The Accelerando.” Space exploration really picks up, they start terraforming asteroids and finish terraforming Mars for more resources. This is like the Age of Exploration where Europe starts gaining a profit from crops sold in the Americas. Then the Accelerando slows down and they go into the balkanization, where there is much turmoil throughout the Solar System and people ultimately go back to their former selves with a Cold War between Mars and Earth and there is a coming shortage of goods. The cycle essentially repeats itself, but the period between The Dithering and The Accelerando is a lot like the period between the Dark Ages and the Age of Exploration in Italy, thus history repeating itself in its own endless cycle.

            This was a particularly effective source, as it goes through almost a complete cycle of humanity’s ability to improve waxing and waning. It explains history in a creative and interesting way well attempting to teach us that while repeating history can be good, it ultimately has its side effects.