Module 2- A response to Zinn's statement

When we look back at history, it is amazing to discover new things and see how powerful this things can influence our present knowledge about events. Our past definitely explain to us the way things are happening now and later in our future. After reading Zinn’s “A people’s History of the United States” I get a totally different perspective about historical figures that are presently praised. But on what grounds? I used to believe that Christopher Columbus was an admirable and brave person. In the U.S, there is a day dedicated solely to him and there was even a country that used to have their currency called “colones” in honor to him. However, do people really know about him? Everything we believe we must question, and not just take anything blindly. After knowing some facts, like how the conquerors inflicted pain into the natives in order to get what they wanted, makes me realize that all humans act selfishly in order to survive in a competitive world. The conquerors were guided by their greed, and even when the natives were so kind and peaceful, they just acted selfishly and wanted everything for themselves.
Can people feel compassion? Sometimes we wonder how the conquerors could act so brutally against the human race, knowing that these people also had feelings, a culture, a life. In our present, is it possible that people will reflect on past human behavior and try to work together to keep peace everywhere? There are wars going on around the world, and it just seems impossible for humans to work together when they have different objectives. How would the world be if a culture so kind and peaceful like that of the natives were still alive nowadays? People should be capable of dialoguing, working together to make sure they fulfill every person’s needs. The world would be exceptionally different if humans were not selfish and avaricious, but I guess that when it comes to survival, we all just think about ourselves and our loved ones first, and we disregard others.
By studying history we are not just making ourselves more knowledgeable in this matter, but we are also analyzing and constantly changing our beliefs based on what we learn. Zinn’s presents us with a clear explanation of a certain perspective about history. We don’t just feel sympathy for the natives loss but we understand that when it comes to history there will always be different points of views about past events, and it is up to us to learn how things really happened instead of based our beliefs on ignorance. And ignorance will certainly not change this world for better but for worse.