I have been reading history books for the last 6 or 8 months, I seem to have this driving need to understand the history of the world, the evolution of man, why the world evolved in the way that it did. I have always enjoyed history, I even took more history classes then I needed for my degree, but there is a sad part to knowing and understanding the history of the world that that has been seeping into my conscious. All the sensless death and suffering that has occured; for what? Why? I just do not understand why history is framed by so many innocent people dieing, and suffering all these 1000's of years. I know that some people try to explain the world's events by religious mindset and overtones, but that explanation falls short, it does not explain the world or the suffering that people have had to indure.

I was reading about the Byzantine Empire and how the empirer decided that the nation that they just conquered he needed to make a statement about his power, so what did he do? he blinded 14,000 people, but only blinded in one eye every 100th person so that way some of the people could guide the totaly blind people home. 14,000 people blinded for what? along with the blinded people are children that are suffering now too.

During the days in China when the different warlords of the various clans ruled, what would happen this that warlord would send out his person to collect tax money, if the people did not have any money what would happen to the people? The warlord in his wisdom would bring the "man of the house back" to his compound and then string the different people together by wire through there calves, just like fish, until somehow the families could pay the tax.

So I have a love, hate relationship with history. I have this desire to read history and study it, I love reading and understanding the battles of the WWII, the History Channel has some great documentaries on WWII ( my favorite move is "The Great Escape") , and it is ironic that because of WWII we have space program, but so many people died because of WWII and Hiltler's quest for power.

What does it mean?