Understanding the Past is Important for Solving Problems
When it comes to the question of whether understanding the past is necessary to solve the problems at present and in the future, everybody has their own answer. Some people think that in order to solve the problems we face today and in the future, it is necessary to know the past well. This opinion is strongly opposed by numerous people who believe that as a consequence of the possibility of thinking limitations, understanding the past has no bearing here. (I don’t quite understand what you mean by “the possibility of thinking limitations”). As far as I am concerned, I side with the former.
There are several reasons why I think this way. Here I want to put forward some of the most important ones. First of all, as the old saying goes, “there is nothing new under the sun”. Whether solving today’s problems or those in the future, or playing a game, knowing the rules is the key to winning. Actually, the better we know the past, the easier it is for us to figure out the rules.
Second, without going through what has happened in the past it is difficult to know the exact origin of a particular problem. My colleagues and I used to have some difficulties in the process of due diligence about two years ago. We found that a decision a senior administrator of the company made conflicted with the current marketing environment (do you mean market environment?). So we wrote a report about this and handed it in to our CEO. It turned out that the decision stemmed from a special program that was started ten years ago. It started to make money last October. From this matter, I realize how understanding the past well is important to problem-solving. (I’m not sure I follow your logic– what is the “problem” that you’re referring to?)
In addition, understanding the past helps us avoid repeating the mistakes we or others have made. We all make mistakes and it is the wise ones who have learned not to repeat them. I believe without a doubt that the person who can avoid making the same mistakes and who can learn from the past will succeed one day.
In conclusion, even though paying too much attention to the past may harm creativity, it will benefit our efforts at solving the problems we face today and in the future.