Spirit of ’76 Theme for February: History

It is February 2026 and to kick off the new month the Spirit of ‘76 theme is History. While Stoicism was a natural starting point to prepare for the journey ahead, we can’t move to the present and future without a reckoning of the past, making History a natural next step. With the recent attempts by political agents to rewrite history through the institutions of the state, we need to address the danger and futility of this endeavor. We will also provide a way to account for the challenging realities of the past, not through feelings of guilt, but through an embrace of lessons that teach a better way forward.

History is the branch of knowledge that records, investigates, and interprets the past events of human societies. It’s a chronological account of incidents as they unfolded in time, providing an in-depth understanding of cultures, civilizations, wars, socio-political changes, and human evolution. Learning history is important as it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows us to understand our present. By studying history, we can glean insights from past actions and decisions, comprehend why societies are the way they are and learn from past successes or mistakes. Ultimately, history serves as a guide for the future, fostering an understanding of human nature and helping us shape a better world.

“History Lesson” expresses a desire to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. It’s a mellow and dreamy track with some thoughtful lessons about history with a moody guitar solo. The music video for the song uses animation to tell the story of the USA from the early colonial period to the present. 

Thinking Thursdays Schedule in February

February 5th, 2026	First Lesson of History: We Will Not Learn From It
February 12th, 2026	Second Lesson of History: It Doesn’t Repeat, It Rhymes
February 19th, 2026	Third Lesson of History: It Can’t Be Revised Away
February 26th, 2026	Myths We Live By: How False Stories Distort American History

Let’s keep the momentum going into the new year with a look back at how far we’ve come!

Thank you for reading,

Realizing News