The main benefit of the study of history is to dispel the illusion that people living now are significantly different from people who lived in earlier times

We often imagine that there are some fundamental differences between people living now and people who lived in earlier times; however, we will also presume that people nowadays and people in history are largely germane to each other. I am assured that both of them are illusions that could be dispelled by reading history, and besides dispelling illusions, the main benefit of reading history is to know how to understand ourselves in current society.

One benefit of the study of history, as the statement has noticed, is to dispel our illusion that people living in different eras are significantly different. However, people tend to make similar mistakes; and moreover, there is something constant in human nature, making history repeats itself. Many people will likely to assert that with the changing of time, our world is generally progressive and going towards a new path. However, by learning what has happened in history, they will find many events are reminiscent of the past. After WWI, nations endeavored to prevent another devasting war by signing peace deals and limiting weapons. However, some nations continued in the arm races that certainly destroyed their dreams again. Moreover, some constancy in human nature will also be revealed by studying history. People will learn emperors, political leaders, or ordinary people, haunted by greed, selfishness or pride, faulting in critical moments, and thus bringing about devasting outcomes. Those constant elements of human natures can also be learned by historical study.

However, though I concede that historical study will help us learn constancy in history, I believe that learning about differences is also a main benefit brought by studying history. History is made up by various situations, social milieu, economic conditions, and so on. All those varibles contributes to different problems people in a certain period and locale need to face. By studying history, we will learn that different historical events happen in significantly different situations. And by learning that, we will be more open-minded to reckon on real-world problems --- how the situation is differed from the past, and what new methods or innovations should be taken to handle the emerging trouble. To conclude, learning history is now all about figuring our similarity, but also knowing about differences across space and time.

For the final analysis, I think the most important benefit of history study is to understand the present and provide insights into real-world problem solving. I am fully convinced that, all of those benefits by learning history will contribute to a better understanding of the present, and thus making people more equipped to solve real-world problems. After understanding the particularities and the similarities, we will be more informed in viewing the present by comparing ourselves to historical figures or events. For example, knowing about the tragedy of WWII, we will be cautious about dictatorship, populism, and violence, thus eliminating possible signs of war to provide current people a peaceful future.

To conclude, the main benefit of study of history is not limited to learning the similarity of historical events or human natures. It is also about knowing about differences and changes. But more fundamentally, understanding of the past provides insights into the future.