History repeated

I'm rarely surprised when I see that yet once again human beings have repeated the errors from the past and received the same results.

I know people who also do that but those are few.

Most individuals would learn from their error, lets say touching a hot cook top and burning their hand, and know not to do it again or the same result will ensue. But collectively humanity seems to repeat the same things, wars started over greed or hate, is a perfect example, and the same results occurs - death, destruction and displacement. Why can an individual learn a lesson but the global community fail so miserably?

I'm of the opinion that a lack of clear thinking is partly to blame; with all the distractions, most of which are meaningless, how can a person think clearly? I also believe an unwillingness to act, when action is easier and more simple, is exactly what is needed is also partly to blame - the inaction with any real and tangible momentum and purpose on environmental issues is an example. All too hard?

Do we wait until the need for self-preservation is so pressing that we have to act? What if it's too late? What if we could make changes now that mean we don't reach the brink? Isn't that preferable to waiting until it's all too late? It's certainly better than repeating the same bad behaviours history show got us exactly nowhere.

I believe there's many reasons why human history repeats its same destructive cycle and I believe there's little change on the horizon. I wonder if change on a grand enough scale is even possible.