Learning history serves two important purposes: it helps us understand our current circumstances and decisions, and it can also provide an escape from our present realities. By studying the past, we gain insights into how previous events have shaped the world we live in today, allowing us to make informed choices based on lessons learned.

Conversely, history can act as a form of escapism, enabling individuals to immerse themselves in different times and places. This duality of history as both a tool for understanding and a means of escape invites reflection on our motivations for engaging with the past, as highlighted in Jeffrey Eugenides' novel "Middlesex."