"History is the nightmare from which Western man must awaken if humanity is to be served and saved".

"In the world in which we daily live, anyone who studies the past as an 

end in itself must appear to be either an antiquarian, fleeing from 

the problems of the present into a purely personal past, or a kind of 

cultural necrophile, that is, one who finds in the dead and dying a 

value he can never find in the living."

The Burden of History presents history with negative light. The "antiquarian" and "cultural necrophile" above turn to history for enlightenment in the present. White  categorizes these tendencies of the historian as the "burden of history"; referring to history to justify and solve what has troubled humanity.

Everyone should have a historical foundation, but to adopt history as a solving agent is erroneous. White's prompt suggest that history does have redeeming quality, however, it is best to invest our time in other fields and in the present, rather than going through the catacombs of the past.

History is not a laughable field but it is given too much dangerous credit. History no longer plays the role of mediator due to the evolution of science and art, rather, it has been expulsed from "the first rank of science" due to its irrelevance in the present. 20th century writers are scornful of historians in their novels to depict "repressed sensibility in the novel and theater" (White 103). 

Prior to Whites piece, I considered myself a loyalist to history. I personally believe that  "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Behind that quote is the sole value of history; Be aware of your history but live in the present in order to avoid the sick continuity. A historian is not there to say "I told you so" whenever we suffer from a recurring theme that strikes. He is there to educate and present what has happened and why, that's it.  

History has been scrutinized much by important figures because it is not really an agent of change, it is a tool for remembrance, It ought to "transcend like civilization if the needs of life are to be served" (White 106). We rummage the ruins of the past because we are unable to control the present, stimulating a fear for the future. There is no salvation in finding meaning in the past, it must be acknowledged but not applied to our present because it is outdated and there to deceive us.

 

Regarding apocalyptic themes: In a lifetime several generations can experience the historical cycle in its entirety, the rest will read about it. If we admire our history too much, future generations fooled about a past that needs no reflection. Living and creating, rather than copying, permits civilization’s advancement instead of becoming another modernized image of the last generation. Do not emulate the past to make identical history again. It is a terrible trap, makes history "the most dangerous product evolved from the chemistry of the intellect". “History will justify anything. It teaches precisely nothing, for it contains everything and furnishes examples of everything" (White 108). There is no “training for life” in repetitive history, it is an illusion posing as an answer to every single happening.