History consists of the wisdom of those reflected in it. And if you possess sufficient patience, attentiveness, and reason, then history will help you make more correct decisions. After all, someone may have found themselves in a certain situation in which you will find yourself, say, in a week. And then, knowing how they acted at the time, analyzing the consequences of that decision, you can then make your own choice: to repeat it or not. And if the action at that time was wrong, then there is a chance not to make that mistake now.
Although, for the most part, people are used to learning only from their own mistakes... and I too, probably, belong to people, at least from a biological point of view.

Барон "Vampires"
Отдай свои прошлые сны,
В сомненьях себя обрети,
В бешеном танце душа кружится!
Не думай, что будет потом,
Здесь и сейчас мы живем,
Стань хоть на миг сам собой, слышишь!