do people learn from their mistakes?

[CRAVE CASE 55]

Today in my American Literature class we read. "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" a short story where a doctor invites 4 extremely old people who al lost something due to their age and mistakes. A businessman who lost his fortune, a woman who lost her buety and reputation, a polition who lost his fame to infamy, and a colanol who lost his health. The doctor gives them water from the foutain of youth and watches as they turn young and in his study begin making the same mistakes they made as they were young. The effects of the water only last a few minuts and they go back to their state of oldness.

I would post a link but I'm on my cellphone browser.

What I want to know is do you think if people could go back in time would they repeat the mistakes or fix them and what was a time you wish you could fix.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

I certainly know I would fix certain mistakes if I could be reverted back to a certain time and being.
Of course, I can't speak for others, so I know some people would repeat their mistakes.
I'd hope that most people would be smart enough to no repeat mistakes >.>

 

[Jedoro]

I think if people got a printed report on what they fucked up, they could glance at it from time to time and avoid the same decisions. If they're intelligent.

I'd just fix times where I didn't properly take care of my vehicles, because that shit's expensive to fix.

 

[Bobic]

If the effects of the fountain of youth only last a few minutes how did they have time to repeat their mistakes? That's some efficient fuck uppery.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I'd like to say people do learn from their mistakes.

But from experience I'd say most people don't... though given a second chance I know I'd avoid the mistakes I know are coming.

 

[Lyx]

What I want to know is do you think if people could go back in time would they repeat the mistakes or fix them and what was a time you wish you could fix.

I think the key to the answer here, is that what matters are not the mistakes but WHY they happened. There are certain popular "mindsets" and "behaviour-patters" which automatically lead to such stuff - and people usually do not wish to acknowledge, take responsibility for, and change them. In fact, they adapted those patterns precisely to deceive themselves.

So, that person who made a certain error - even if he/she acknowledges that specific error, and decides to prevent it in the future - it doesn't matter, because that error he/she fixed, was just a symptom of something larger.

 

[Caspertjuhh]

people do, but sometimes the experience is worth the results

 

[Susano]

I'm always torn on this question considering my mistakes make me who I am today, and I LIKE who I am today. I guess maybe I would fix a few if I knew absolutely everything that would have changed from me fixing the mistakes.

Edit: Oh, you're question was relating to people in general.
Well, I think this is a very personal thing, so I wouldn't know. I know I would be torn and indecisive on it, and wouldn't do it at all if I didn't know how it would change things. Overall however, I think people do learn from their mistakes if they sit down and look at them.