Learning from the Past

This past week, the book group discussed The Postmistress by Sarah Blake.  There were many different themes in the book, but one was that two of the three main female characters violated their work ethics due to very extra-ordinary circumstances, precipitated by war.  One of the characters in the book said "Pay attention."  Well, this leads me to think that we do NOT pay attention, We do not learn from our past, and we repeat our mistakes over and over again. And many of our mistakes precipitate war, or prolong war.  What is wrong with us?