The past is also the future, the future is also the past, the beginning also the end.
This makes me think that there have been many instances where time seems to have repeated itself because the past, present, and future are all connected. This could have happened in many different ways, within a person's life or out in the world - politically, historically, socially, etc.
By gaining greater knowledge of how others think, we can become less certain of the knowledge we think we have, which is always the first step to greater understanding.
This reminds me of the saying that the more we realize what we don't know, the greater potential we have in learning even more. Learning cultures and philosophies that are different from the ones we grew up with can be an enlightening perspective into a new and possibly better approach to living life.