When faced with a problem in business or life, the easiest thing to do is to look back at prior experiences and say "this" is just like "that." Perhaps the comparison makes you feel better or gives you some context for what is happening.
While it's always great to learn from the past, you also have to be careful to compare apples and oranges.
I spoke with a friend this week whose company is experiencing significant turnover. He compared it to a similar experience he had many years ago at a different company. Unfortunately, I think the analogy is masking the real issues that are going on today. The players and personalities are different now.
Be careful that the past is not confusing the present.