Does our past reflect our future?

The connection of networks was displayed by enlightenment thinkers in the 1500s-1800s as they abnormally challenged the ideas of the church. Likewise, the ideas of people who created internet sites that have now taken the world by storm.

Rene' Descartes

Rene’ Descartes (1596-1650) unlike the rest of society in his time, challenged the churches idea that what makes up a human is our physical body. Descartes believed that even if we did not have physical features, we would still be a human as proved by his famous statement “I think therefore I am.” This revolutionary thinking was talked about by many people and created conversations, by doing so it expanded networks in the community. This is similar to Tim-Berners-Lee who created the worldwide web as he believes that as a “culture we decide what to create.” This suggests that people choose how they intend to use the internet, and they have the power to control what they consume online. Similarly, Lee believes that “everybody has to look into the future,” and this is exactly what Descartes did to gain power in society. Lee further explains his point by stating it is only “early days,” that the world is still producing ideas for the future that we do not see coming. 

Ted Berners-Lee

Mark Zuckerberg

Penny Post Letter

Mark Zuckerberg thought beyond what society deemed possible by creating Face smash for Harvard College which was later revamped as the most common social networking site in the world, Facebook. Zuckerberg gave advice to entrepreneurs in an interview, telling them to “do something that’s fundamental.” He urges them to “not settle for something easy,” this describes the true essence of his idea to create something that was complex. During the twenty first century the Penny Post, was the Facebook of its era it “connected family and friends” in a similar way that Facebook does. It allowed people to keep in touch no matter how far away they lived. Writing on letters was immovable in contrast to Facebook anything displayed online will be irreversible. Catherine Golden states this advancement created a “postal network,” allowing letters to be sent for different reasons. The Penny Post experienced limitations similar to Facebook such as fraud, blackmail and junk mail. Had the Penny Post never been created would we be able to connect with people around the world?

Larry Page and Sergey Brin

Denis Diderot

Denis Diderot (1713-1784) the primary editor of the Encyclopedie was crucial to enlightenment as it was the book on human knowledge. Culture has changed dramatically as now people do not go to a book for all the information they need, they can find out in Google. Co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin invented Google and the site is used by “over one hundred million” people. Google allows people to expand their knowledge and communicate with their community. Page believes the nursery he and Brin attended, taught them to be “self-motivated and question what’s going on in the world.” These aspects are close to the types of ideas and mindset of enlightenment thinkers.

Encyclopedie

Some may argue that enlightenment thinkers have not influenced the creation of network sites in society. They may believe that network sites were inevitable and not everyone agreed with enlightenment ideas. If this was true the courage to create something different would not be acceptable today.

 
       
 
 
 
     
        The enlightenment thinkers of history have ultimately shaped the advancement of the future.