How sharing information and knowledge is changing the world more rapidly than ever
The Gutenberg-style press
invented in around 1439 spawned the Printing Revolution, which played a key
role in shaping the Renaissance, Reformation, the Age of Enlightenment, and the
Scientific Revolution – setting the foundation for modern knowledge-based
economy’s and the spread of learning to the masses.
What will history have on record 600-years from now regarding the advent and widespread use of the Internet
in the latter part of the 20th Century? Will the Internet
dramatically change the course of the world as the Gutenberg Press has?
One pioneer of
alternative media, Anthony Wile thinks so. He believes that the world has embarked upon
what he refers to as an era of Internet Reformation. The following quote encapsulates his view.
“All across the world, the modern Internet Reformation is beginning to reshape the way people relate to power in the modern age. While it is not as obvious as during the era of the Gutenberg press, there is formal doctrine accepted by Western societies that is beginning to shatter. That formal doctrine may be termed regulatory democracy and it has been leavened with numerous assumptions that on closer inspection turn out not to be true.”
Forever present in our realm,
the classic battle between good and evil is very much alive and well in the 21st
Century. As the Gutenberg Press has, it is my hope that the modern-day Internet
Reformation succeeds in leading the triumph of good over evil.
Whether we realize it or not,
by the way in which we utilize the resources of the Internet, each of us has a
significant role to play in this epic reformation process.
We can instantly attain
and begin to understand everything we need to know in facilitating our critical
thought processes instantly via the Internet. Therein lay the immense power and
extraordinary value in sharing information.
The basic value derived
from sharing information is when recipients experience direct or indirect
benefits resulting from the sharing of such information.
The same holds true for
the messengers who are actively reaching out and doing the sharing. For both
the recipient and the sharing entity, such benefits may be immediate, tangible,
intangible, experienced together or separately, or in some combination thereof,
either right away, or at any point in the future.
Stumbling upon or actively seeking out shared content that
is important and relevant to you, can be enlightening, entertaining, and
provide you with deeper perspectives and insights to issues that you may not
otherwise have known about nor deemed worthy of further consideration.
Information acquired in such manner may also be alarming, compelling you to consider taking some measure of action or level of preparedness upon further research and evaluation as to the credibility and implications surrounding such information. Sometimes, the truth is Stranger than Fiction.
Information acquired in such manner may also be alarming, compelling you to consider taking some measure of action or level of preparedness upon further research and evaluation as to the credibility and implications surrounding such information. Sometimes, the truth is Stranger than Fiction.
Misinformation and
information-overload are two of the major obstacles you must navigate
throughout your journey. The first means of moving through such obstacles is to
ascertain whether the information you are evaluating has come from a credible
and trustworthy Open-source intelligence.
What you do with such
information is entirely up to you however, you must be aware that what you do
with it may change your life, and will definitely change the world.
You can find our brand of sharing both here and at S.E.R.C.E, our very own Social, and Economically Relevant Curatorial Exchange. Let the reformation proceed; find any “Medium” such as these to embark upon your own personal process of sharing, entertainment, and enlightenment.
