In this week's Freedom Friday, we explore two groundbreaking technologies – the printing press and gunpowder – that radically transformed our world by altering incentives for violence and control in opposite directions. As we stand on the precipice of another grand political shift into the Information Age, understanding these historical innovations can help us make informed decisions about technology today to shape a better future.
The printing press empowered individuals by enabling the widespread dissemination of knowledge and ideas, to challenge established authority. Martin Luther and John Calvin, among other reformers, leveraged this newfound power to spread their theological beliefs at a popular level, exposing corruption within the church.
As a result, the costs of maintaining control increased for the Catholic Church, paving the way for greater religious freedom. The printing press democratised access to information and knowledge, fostering an environment conducive to critical thinking and challenging established norms – ultimately decreasing the incentives for religion to be used as a tool of control.
At the same time there were larger macro political changes a foot in Europe. Gunpowder vastly amplified the destructive power of weapons, making offensive warfare more deadly and less costly.
The gunpowder revolution increased the incentive for commanders to deploy larger forces on the battlefield. Castle walls crumbled, kingdoms merged into nations, and empires grew as a result. The introduction of firearms was not only a profound discontinuity in technological development but also had far-reaching consequences beyond the military sphere. It laid the foundation for the emergence of national states and the industrial age by reshaping the economic incentives of violence.
Once more, we find ourselves on the precipice of a grand political shift in the dynamics of violence and control. As value is more and more generated and stored within cyberspace —a domain oblivious to geographical boundaries and untainted by gunpowder—the rewards reaped from violent conflict are set to diminish. Conversely, data collection and the expansion of influence present unparalleled avenues for control.
"In the information age, it's not just whose army wins, but whose story wins." Joseph Nye, Former United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.
The transformation from Mediaeval society into the Industrial Age was determined by incentives that set a new course for humanity. Similarly, in our current Information Age, it's the technology we choose to use that shapes the incentives driving us forward. Our decisions today have the power to shape the world of tomorrow – and this is why we are so passionate about technologies of freedom.
The collapse of the Berlin Wall was perhaps the defining moment in history marking the transition from the Industrial Age to the Information Age, one can't help but feel the hopeful spirit and exhilaration that comes with experiencing such a transformative period firsthand. This sentiment is beautifully captured in the song "Right Here, Right Now," by Jesus Jones, which serves as an anthem for those living through this pivotal time.
https://youtu.be/MznHdJReoeo?si=Wa2FCxw0rH8s5t2n
#Technology #FOSS #Reformation #SovereignInduvidual #revoution #InformationAge #Freedom
Mutiny Brewing
npub1u9…ufgah
2024-05-24 06:39:12
Author Public Key
npub1u9lf5xrrt7qdguhxkjw6jy8jgnew6aph4mrt7gnls5yjqekk0f4suufgahPublished at
2024-05-24 06:39:12Event JSON
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"content": "In this week's Freedom Friday, we explore two groundbreaking technologies – the printing press and gunpowder – that radically transformed our world by altering incentives for violence and control in opposite directions. As we stand on the precipice of another grand political shift into the Information Age, understanding these historical innovations can help us make informed decisions about technology today to shape a better future.\n\nThe printing press empowered individuals by enabling the widespread dissemination of knowledge and ideas, to challenge established authority. Martin Luther and John Calvin, among other reformers, leveraged this newfound power to spread their theological beliefs at a popular level, exposing corruption within the church.\n\nAs a result, the costs of maintaining control increased for the Catholic Church, paving the way for greater religious freedom. The printing press democratised access to information and knowledge, fostering an environment conducive to critical thinking and challenging established norms – ultimately decreasing the incentives for religion to be used as a tool of control.\n\nAt the same time there were larger macro political changes a foot in Europe. Gunpowder vastly amplified the destructive power of weapons, making offensive warfare more deadly and less costly. \n\nThe gunpowder revolution increased the incentive for commanders to deploy larger forces on the battlefield. Castle walls crumbled, kingdoms merged into nations, and empires grew as a result. The introduction of firearms was not only a profound discontinuity in technological development but also had far-reaching consequences beyond the military sphere. It laid the foundation for the emergence of national states and the industrial age by reshaping the economic incentives of violence.\n\nOnce more, we find ourselves on the precipice of a grand political shift in the dynamics of violence and control. As value is more and more generated and stored within cyberspace —a domain oblivious to geographical boundaries and untainted by gunpowder—the rewards reaped from violent conflict are set to diminish. Conversely, data collection and the expansion of influence present unparalleled avenues for control.\n\n\"In the information age, it's not just whose army wins, but whose story wins.\" Joseph Nye, Former United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.\n\nThe transformation from Mediaeval society into the Industrial Age was determined by incentives that set a new course for humanity. Similarly, in our current Information Age, it's the technology we choose to use that shapes the incentives driving us forward. Our decisions today have the power to shape the world of tomorrow – and this is why we are so passionate about technologies of freedom.\n\nThe collapse of the Berlin Wall was perhaps the defining moment in history marking the transition from the Industrial Age to the Information Age, one can't help but feel the hopeful spirit and exhilaration that comes with experiencing such a transformative period firsthand. This sentiment is beautifully captured in the song \"Right Here, Right Now,\" by Jesus Jones, which serves as an anthem for those living through this pivotal time.\n\nhttps://youtu.be/MznHdJReoeo?si=Wa2FCxw0rH8s5t2n\n#Technology #FOSS #Reformation #SovereignInduvidual #revoution #InformationAge #Freedom",
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