This is the (Post) Modern World……
I’ve been thinking for some time now about what it means to be ‘modern’. What is actually meant by modern, what the heck is post-modern and just when did the modern world start?
Some years ago when I was settling on a University course I was keen to study History (one of my many intellectual passions) but couldn’t decide on whether to study Ancient History or Modern History – both of which interest me for different reasons. One of the things I found rather odd was that no University seemed to agree on just what Ancient and especially Modern History actually meant. One course, I think at Coventry University split Ancient & Modern at the point of the Fall of the Roman Empire and I thought – hold on - ‘Modern’ History began in 476AD? Personally I would have placed it just a bit later than that. Then I got my thinking hat on… just when did I think ‘Modern’ History did start?
So I mused. My first thought was August 1945. Why? Because it heralded the beginning of the Atomic Age with the dropping of the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Then I thought that maybe 1945 is just too recent. My next thought was 1912 and the sinking of the Titanic which was a major blow to Victorian confidence later shattered by the First World War – things were certainly never the same after that. Going back a bit further I thought of the American Civil War (1861-64) which was arguably the first fully industrialised war. Of course a huge event in the previous century was the Industrial Revolution (around 1750) which changed the course of the world forever. Could that be the start of the ‘Modern’ age? I think that it’s a pretty good candidate. Finally, going back even further, I thought of the Italian Renaissance. Standing as it does between the Medieval world of the Dark Ages and what certainly started to look like a world we would recognise with International Banking, the beginnings of Capitalism, the Nation State taking precedence over the Church and the first forays into what we consider to be science. I certainly couldn’t bring myself to go back any further than the 15th century though and still call it anything like ‘modern’ times.
What do you think? When did we arrive in the Modern Age and what are your reasons for thinking so?
About Me
- CyberKitten
- I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.
8 comments:
well, what is the definition of "modern" in the first place? Isn't that what you must decide first? And, modern is not a stable label. What is modern for someone in 1912 is not modern for someone in 1945. So, I guess it really is determinate on how we define modern--to do with tools people use, thought systems, social practices (like, wow, they don't sacrifice people anymore).
Not from any scholarly standpoint, but just my personal opinion, I've always felt that the Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of the modern age. For good or bad, it made our world smaller and started us on this path we are on now.
The Italian Renaissance would be a good candidate but we had periods of high art/thinking before that (Greece, Rome).
circe said: well, what is the definition of "modern" in the first place?
Good question (and welcome). What is 'modern'..? I'd probably go with a mode of thinking, rather than technology or anything like that. Maybe it's when people started thinking of progress? When people first saw change happening in their own lifetimes? I think modernity is an idea, rather than a time or a particular happening. Saying that there must be a pre-modern era...and I don't think that its arbitary where you put the date, just that its debatable.. [grin].
debackdad - both the Industrial Revolution and the Renaissance were both a product of and a nexus of new ways of thinking. Afterwards nothing was quite the same again. I agree that the Industrial Revolution has more right to be called the start of the modern age though - for lots of reasons.
My first question would be...What do you mean by "modern"...cause it means different things to different people. And what I really think is this: Each age has advanced us to a more modern way of being and thinking and doing....and the changes that you mentioned...all were part of bringing us to right now and then some! You know what I mean? I cannot express it very well, I'm afraid, but like in this past 30 years the Computer has moved us into a NEW and modern age....well, The Jet plane did that in a way back whenever....The Telephone....The Car....etc., etc...The Industrial Revloution...maybe?
So, I guess the truth of it is...I don't know. (lol)
Industrial Revolution for sure.
That is my thoughtful addition to this post.
The steam engine was first invented in 1769 by James Watt and that would seem to be a significant date that I'd be happy to go with. Prior to that the world was your village and the local market town, all work was done by living beings and aspirations were generally very low.
I equate Modern Day with Enlightenment. And humans were not potentially enlightened until dinosaur fossils were discovered and Darwins theory was available to the masses and confirmation of a geological ancient earth was available to the masses.
But of course, you can look at the Modern age beginning with the invention of the microwave oven. This marked a time when man finally had the ability to fend for himself in the kitchen.
Two very good thoughts BEAJ.
The idea of being 'modern' is certainly a way of thinking... and that way of thinking must IMO take into account the Enlightenment - after all that's what the Enlightenment was all about, that of turning your back on received wisdom from ancient texts and forging ahead with new ideas produced through reason and experiment.
Though I do like the microwave oven idea too.. [grin].
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