In the late 15th century, the world was changed in a subtle way that many wouldn't notice for another half century. Gutenberg took his knowledge of the cheese and wine industry, and applied it to the dated but inefficient technology of moveable type. He was not the first to do this, nor would he be the only innovator in pre-modern Europe to explore better and less costly methods of distributing ideas.
The Catholic church was in many ways the center of the world in pre-modern Europe, and lasted nearly 1500 years as the center of political and ideological power in not just Europe but the world at large, with their distribution of missionaries to the far ends of the world. This massive and ancient institution, which survived both Islamic invasions of Europe, the hordes of Ghengis Khan, even the fall of Rome itself, was brought down in only a couple centirues by this funny cheese press. Why? Why was Gutenberg's little experiment the one that would revolutionize printing, and forever change the world?
It is not that he was able to print, but what he printed, that made the difference. Because Gutenberg was German, his innnovation came at a time when the Holy Roman Empire more than ever needed a way to debate. It was becoming highly strained by the conflicts between the Holy Roman Emperor, and the Pope himself, titles ouce thought to be synonymous. Someone was full of it, but though many opinions were had, it was the rant of a certain monk, plucked from the door of a church, where it sat amidst numerous small pamphlets, announcements, and church bulletains, that would catalyze this discussion, by making it's way under gutenberg's former cheese-maker, and into the hearts and minds of thousands, even tens of thousands of German Feudal lords, philosophers, theologians, and most importantly of all, common folk, who for the first time ever could read with their own eyes the internal goings on of those in power.
Suddenly, anyone who could read and write could have their ideas heard. This relatively immediate collapse of the Catholic Church's control of ideas brought on an age of intense confusion, decades of meaningless fighting, and countless denominational feuds, as the world shuddered to find a new axis about which to rotate. It did not have to wait long however, as there was another egg of discovery hatching in Europe, rationalism: a clear winner in this sea of new ideas, as individuals who shared little in theological or ethnic background could all understand it, and use it, and most importantly of all, judge the pope by it.
Comments