Gutenberg to the Web - Stringing it all together

I have experienced a mix of emotions on this trip. It was my first time in Europe, so I had an awe-factor intertwined with this course underlining communications. I did broaden my view of society and government relations with communications, as well as found themes that I can take home to the states.

The etymology of communication derives from communicare, meaning "to share." Sharing information through means of writing, talking, typing or using some other medium has gotten incredibly easier throughout time. Technological breakthroughs have pushed the walls of communication further out to reach more people.

In fact, everything was by hand before screw presses and woodblock pressing. This would take weeks and months to finish a single book. The invention of the moveable printing press pushed the walls further out.

Today, information is spread by wireless internet protocol, and can be as easy as pushing a button. At one time, communication was a luxury.

Picture communication as a four walled room. The room starts off small, only including the extreme elite that had the money to purchase mediums not many other people in society can. Now, the room is stretched wider than ever before. This is all evident throughout my time in Europe, studying communications in and out every city that I enter.

A 15th century printing town spread map, from NordNordWest

To properly construct how communication was shaped from Gutenberg's invention of the moveable printing press to the web, we must start in Mainz. (NOTE: NOT CHRONOLOGICAL IN THE GUTENBERG TO THE WEB COURSE)

Mainz is a small town in the west Germany. Home of the Gutenberg Museum, the town is known for its half-timbered houses and medieval market squares. Although small, the town is pivotal to the development of communication.

The amazing story of Gutenberg began at an unknown year. To make a long story short, developing an easier way to print information moved towards democratization of knowledge. Elitism took a hit, because now average people can have the same access to knowledge.

Let's jump to Paris. With an open mind, I (Christian) entered Paris with wide eyes. In previous blogs I noted that I saw communication through graffiti, most messaging religious themes like 'Jesus Saves.'

We went to the Musee de Metiers in Paris, an amazing industrial design museum with an amazing communication section that includes cameras, telegraphs and typewriters. The exhibits immersed me with industrial technology (I found the communication technology the most interesting).

The technology got more and more 'do-able' for people in everyday life. Hence, relating back to Gutenberg.

Now the group enters Nuremberg. The city was once home to Nazi rallying grounds, which homed parades that celebrated leaders that were institutional mass murderers and sympathized with forced labor.

The Nazi's instituted a whole government office dedicated to propaganda that's unofficial goal was to 'deceive the public' and give an unbalanced, unreliable celebratory source of media to the public that rejoiced Nazi actions.

Brainwashing, as what we would call it today.

The government office was called The Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, ministered by Joseph Goebbels. To see the actual administration and documents that legitimately organized a genocide was unsettling.

Gutenberg's invention of the printing press was spun 300-400 years later for the worse. An evil, horrible part of human history that was made to thrive from the invention of the moveable printing press. Indirectly related, but amazingly connected.

Let's move onto the Cold War. Communication is swinging like a pendulum, for bad and for good, back and forth. In Prague, the group visited Radio Free Europe.

A sweet place that was guarded heavily, I made sure to ask a lot of questions. Communication is used for the good here, broadcasting to places that still have the lingering propaganda problem we saw with the Nazi's.

Places like Turkmenistan, plagued by singing dictator Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow that rules an authoritarian, unitary party society. Communication is vital to these places. Fair and balanced journalism is critical in these areas, but it definitely comes with an extremely dangerous price tag.

Let's fast forward to the knockdown of the Berlin wall. Communication is thriving and radio stations are popping up faster than you can say 'freedom.' Communism in the DDR has now become dormant, and the Federal Republic of Germany has now emerged to westernize, overall. Talking to Peter Keup, a frustrated political prisoner that successfully escaped the DDR, just puts in prospective how much communist dictatorship with propaganda can take a toll on you.

Now, today. The age of fake news authoritarian societies is on the horizon. Social media craze is driving day-to-day media consumption, and it is only getting stronger with more influence from web-based platforms and mediums.

What did I learn that can benefit the upcoming future?

Three communications lessons:

1) To treat everything with respect

- In the age of social media, the abuses and scandals are off the charts. Kids under the age of 18 that commit wrongdoings are publicized and shamed, all through social media. It is more than common to experience a communication frenzy on Twitter than ever before, and some may argue that the 'watchdog' media has become a little to 'watchdog.' So, to combat, we must make sure to treat media consumption with respect, thinking critically and logically ton every story we encounter. Because, it can be taken advantage and twisted by the government at any moment in time.

2) To get to the bottom of things, truthfully.

- Journalism, Public relations and even cinema is a privilege to most, right for Americans. It is our duty as communicators to embark on the most truthful route, it is only right. The system is meant for transparency, like the Reichstag's dome. It is only right for us, as Americans, to be transparent and truthful. What I am getting at: the system of institutional freedom should not be taken advantage of, because it can be taken away at any time.

3) Be happy with the rights we have

- It was not until the late 20th century all of Germany began to have freedom of press. Communication is key to a vibrant democracy, and without it, the rights and freedoms of individuals our stripped naked by the government. In the United States, I learned to appreciate and overall be satisfied with the amazing opportunity to report the truth. Even if it is labeled 'fake news' or not.

Josh's take

During our time abroad I’ve been fortunate enough to learn many things about all of the cities we’ve been to, useful life skills, and the reason we’re here, the development of communication. We began with the printing press in Mainz where we saw the actual fruits of Gutenberg’s printing press in his beautiful bibles. It’s hard to describe how actually amazing looking at a Gutenberg bible is, which might be because as we discovered, they’re all different from one another. Each bible has its own personality that the original owners instilled in it through the artists that they hired to customize it. Even the so-called “simple” designs were very elaborate and beautiful. Next, we learned how Martin Luther used the same technology to mass produce and spread his 95 theses.

We were also able to see how the printing press evolved throughout the years to become a more efficient and easy to use device. Eventually it morphed into what was able to produce newspapers and a lot of what we know as an important part of modern media. Unfortunately, we learned about the negative things that have happened because of the development of this technology as well. The nazi party was able to take control of Germany through controlling a large part of the media and using a lot of newly developed modern technology to target non Arian people.

Since the end of World War II we experienced a technological boom and media itself has grown immensely and so has the output and consumption of media. While this can be dangerous the mass consumption of media the fact that there is also so much more of it makes it easier to see more than one person or one sources views, even if you don’t mean to seek out that many opinions.