Similarities
With the drastic increase changes in technology, it is often grounding to realize that many of our attitudes towards these new advances are in fact the same.
Copyright Issues
While the internet and radio are often quite common sources for copyright disputes, the telephone is probably not on the top of the list. However with the practice of "putting someone on hold", especially in business or customer service, that mockingly sweet music has a very strict set of rules it has to follow. It is basic copyright law that all companies, businesses and media have to follow if they want to play a piece of music without facing a lawsuit. Pay up. These laws have been around since the early 1900's and are strictly enforced, often to the degree of ridiculousness (see ACTA & SOPA).
Copyright law has been around in order to protect the intellectual property of artists and musicians. In the early 1900's this mainly applied to Music on Hold and what could be played on the radio (once the radio gained popularity). Now these laws apply to almost all media that is produced in order to make money, especially digital media. Music, Movie, TV shows, musicals, video games and more are all covered by copyright law. Often it is hard not to break copyright law due to the shear over-reaching expanse that it has become. Unfortunately, people have become complacent in both times because in theory copyright protection is a good thing.
Copyright law has been around in order to protect the intellectual property of artists and musicians. In the early 1900's this mainly applied to Music on Hold and what could be played on the radio (once the radio gained popularity). Now these laws apply to almost all media that is produced in order to make money, especially digital media. Music, Movie, TV shows, musicals, video games and more are all covered by copyright law. Often it is hard not to break copyright law due to the shear over-reaching expanse that it has become. Unfortunately, people have become complacent in both times because in theory copyright protection is a good thing.
Rejection
Funnily enough, two of the greatest communication innovations in world history were rejected as futile ideas by potential investors.
When Bell created his first working telephone, he tried to sell it. However, he was turned down. This inspired him to improve his device. When it was marketable, the same company that turned him down offered to buy the device, but this time he realized that he had something special. He decided to create his own company which would later become the largest telecommunications company in the world.
Similarly Tim Berners-Lee was turned down when he tried to get a company (OWL, a hypertext software company) to go along with his idea of the World Wide Web in late 1990. Ironically, this system became the web standard. In 1994, after being denied attendance to two previous hypertext conferences he is the Key Note Speaker. This site uses "www" preface in the web address. Those who tend to exceed exceptionally are the ones who, despite being denied their wish, push on with their development.
When Bell created his first working telephone, he tried to sell it. However, he was turned down. This inspired him to improve his device. When it was marketable, the same company that turned him down offered to buy the device, but this time he realized that he had something special. He decided to create his own company which would later become the largest telecommunications company in the world.
Similarly Tim Berners-Lee was turned down when he tried to get a company (OWL, a hypertext software company) to go along with his idea of the World Wide Web in late 1990. Ironically, this system became the web standard. In 1994, after being denied attendance to two previous hypertext conferences he is the Key Note Speaker. This site uses "www" preface in the web address. Those who tend to exceed exceptionally are the ones who, despite being denied their wish, push on with their development.
Telephone Mannerisms
Many of the social mannerisms regard the telephone have stayed the same throughout the past 120 years.
For one, it is still considered rude to call someone during the dinner hours (at least in my household). Other formal ques such as stating "Hello, the _____'s" are still used. Messages are still often written down despite the availability of the answering machine.Many people are on the phone quite a bit more than is healthy. This has remained constant since party lines when people would spend their free time eavesdropping on the neighbors.
These mannerisms were developed so that politeness would be maintained. However, in the grand spectrum of humanity many in the younger generations are not as polite as they could be. Telephones have become more common place and calls more casual. The text has often replaced the spoken word. There is a lack of thought in the average text and much of what is said is often incredibly stupid. The telephone would have been a lot more unpopular at the turn of the century if it was used like it is today, due to the frankness, prevalence and often rude way people address each other over it. But that is the gift of time: acceptance.
For one, it is still considered rude to call someone during the dinner hours (at least in my household). Other formal ques such as stating "Hello, the _____'s" are still used. Messages are still often written down despite the availability of the answering machine.Many people are on the phone quite a bit more than is healthy. This has remained constant since party lines when people would spend their free time eavesdropping on the neighbors.
These mannerisms were developed so that politeness would be maintained. However, in the grand spectrum of humanity many in the younger generations are not as polite as they could be. Telephones have become more common place and calls more casual. The text has often replaced the spoken word. There is a lack of thought in the average text and much of what is said is often incredibly stupid. The telephone would have been a lot more unpopular at the turn of the century if it was used like it is today, due to the frankness, prevalence and often rude way people address each other over it. But that is the gift of time: acceptance.
Fears
Noun: An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
Why do we fear the new and often novel? Often it is lack of understanding. Sometimes it is understanding. With the ever constant threat of the creation of new technology or liberty reducing regulations there is always something to fear.
With the coming of the Telephone, many people feared a loss of privacy: rapid access to others was often considered intruding. It is still considered rude to call people at certain hours and many people don't approve of "texting" as it has become an addiction for many younger generations. Along those lines, the advent of the internet has brought billions of people online which also gives governments unprecedented access to the emotions, ideals and whims of its people. Many fear the creation of "Big Brother", a fictional ideal in George Orwell's "1984" that had a totalitarian grip over its people.
There is something to be said that the human race has always reacted in a similar way to the new, the strange and the unexpected. Fear is a healthy emotion. It is right that we fear new laws and regulations and technologies. These things have every potential to be as dangerous as even the craziest theory can be, but we should also be reasonable.
The rapid and widespread adoption of the telephone and radio were not the evils they were thought to be. Communication has improved so much since the late 1800's. What once took months to deliver now takes the push of a few buttons, the click of a mouse or the turn of a dial. All thanks to the creations of new and often scary technologies that have created large and efficient networks for communication and sharing of data, knowledge and ideals.
There is going to come a time very soon when there is another big break, a great turn in the history of mankind when some new technology will arise that both inspires greatness and fear in the human race.
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Why do we fear the new and often novel? Often it is lack of understanding. Sometimes it is understanding. With the ever constant threat of the creation of new technology or liberty reducing regulations there is always something to fear.
With the coming of the Telephone, many people feared a loss of privacy: rapid access to others was often considered intruding. It is still considered rude to call people at certain hours and many people don't approve of "texting" as it has become an addiction for many younger generations. Along those lines, the advent of the internet has brought billions of people online which also gives governments unprecedented access to the emotions, ideals and whims of its people. Many fear the creation of "Big Brother", a fictional ideal in George Orwell's "1984" that had a totalitarian grip over its people.
There is something to be said that the human race has always reacted in a similar way to the new, the strange and the unexpected. Fear is a healthy emotion. It is right that we fear new laws and regulations and technologies. These things have every potential to be as dangerous as even the craziest theory can be, but we should also be reasonable.
The rapid and widespread adoption of the telephone and radio were not the evils they were thought to be. Communication has improved so much since the late 1800's. What once took months to deliver now takes the push of a few buttons, the click of a mouse or the turn of a dial. All thanks to the creations of new and often scary technologies that have created large and efficient networks for communication and sharing of data, knowledge and ideals.
There is going to come a time very soon when there is another big break, a great turn in the history of mankind when some new technology will arise that both inspires greatness and fear in the human race.
Return to Home