By Michael Zucker | Paradise Valley
The 15th century is described by historians as the foundational period for modern history. Events like the Renaissance and Columbus crossing the Atlantic transitioned the West to early modernity. The printing press’ invention, though less exciting and famous, presides over this era.
It is deemed the millennium’s main event, and A&E named Johannes Gutenberg, its inventor, as the Person of the Millennium. Printing allowed ideas to travel through time and space in a way never before possible, enabling the Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment.
The Enlightenment was led by philosophers like John Locke and Voltaire, who blended Judeo-Christian ethics with Greek rationality. This fusion produced modern Western Civilization’s political and ideological framework: freedom of speech, representative government, the rule of law, the separation of church and state, and property rights.
Liberal democracy defeated monarchy, fascism and communism, but the 21st century has brought a new challenge. The printing press set conditions for speech that birthed the enlightenment, but the internet’s deluge overwhelms our system.
Social media platforms are driven by algorithms that prioritize engagement over truth and create echo chambers that amplify outrage. This enables increasing polarization or fosters silos that produce similar results, letting leaders sidestep accountability if they rally enough followers. From 1517 to 1648, religious wars killed millions across Western Europe. This fracturing of medieval consensus parallels social media’s current effects and liberal democracy risks this fate unless we act.
Regulating speech is fraught — First Amendment protections and polarized politics stifle consensus. Proposals like treating platforms as utilities or curating constructive content spark debate, but solutions remain elusive. Americans must navigate this new era of speech with discernment, engaging media responsibly until our democracy adapts.
The printing press took centuries to yield Locke; the internet demands we learn faster to preserve what Gutenberg built.
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