Confucius highlights the importance of self expression and the sharing of experiences.
« The ideal man does not spend time learning only to stop once done ; this is the reason why he is also giving his time to teach others ».
After a life of philosophy and sharing, Socrates is sentenced to death, confirming the dangers faced by those who formulate new ideas, especially when they go against the collective opinion.
Cicero becomes Consul of the Roman Republic thanks to the power of his prose. He is considered one of Rome’s greatest orators. According to him, the first natural principle in society resides in
« the trade of reasoning and speech ».
After centuries of manual copy-paste, printing is invented by Gutenberg. Knowledge sharing speeds up consequently. The Renaissance and the humanist movement put the Human and its convictions at the core of emancipation.
Copernicus formulates a new model of the universe. Earth is no longer at its center. This will make him face hatred and hostility until he dies.
An enormous grassroots movement marks the shift from a historical period to another. This is the end of Modern Times and the beginning of the Contemporary Era.
Tim Berners-Lee creates the World Wide Web which will most probably mark a transition to a new historic shift, the Era of Information.
Information is circulating massively and at such a speed that it is well beyond what one could have imagine. Communication and freedom of speech are evolving at rapid pace. However it went so fast that big dreams will quickly come to an end…
The world is ultra-connected, every single man’s data is collected, shared and sold. We are tracked permanently and often against our will. The « Big Data » allows the Era of Information to predict the masses’ behaviours and play with people’s emotions. « The speech as the instrument of politics ». Distinguishing the true from the false is becoming difficult and « Fake News » slowly become the new normal.
Human takes control back. European regulations are giving the keys back to the people, which recalls the humanist movement of the 15th century. To safeguard people's privacy, some are inventing new technologies. They are encrypted, decentralized and private. It is now possible to communicate, share and get informed freely and without worry. Big Brother is no longer watching.