An Era of Advancement: A Glimpse of The Enlightenment

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Blog Post #1

The Enlightenment era marked a massive change in the way people thought about the world around them. In fact, one could consider the Enlightenment era the first time people began to question long established policies and beliefs. It was a time of massive societal change. It sparked counter-awakenings, upheavals, and breakthroughs. Its ideas also sparked wars and conflicts like the French and American Revolutions, among others.

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The modern world might not even exist without the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke. In some ways, the modern era and the Enlightenment are similar. According to History, this era was the start of the popularity of newspapers and coffee shops. One could connect social media and the internet as modern day versions of these advancements. Though it could be said that discussions that happened in coffee shops in the 1600's might have been more enlightened than some discussions in social media. Connections could also be made on both eras’ focus on the individual.  And you could see connections to the Whigs and Tories and the current political discussions.

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One could also connect the lightened restrictions on what to publish to the current even less restricted independent publishing options and the internet itself, which offers nearly every kind of voice imaginable the chance to speak.

Now and then, this often led to them being criticized or even attacked for their thoughts or work, though now it is less severe. Public humiliation and shaming examples such as the pillory and today’s DOXXing, which is a form of internet public shaming and justice exist in both as well.
   

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The current generation’s obsession with live action entertainment in the form of movies, television, and to a somewhat lesser extent, plays could relate to this period as well.

Newspapers were not the only thing that were created at the time of the Enlightenment. It is interesting to find how the revolution of science led to, according to the Introduction, public electrocutions and citizens playing with explosions since there were not any official scientists and anyone could experiment with chemicals or whatever desired.

The Enlightenment's relationship to the Church is interesting, especially how the Church was connected to the monarchy. The Introduction states that religious dogmas of the past such as Kings having divine right to rule were challenged. 
 One can also find connections with churches in modern times, such as the birth of denominations like the Methodists and the notion that only by grace could a soul be saved from Hell.

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Noggle, James and Lipking, Lawrence "Introduction"
The Norton Anthology of English Literature 9th Edition: Volume C: The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century. 2170-2205 Norton & Company

History.com staff. "Enlightenment-Facts and Summary" History. 2009. http://www.history.com/topics/enlightenment