This
seemingly boring lecture at start soon became very interesting, not because of the content that was be spoken about; but because of the possible ramifications that could have
happened if what passed had not. I couldn't imagine a path that lead to a world that was technologically
stifled. I
suppose it wouldn't be much
different than the dark ages where science and the
pursuit of knowledge was frowned upon and even
persecuted. As our entire culture got stuck in a six hundred year pause, our development drastically slowed. If what had
happened during the Beta max
controversy had not passed then I believe we would have been trapped in yet another pause of our cultural/scientific development.
I like how you connected the outcome of the Beta Max case to the dark ages. I hadn't thought of the possible consequences to be on the same level as those of the religious courts during the dark ages. I agree with you that we would have been stuck in a rut (scientifically) had the Supreme Court decided in favor of Hollywood, but I do not think it would have been nearly as significant a pause as there was during the dark ages.
ReplyDeleteI liked your connection about being technologically stifled. It did make me think about what other possible directions technology may have taken? Would we be completely censored today in what we could watch and do with technology? Perhaps, another case would have come along and push technology faster, where open source information would have been readily available sooner? Regardless, we are in the era of technology and information and it will be a wild ride moving forward!
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