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Epocha objavov: Ako rozumieť rizikám a výdobytkom našej novej renesancie
Ľudstvo je na vrchole. A zároveň sme veľmi zraniteľní. Svet sa nachádza na sklonku novej renesancie a stojíme pred otázkou, či sa nám podarí vyťažiť z nej to najlepšie a vyhnúť sa chaosu a rozvratu.
Na celom svete sa zlepšuje zdravie a vzdelanie, rastie bohatstvo. Veda prosperuje ako nikdy predtým. Ale tie isté sily, ktoré nám môžu priniesť mnoho výhod, sú zdrojom ohrozenia. V tejto situácii sme už raz boli. Prvá renesancia a osobnosti ako Kolumbus, Kopernik či Gutenberg prekreslili mapy nášho sveta, dali voľnosť informáciám a posunuli západnú civilizáciu zo stredoveku do počiatkov modernej éry. Zaplatili sme ale veľkú daň: spoločenské a náboženské rozkoly, politický extrémizmus, ekonomické šoky, pandémie a iné nepredvídateľné dôsledky objavov a rýchlych zmien. Aj dnes, v našej druhej renesancii, keď čelíme terorizmu, rozpadu politických únií, utečeneckej kríze a nerozvážnym svetovým lídrom, môžeme prosperovať – ak sa dokážeme poučiť z minulosti.
Epocha objavov prináša prehľad najväčších súčasných úspechov ľudstva, ale aj hroziacich rizík. Je v našich rukách, ktorý scenár sa naplní.
Na celom svete sa zlepšuje zdravie a vzdelanie, rastie bohatstvo. Veda prosperuje ako nikdy predtým. Ale tie isté sily, ktoré nám môžu priniesť mnoho výhod, sú zdrojom ohrozenia. V tejto situácii sme už raz boli. Prvá renesancia a osobnosti ako Kolumbus, Kopernik či Gutenberg prekreslili mapy nášho sveta, dali voľnosť informáciám a posunuli západnú civilizáciu zo stredoveku do počiatkov modernej éry. Zaplatili sme ale veľkú daň: spoločenské a náboženské rozkoly, politický extrémizmus, ekonomické šoky, pandémie a iné nepredvídateľné dôsledky objavov a rýchlych zmien. Aj dnes, v našej druhej renesancii, keď čelíme terorizmu, rozpadu politických únií, utečeneckej kríze a nerozvážnym svetovým lídrom, môžeme prosperovať – ak sa dokážeme poučiť z minulosti.
Epocha objavov prináša prehľad najväčších súčasných úspechov ľudstva, ale aj hroziacich rizík. Je v našich rukách, ktorý scenár sa naplní.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published May 24, 2016
124 people are currently reading
1603 people want to read
About the author
Ian Goldin
35 books67 followersIan Goldin is a professor at the University of Oxford in England. He took up his most recent position as director of Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford, in September 2006. He is the Oxford University Professor of Globalisation and Development, and holds a professorial fellowship at Balliol College, Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
July 5, 2016
Society is presently at a crossroads, despite economic and political problems around the world. Development potential is at a high, technology is changing our world at a breakneck pace and we are in a fast-moving age of discovery. The authors of this fascinating, incisive book believe that we may be entering a new renaissance period, breaking through with a host of discoveries and cutting barriers of ignorance and isolation along the way. Just as all those years ago, our world is becoming ever- and closer-connected both politically and economically. A Renaissance 2.0 as it were.
Collectively we are much better off. We have better resources at our disposal, we are better educated and society is innovating and changing all the time. The authors believe that there is going to be a new convergence point that may see major changes in technology, science and society as a whole. Are we ready? The last Renaissance became plagued by warring ideologies, fundamentalism, pandemics and worse and the authors wonder whether the same issues will plague Renaissance 2.0. Is there a risk that the world won’t be left a future legacy? Will the world, as we know it, even exist… Maybe mankind will finally have pressed the self-destruct button.
This was a different, challenging sort of a book. It does build itself on hysteria, hyperbole and baseless speculation but carefully and considerately draws upon a mix of history, sociology, politics, observation and much more besides to offer some thought-provoking considerations. The authors talk of shock as the collective being that is alerting them to change, writing: “It seems every day we wake up to a new shock. And shock itself is the most compelling evidence that this age is very different, because it's a feeling that comes from within. Shock is our own personal proof of historic change—a psychic collision of reality and expectations—and it has been the relentless theme of all our lives.”
When you talk to people many do agree that the world seems to be wobbling, with all of the change being brought forth more and more people are left out, cut out or ignored. War and disquiet seem everywhere. We should be in a golden age but what is happening, why is it happening and can there be light at the end of the tunnel? The authors suggest that presently society retreats rather than reaches out, hesitates instead of acts and there is a collective battening down of the hatches by companies and those with spare capital. A seize mentality almost.
In many ways this is a difficult book to review. It is quite difficult to describe also. Yet it is something that gives a lot of good general knowledge and it throws out a lot of great things to think about. It is a serious book, about a serious subject, which is written in a fairly clear and accessible style. It deserves the focus of the reader, even if they feel unable to make a difference. One person cannot, of course, probably do so much, yet the power of the collective should not be underestimated.
Collectively we are much better off. We have better resources at our disposal, we are better educated and society is innovating and changing all the time. The authors believe that there is going to be a new convergence point that may see major changes in technology, science and society as a whole. Are we ready? The last Renaissance became plagued by warring ideologies, fundamentalism, pandemics and worse and the authors wonder whether the same issues will plague Renaissance 2.0. Is there a risk that the world won’t be left a future legacy? Will the world, as we know it, even exist… Maybe mankind will finally have pressed the self-destruct button.
This was a different, challenging sort of a book. It does build itself on hysteria, hyperbole and baseless speculation but carefully and considerately draws upon a mix of history, sociology, politics, observation and much more besides to offer some thought-provoking considerations. The authors talk of shock as the collective being that is alerting them to change, writing: “It seems every day we wake up to a new shock. And shock itself is the most compelling evidence that this age is very different, because it's a feeling that comes from within. Shock is our own personal proof of historic change—a psychic collision of reality and expectations—and it has been the relentless theme of all our lives.”
When you talk to people many do agree that the world seems to be wobbling, with all of the change being brought forth more and more people are left out, cut out or ignored. War and disquiet seem everywhere. We should be in a golden age but what is happening, why is it happening and can there be light at the end of the tunnel? The authors suggest that presently society retreats rather than reaches out, hesitates instead of acts and there is a collective battening down of the hatches by companies and those with spare capital. A seize mentality almost.
In many ways this is a difficult book to review. It is quite difficult to describe also. Yet it is something that gives a lot of good general knowledge and it throws out a lot of great things to think about. It is a serious book, about a serious subject, which is written in a fairly clear and accessible style. It deserves the focus of the reader, even if they feel unable to make a difference. One person cannot, of course, probably do so much, yet the power of the collective should not be underestimated.
May 26, 2016
As a history buff, I picked this up a couple days ago, even though the European Renaissance isn’t usually my preferred era to read up on. I wasn’t disappointed by the history, but I was wonderfully surprised by the comparative account the book gives of the present day, of medical and scientific advances, technological leaps forward, and new ways of thinking.
After weeks and months of relentless pessimism and negativity from politicians and pundits, this book was a breath of fresh air. It offered a way to cut through all the chaos and argue that something good can come of the instability we’re in. There ARE great discoveries and new ideas being presented around us, and as much as criminal forces are using new technology and social trends against us, we can also use those same technologies and trends for positive ends, if we are willing to work at it. If that sounds overly cheesy and optimistic, don't worry: the authors didn't sugarcoat anything, and whole chapters talk about risks and the perils of unintended consequences. The book offers both a broad framework to use to think about the world and lots of historical and present day detail to make their case that the opportunities in front of us mean both risk and reward and we can work for the reward. It’s a perspective that we seem to have lost, and it’s deeply satisfying and thought-provoking to read that perspective presented so convincingly in such a well-written and obviously well-researched book.
After weeks and months of relentless pessimism and negativity from politicians and pundits, this book was a breath of fresh air. It offered a way to cut through all the chaos and argue that something good can come of the instability we’re in. There ARE great discoveries and new ideas being presented around us, and as much as criminal forces are using new technology and social trends against us, we can also use those same technologies and trends for positive ends, if we are willing to work at it. If that sounds overly cheesy and optimistic, don't worry: the authors didn't sugarcoat anything, and whole chapters talk about risks and the perils of unintended consequences. The book offers both a broad framework to use to think about the world and lots of historical and present day detail to make their case that the opportunities in front of us mean both risk and reward and we can work for the reward. It’s a perspective that we seem to have lost, and it’s deeply satisfying and thought-provoking to read that perspective presented so convincingly in such a well-written and obviously well-researched book.
May 23, 2016
"The present is not merely a repeat of the past, but neither does humanity reinvent itself with each new generation. Circumstances change technologies change; but our deep purposes remain more stable, and that is why we can paper back into history and bring back important lessons for the present."
-Goldin and Kutama
Goldin and Kutama's book is a must read for those who think we live in unique times and that humans have never faced the changes, challenges, and complexity that we face today. Age of Discovery spans history, geography, politics, economics, science and art making the point that mankind sits at a similar crossroads as those in Europe sat during the Renaissance period. The authors provide a stunning number of facts, statistics, and anecdotes in this well-researched book which helps readers see the continuities in history and better understand the environment in which innovation flourishes. Because of the date of publication, this book encompasses many of the newer phenomenons that have captured headlines in recent years-from ISIS to migration issues in the US and Europe-Europeans faced similar challenges during the Renaissance. The authors close with a challenge to go forward and to live a life that advances society. After reading Age of Discovery, I feel better armed to to accept that challenge.
-Goldin and Kutama
Goldin and Kutama's book is a must read for those who think we live in unique times and that humans have never faced the changes, challenges, and complexity that we face today. Age of Discovery spans history, geography, politics, economics, science and art making the point that mankind sits at a similar crossroads as those in Europe sat during the Renaissance period. The authors provide a stunning number of facts, statistics, and anecdotes in this well-researched book which helps readers see the continuities in history and better understand the environment in which innovation flourishes. Because of the date of publication, this book encompasses many of the newer phenomenons that have captured headlines in recent years-from ISIS to migration issues in the US and Europe-Europeans faced similar challenges during the Renaissance. The authors close with a challenge to go forward and to live a life that advances society. After reading Age of Discovery, I feel better armed to to accept that challenge.
January 5, 2017
I found this an interesting book, particularly the descriptions of the many uses that are being made of advanced technology, especially nanotechnology and the application of quantum physics. While I was generally aware of some of these new developments, I was really amazed at the authors' more thorough explanations of things now happening which seem to be in the realm of science fiction. Unfortunately, I found other topics that were also relevant to their thesis were however too detailed which made progress in reading too slow. My criticism is that the book is often too wordy and would have benefited from making the arguments more concise. This applies particularly to the final chapter which seemed a bit too preachy.
May 19, 2016
Age of Discovery is a must read for science buffs and leaders. It details our scientific achievements from the Renaissance era and shows us how today, once again, conditions are ripe for creating a new golden age that will be remembered for centuries in future.
But while drawing these comparisons, the authors also warn us by showing what brought about the end of the golden age of discovery and implore to not repeat the same mistakes again.
The authors weave an interesting narrative as you go from discoveries to catastrophe to hope and inventions most likely to shape the 21st Century.
~ http://bookreviews.infoversant.com/ag...
But while drawing these comparisons, the authors also warn us by showing what brought about the end of the golden age of discovery and implore to not repeat the same mistakes again.
The authors weave an interesting narrative as you go from discoveries to catastrophe to hope and inventions most likely to shape the 21st Century.
~ http://bookreviews.infoversant.com/ag...
March 26, 2016
Goldin and Kutarna have written a powerful, inciteful, interesting, and readable book. This book considers the renaissance of the past and the thesis is that we are living in the renaissance of today. It is wonderful to read about the comparisons of the two and how they think we can grow into this one. A good read.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms' "Wesley's Wars" "To Whom It May Concern" and "Tell Me About the United Methodist Church"
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms' "Wesley's Wars" "To Whom It May Concern" and "Tell Me About the United Methodist Church"
September 30, 2016
“The stakes could not be higher,” write Age of Discovery authors Ian Goldin and Chris Kutarna. “We each have the perilous fortune to have been born into a historic moment – a decisive moment – when events and choices in our lifetime will dictate the circumstances of many, many lifetimes to come.”
It’s not humanity’s first decisive moment. The last similar one was the Renaissance and the subtitle of this book, Navigating the Risks and Rewards of our New Renaissance, should give you a clue – the moment we are in now is comparable to the moment in 16th century Europe when “philosophy, science, technology and art all made radical breaks from the principles that had governed their craft”. Added together, they became a paradigm shift which shunted the world from the medieval era to the early modern world.
Our own Copernican revolutions in AI, genetics, bio-engineering and computers are now under way and it’s not always easy to ascertain where any will lead. “It’s difficult to judge, for example, whether social media is simply a more convenient way of getting in touch with one another, or a fundamental shift from a physical to a virtual form of society”. Yikes! It isn’t just more clips of cats and dogs though, and the rewiring process won’t just mean better broadband.
It means we’ll have to reengage with an age-old conundrum – should we interfere in our own biology, and if so with what objectives? “Right now we don’t talk much about geoengineering, organic energy, super-intelligent machines, bioengineered plagues, nanofactories or artificial human chromosomes, but someday soon – surprise! – it may seem that we talk about little else.”
There’s actually four books in Age of Discovery (Bloomsbury, £18.99), four separate entities vying for ascendance. There’s a science primer, a history of the world, a moral philosophy guidebook and a self-enlightenment playbook. That they are all so beautifully entwined is tribute to the consummate knowledge and consistent breadth of vision of the authorial hand (or hands), but there’s a warning bell – despite incredible achievements to our credit, there may be trouble ahead. “We don’t know where we’re headed, and so we let ourselves get pushed around – bullied even – by immediate crises and the anxieties they evoke. We retreat rather than reach out. In an age when we must act, we hesitate instead. Globally, that’s the present mood.” And so it is likely to remain until next month’s US election – after which it could get very much worse.
“Perspective is the guide and the gateway, and without it nothing can be done well,” wrote Leonardo da Vinci at the dawn of the 16th century. He was counselling artists, “but he could easily have been counselling his whole generation . . . To gain perspective on the present age, we need only step back, look to the past and realise: We’ve been here before.”
The Renaissance cycles share similar dynamics – 500 years ago it was religious wars, the Inquisition and popular revolts which “tore at the peace in which genius laboured and smothered some of the brightest lights of the age. Now, voices of extremism, protectionism and xenophobia likewise seek to tear apart the connections that spark present-day genius, while popular discontent has sapped our public institutions of the legitimacy needed to take bold actions.”
It’s still early days, of course. “We mark 1990 as the approximate start date for the New Renaissance. In the span of just a few years the Cold War ended, the Berlin Wall fell, China rejoined the world economy and the commercial internet lit up. Suddenly, the world felt quite different.”
Accelerated technology-driven advancement is the link between the two Renaissances. In 1450, “most of what Europe knew about the world came from the Bible”. Gradually, maps became common, which opened up trade and then new forms of finance such as the transferable bill of exchange. Then the Gutenberg Press started. “Content growth went from gradual to exponential” – sounds familiar? Books went from being “a priceless artefact to a cheap commodity” and there were massive shifts – the number of universities in Europe went from 500 in 1450 to three times as many a century later, transforming economies and upending the status quo.
All of this is happening again. “In 1990, all the world’s top 10 ports by annual volume were in developed countries. By 2014, 14 of the top 25 were in the developing world, and China itself boasted seven of the top 10. The world’s busiest container port since 2011, Shanghai, did not appear in the top 25 in 1990.”
Along the way China has gone from near-isolation to trading with 230 countries and regions, more than any other in the world. Its share of the world export market has grown from 2 per cent in 1990 to 12 per cent today. The value of its exports has multiplied 40 times, from $120 billion in 1980 to $2 trillion now.
Rapid globalisation has brought vast benefits, brilliantly catalogued. In 1980, 44 per cent of the world’s population was illiterate: during this time, when the global population went from 4.5 billion to nearly 7.5 billion now, it dropped to 17 per cent and is down to 10 per cent among youth, so “the incoming cohort of adults will possess the basic skills to take part in humanity��s new knowledge networks”. Deaths from infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, TB and polio were 13 million in 1990, and 5.9 million in 2015. Vaccination, education, safer drinking water and behavioural change have all played their part.
In our new age “we are yielding the benefits of connecting economies”. Vietnam, for instance, set itself up as rice grower to the world in the late 1980s. “In the space of a single year, 1987-88, Vietnam transformed itself from a rice importer to the world’s second largest world exporter and has expanded exports ever since, from 1.5m tons in 1990 to 7m tons by 2014. Along the way, the country improved rural nutrition, created 7.2m new jobs and generated annual revenues for small-scale farmers worth $3 billion in 2013.”
Today, the world suddenly contains “more brains, healthier and better educated, exchanging an exploding volume and variety of ever more vivid ideas – globally, instantly and at near-zero cost”. These conditions are ideal for collective breakthroughs but we know from analysis of previous Renaissance that the process requires not just Michaelangelos and da Vincis, but sustained and collective willpower to get behind and manifest the potential for genius everywhere – to build our modern-day cathedrals.
To get the point across Goldin and Kutarna – who, um, unfortunately operate from The Other Place – turn the notion of genius up on its head. Genius isn’t pulling balls from an urn, each ball a new idea, until the urn is empty. No. “Genius is more like mixing compounds in an alchemist’s lab. Each compound is an existing idea or technology, and in the beginning we had just a few – maybe some salt, sugar and common liquids.” Gradually, through mixing, you make more and more compounds, until you realise “we need never fear running out of combinations to try – the fear, rather, is that new compounds and their possible combinations are multiplying so fast that we may fail to find the really useful reactions that lie buried among them”.
No one is saying that the New Renaissance’s gold is untarnished. “The view from the front is positive, from the rear, less so.” Though average global welfare has improved, the extremes of rich and poor “have spread further apart”.
And “by late 2015, it was estimated that global corporations held over $15 trillion in cash and cash equivalents – more than four times as much as a decade earlier”. But even so, overall we are wealthier, healthier and better educated than ever.
The authors do evince an occasional capacity to water down reservations to their enthusiastic predictions but on the key questions of the age – a perfect storm of a looming financial crisis, climate change and a semi-detached political system – they are twinkling beacons in the gloaming and they conclude this remarkable book with a challenge.
“The key question is – we can always be trusted to make changes after a deep and painful crisis. But can we do so before?”
It’s not humanity’s first decisive moment. The last similar one was the Renaissance and the subtitle of this book, Navigating the Risks and Rewards of our New Renaissance, should give you a clue – the moment we are in now is comparable to the moment in 16th century Europe when “philosophy, science, technology and art all made radical breaks from the principles that had governed their craft”. Added together, they became a paradigm shift which shunted the world from the medieval era to the early modern world.
Our own Copernican revolutions in AI, genetics, bio-engineering and computers are now under way and it’s not always easy to ascertain where any will lead. “It’s difficult to judge, for example, whether social media is simply a more convenient way of getting in touch with one another, or a fundamental shift from a physical to a virtual form of society”. Yikes! It isn’t just more clips of cats and dogs though, and the rewiring process won’t just mean better broadband.
It means we’ll have to reengage with an age-old conundrum – should we interfere in our own biology, and if so with what objectives? “Right now we don’t talk much about geoengineering, organic energy, super-intelligent machines, bioengineered plagues, nanofactories or artificial human chromosomes, but someday soon – surprise! – it may seem that we talk about little else.”
There’s actually four books in Age of Discovery (Bloomsbury, £18.99), four separate entities vying for ascendance. There’s a science primer, a history of the world, a moral philosophy guidebook and a self-enlightenment playbook. That they are all so beautifully entwined is tribute to the consummate knowledge and consistent breadth of vision of the authorial hand (or hands), but there’s a warning bell – despite incredible achievements to our credit, there may be trouble ahead. “We don’t know where we’re headed, and so we let ourselves get pushed around – bullied even – by immediate crises and the anxieties they evoke. We retreat rather than reach out. In an age when we must act, we hesitate instead. Globally, that’s the present mood.” And so it is likely to remain until next month’s US election – after which it could get very much worse.
“Perspective is the guide and the gateway, and without it nothing can be done well,” wrote Leonardo da Vinci at the dawn of the 16th century. He was counselling artists, “but he could easily have been counselling his whole generation . . . To gain perspective on the present age, we need only step back, look to the past and realise: We’ve been here before.”
The Renaissance cycles share similar dynamics – 500 years ago it was religious wars, the Inquisition and popular revolts which “tore at the peace in which genius laboured and smothered some of the brightest lights of the age. Now, voices of extremism, protectionism and xenophobia likewise seek to tear apart the connections that spark present-day genius, while popular discontent has sapped our public institutions of the legitimacy needed to take bold actions.”
It’s still early days, of course. “We mark 1990 as the approximate start date for the New Renaissance. In the span of just a few years the Cold War ended, the Berlin Wall fell, China rejoined the world economy and the commercial internet lit up. Suddenly, the world felt quite different.”
Accelerated technology-driven advancement is the link between the two Renaissances. In 1450, “most of what Europe knew about the world came from the Bible”. Gradually, maps became common, which opened up trade and then new forms of finance such as the transferable bill of exchange. Then the Gutenberg Press started. “Content growth went from gradual to exponential” – sounds familiar? Books went from being “a priceless artefact to a cheap commodity” and there were massive shifts – the number of universities in Europe went from 500 in 1450 to three times as many a century later, transforming economies and upending the status quo.
All of this is happening again. “In 1990, all the world’s top 10 ports by annual volume were in developed countries. By 2014, 14 of the top 25 were in the developing world, and China itself boasted seven of the top 10. The world’s busiest container port since 2011, Shanghai, did not appear in the top 25 in 1990.”
Along the way China has gone from near-isolation to trading with 230 countries and regions, more than any other in the world. Its share of the world export market has grown from 2 per cent in 1990 to 12 per cent today. The value of its exports has multiplied 40 times, from $120 billion in 1980 to $2 trillion now.
Rapid globalisation has brought vast benefits, brilliantly catalogued. In 1980, 44 per cent of the world’s population was illiterate: during this time, when the global population went from 4.5 billion to nearly 7.5 billion now, it dropped to 17 per cent and is down to 10 per cent among youth, so “the incoming cohort of adults will possess the basic skills to take part in humanity��s new knowledge networks”. Deaths from infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, TB and polio were 13 million in 1990, and 5.9 million in 2015. Vaccination, education, safer drinking water and behavioural change have all played their part.
In our new age “we are yielding the benefits of connecting economies”. Vietnam, for instance, set itself up as rice grower to the world in the late 1980s. “In the space of a single year, 1987-88, Vietnam transformed itself from a rice importer to the world’s second largest world exporter and has expanded exports ever since, from 1.5m tons in 1990 to 7m tons by 2014. Along the way, the country improved rural nutrition, created 7.2m new jobs and generated annual revenues for small-scale farmers worth $3 billion in 2013.”
Today, the world suddenly contains “more brains, healthier and better educated, exchanging an exploding volume and variety of ever more vivid ideas – globally, instantly and at near-zero cost”. These conditions are ideal for collective breakthroughs but we know from analysis of previous Renaissance that the process requires not just Michaelangelos and da Vincis, but sustained and collective willpower to get behind and manifest the potential for genius everywhere – to build our modern-day cathedrals.
To get the point across Goldin and Kutarna – who, um, unfortunately operate from The Other Place – turn the notion of genius up on its head. Genius isn’t pulling balls from an urn, each ball a new idea, until the urn is empty. No. “Genius is more like mixing compounds in an alchemist’s lab. Each compound is an existing idea or technology, and in the beginning we had just a few – maybe some salt, sugar and common liquids.” Gradually, through mixing, you make more and more compounds, until you realise “we need never fear running out of combinations to try – the fear, rather, is that new compounds and their possible combinations are multiplying so fast that we may fail to find the really useful reactions that lie buried among them”.
No one is saying that the New Renaissance’s gold is untarnished. “The view from the front is positive, from the rear, less so.” Though average global welfare has improved, the extremes of rich and poor “have spread further apart”.
And “by late 2015, it was estimated that global corporations held over $15 trillion in cash and cash equivalents – more than four times as much as a decade earlier”. But even so, overall we are wealthier, healthier and better educated than ever.
The authors do evince an occasional capacity to water down reservations to their enthusiastic predictions but on the key questions of the age – a perfect storm of a looming financial crisis, climate change and a semi-detached political system – they are twinkling beacons in the gloaming and they conclude this remarkable book with a challenge.
“The key question is – we can always be trusted to make changes after a deep and painful crisis. But can we do so before?”
July 31, 2017
the book is about comparing the Renaissance challenges and turmoil to our current time.
Ian Goldin gathered a huge collection of numbers and statistics, if you are part of few who make their mind and take decision based on numbers this book is a paradise.
Here is some quote and fact that I’ve collected during lecture :
Renaissance was about 1550
Silk rout got replaced by sea : shift of power went from Italy/Venice to Spain/Portugal/UK
iPhone: 700 supplier, 30+ country.
Finance is about matching idle money to economical activity : that need it to make things happen
40 trillion dollars will be created if we opt for free movement of people, next poverty will be eradicated just 25 years.
20% global economy is illegal
More people, more brain and labour, and cost is just few calories to keep him alive
Globalisation growth the market, and make it robust to local cycles
Specialization race productives so salary, same can be said to technology
Both country benefit from high skilled workers, they send back home more that country has lost. Half trillions world wide, it’s more reliable that foreign investment , as they withdraw during any crisis. Also send back home target different network compared to foreign investment and increase during any country crisis or catastrophe.
Courage, Ambition: are immigrate virtu, they can’t just sit after and get welfare, it doesn't add up and figure show the inverse, it’s local people who rely more on welfare.
Preston curve show direct link between GDP and Infant Mortality
European Smallpox, Influenza diseases killed 95% of native America, then come need for cheap african slaves, in the opposite direction Syphilis come for Columbus travels.
History depend on what direction you look at and point in time #Berlolky
Country are converging on salary, by 2050 3/4 will enjoy same quality life then uk.
10 country account for 60% trading
Switch from revelation to observations: was a big paradigm shift.
50% of jobs are contracting in advanced economy.
Gene therapy : it’s about creating virus that target concert cell.
Einstein : “God does not play dice with the universe"
Niels Bohr : "Stop telling God what to do with his dice"
2020 quantum computing with be in competition with transistors.
The 23 different type of Amino Acid use charges to build 3D structure.
Gêneuse inject originality, break out of the present prevailing thought and make see things from another angle
Big cathedral: is the demo how cooperation can work.
Science is about finding : The Theory that better fit the fact.
If Wikipedia exist GDP doesn't change, if one billon access to it too , also GDP don't care, same for a google search : 500$ per year is the service cost per person.
When you solve a problem another popup: like renewable energy : creates problems how we can store them ...
Combining idea, but what if there is a lot of them : who to combine
In 2011 coronal solar injection CMI was missed, if it happened damage will be 1 trillion dollars.
Ebola caused 5 billion dollars loss to local economy and that caused more death via economie as those countries are poor.
2008 crisis:
50 million lost their jobs
1/4 billion become poor
40k child dies in Africa
IAG insurance was bailed out 7x :180 billion
Island : bailed by IMF by paying 6% GDP from 2017-2023
When Portuguese found the route from sea to India to buy spices, the economical shift happened overnight from Venice (silk road) to Lisbon, it was nonlinear disruptive shock.
Thailand become hub for computer hard drive, during the flood 2011, indirectly intel lost 1 billion, the high price of HD accelerated adoption and development of SSD.
5 billion dollars was the lost during 6 day volcano eruption and it cancelled most of flight on airport hub : London, Paris, Frankfurt.
Concentration increase the cost of infrastructure failure.
Google, Amazon,Facebook: 1 million servers fail each a day.
complexity push for bad recognition of the issue
concentration push for bad judgement
The Bonfire of the Vanities, Savonarola fire all non religious sig in Florence Italy, for the research for high morals, claiming that end time coming, he teachered young from 12 to 18 that becomes religious police like, used printing press, invent open letter, he was well educated philosophy, science.
It's not the education that reduce extremism: 3/4 of 911 attacker are from university, 3/4 Suicide attacker in israel have high degrees, according to statistics education make it worst.
The extremism problem is on the meaning of modernity, and it’s the majority who define the reference to the minority that we call the extremist. Both want to move us forward by their term to a moderate one, with better moral and vertu.
The betrayal of the elites by only looking for themself, and extremist promising salvation and pure morality.
A society full of broken promises is highly combustible
From Savonarola come the german Martin Luther : created the Protestant movement who killed the pop monarchy and launched a century of civil was translated bible and ask people to read it by your own, do your mind and claim your right, and launched peasant war : farmer and landlord.
Martin Luther: wrote 59 thesis for the elite and were never intended to be public, Luther regretted that they have spreaded.
Social bargain kept sociality together : justice, welfare... breaking it and you have revolt and extremism everywhere.
When the guys in the top start do welfare for the rich, break trust and society !
In 1999 the 3 big car maker in Detroit employs 2.2 million and generate 36 billion
in 3 Silicon Valley employ 9 time fewer people 170k and generate 30 time more reveny 1 trillion
What is the acceptable social bargain ?
Killing Savonarola, the church has missed the opportunity to rectifying the public morality or the bargain.
Geneus can be scary, it show us different way looking to the world and it can be not what we want to see ( exemple of Copernicus / sun is the centre not the earth )
Every idea should be a good one else it harm other people
In 2005, 52% of US startup were founded by emigrants.
Non reforming emigrants in US will cost 5% lost growth over 20 years and 900 billion in missed tax. the Uk case, it will contract by 10% over 50 years
Columbus when building this boat for the unknowable, he build them extra thick and have built 3 instate for one #redundancy
Research shows : Take an obese person and put him in healthy community and he will switch become fit.
Martin Luther — 'You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say'
Human are by nature social creature, we need express ourselves publicly else we deny our self to be fully alive and being citizenship (Aristotle, Cicero ancien room)
Get degree and when you are at it get some answers of what bothers you.
Try to get new perspective, seek difference, learn to see by local eyes when you visit new place : how others people think, why extremism, why some support China
Love art for a sake of it ! it set aside your economic rationale self and prioritise emotional and ideas instead.
Ian Goldin gathered a huge collection of numbers and statistics, if you are part of few who make their mind and take decision based on numbers this book is a paradise.
Here is some quote and fact that I’ve collected during lecture :
Renaissance was about 1550
Silk rout got replaced by sea : shift of power went from Italy/Venice to Spain/Portugal/UK
iPhone: 700 supplier, 30+ country.
Finance is about matching idle money to economical activity : that need it to make things happen
40 trillion dollars will be created if we opt for free movement of people, next poverty will be eradicated just 25 years.
20% global economy is illegal
More people, more brain and labour, and cost is just few calories to keep him alive
Globalisation growth the market, and make it robust to local cycles
Specialization race productives so salary, same can be said to technology
Both country benefit from high skilled workers, they send back home more that country has lost. Half trillions world wide, it’s more reliable that foreign investment , as they withdraw during any crisis. Also send back home target different network compared to foreign investment and increase during any country crisis or catastrophe.
Courage, Ambition: are immigrate virtu, they can’t just sit after and get welfare, it doesn't add up and figure show the inverse, it’s local people who rely more on welfare.
Preston curve show direct link between GDP and Infant Mortality
European Smallpox, Influenza diseases killed 95% of native America, then come need for cheap african slaves, in the opposite direction Syphilis come for Columbus travels.
History depend on what direction you look at and point in time #Berlolky
Country are converging on salary, by 2050 3/4 will enjoy same quality life then uk.
10 country account for 60% trading
Switch from revelation to observations: was a big paradigm shift.
50% of jobs are contracting in advanced economy.
Gene therapy : it’s about creating virus that target concert cell.
Einstein : “God does not play dice with the universe"
Niels Bohr : "Stop telling God what to do with his dice"
2020 quantum computing with be in competition with transistors.
The 23 different type of Amino Acid use charges to build 3D structure.
Gêneuse inject originality, break out of the present prevailing thought and make see things from another angle
Big cathedral: is the demo how cooperation can work.
Science is about finding : The Theory that better fit the fact.
If Wikipedia exist GDP doesn't change, if one billon access to it too , also GDP don't care, same for a google search : 500$ per year is the service cost per person.
When you solve a problem another popup: like renewable energy : creates problems how we can store them ...
Combining idea, but what if there is a lot of them : who to combine
In 2011 coronal solar injection CMI was missed, if it happened damage will be 1 trillion dollars.
Ebola caused 5 billion dollars loss to local economy and that caused more death via economie as those countries are poor.
2008 crisis:
50 million lost their jobs
1/4 billion become poor
40k child dies in Africa
IAG insurance was bailed out 7x :180 billion
Island : bailed by IMF by paying 6% GDP from 2017-2023
When Portuguese found the route from sea to India to buy spices, the economical shift happened overnight from Venice (silk road) to Lisbon, it was nonlinear disruptive shock.
Thailand become hub for computer hard drive, during the flood 2011, indirectly intel lost 1 billion, the high price of HD accelerated adoption and development of SSD.
5 billion dollars was the lost during 6 day volcano eruption and it cancelled most of flight on airport hub : London, Paris, Frankfurt.
Concentration increase the cost of infrastructure failure.
Google, Amazon,Facebook: 1 million servers fail each a day.
complexity push for bad recognition of the issue
concentration push for bad judgement
The Bonfire of the Vanities, Savonarola fire all non religious sig in Florence Italy, for the research for high morals, claiming that end time coming, he teachered young from 12 to 18 that becomes religious police like, used printing press, invent open letter, he was well educated philosophy, science.
It's not the education that reduce extremism: 3/4 of 911 attacker are from university, 3/4 Suicide attacker in israel have high degrees, according to statistics education make it worst.
The extremism problem is on the meaning of modernity, and it’s the majority who define the reference to the minority that we call the extremist. Both want to move us forward by their term to a moderate one, with better moral and vertu.
The betrayal of the elites by only looking for themself, and extremist promising salvation and pure morality.
A society full of broken promises is highly combustible
From Savonarola come the german Martin Luther : created the Protestant movement who killed the pop monarchy and launched a century of civil was translated bible and ask people to read it by your own, do your mind and claim your right, and launched peasant war : farmer and landlord.
Martin Luther: wrote 59 thesis for the elite and were never intended to be public, Luther regretted that they have spreaded.
Social bargain kept sociality together : justice, welfare... breaking it and you have revolt and extremism everywhere.
When the guys in the top start do welfare for the rich, break trust and society !
In 1999 the 3 big car maker in Detroit employs 2.2 million and generate 36 billion
in 3 Silicon Valley employ 9 time fewer people 170k and generate 30 time more reveny 1 trillion
What is the acceptable social bargain ?
Killing Savonarola, the church has missed the opportunity to rectifying the public morality or the bargain.
Geneus can be scary, it show us different way looking to the world and it can be not what we want to see ( exemple of Copernicus / sun is the centre not the earth )
Every idea should be a good one else it harm other people
In 2005, 52% of US startup were founded by emigrants.
Non reforming emigrants in US will cost 5% lost growth over 20 years and 900 billion in missed tax. the Uk case, it will contract by 10% over 50 years
Columbus when building this boat for the unknowable, he build them extra thick and have built 3 instate for one #redundancy
Research shows : Take an obese person and put him in healthy community and he will switch become fit.
Martin Luther — 'You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say'
Human are by nature social creature, we need express ourselves publicly else we deny our self to be fully alive and being citizenship (Aristotle, Cicero ancien room)
Get degree and when you are at it get some answers of what bothers you.
Try to get new perspective, seek difference, learn to see by local eyes when you visit new place : how others people think, why extremism, why some support China
Love art for a sake of it ! it set aside your economic rationale self and prioritise emotional and ideas instead.
March 21, 2018
Very interesting book touching on both history and curent major developments which could bring about dramatic impacts (both areas of interest to me). I appreciated learning more about many areas which faced changes during the Renaissance (in addition to the more popular and well-known aspects on art), as well as getting insights on nanotechnology and quantum physics.
It is thought-provoking and takes a vary valid approach in raising potential rewards as well as potential risks while keeping an overall positive view on things - much needed these days.
My only negative comment would be that I felt that not all sections/examples were of equal value in keeping my interest - I thought that some were not as well researched or presented as others.
It is thought-provoking and takes a vary valid approach in raising potential rewards as well as potential risks while keeping an overall positive view on things - much needed these days.
My only negative comment would be that I felt that not all sections/examples were of equal value in keeping my interest - I thought that some were not as well researched or presented as others.
May 21, 2021
Súčasnosť je novou renesanciou, presviedčajú autori knihy, ktorá popisuje a ospevuje vrcholiacu predpandemickú éru. Viac ako kostrbaté pokusy porovnávať moderné procesy s tými spred 500 rokov ma bavili krátkodobé predpovede, ktoré sa už od roku 2015, keď Epocha objavov vyšla, stihli (ne)naplniť.
Saudi nepostavili kilometrovú vežu a Čína nepokračovala v demokratizačných procesoch, skôr naopak. Mrazivo však pôsobí varovanie pred možným smrtiacim vírusom, ktorý by sa rozšíril po planéte. Najväčšie šance vraj mala vtáčia chrípka alebo nejaký koronavírus. Nuž, do čierneho.
Čo ma vyslovene rušilo, bol preklad. Zbytočne som bojoval s veľkou časťou knihy, ktorá bola preložená ako z google translatora. Čítal som niekoľkokrát jednu vetu a nerozumel som jej zmyslu. Shame.
Saudi nepostavili kilometrovú vežu a Čína nepokračovala v demokratizačných procesoch, skôr naopak. Mrazivo však pôsobí varovanie pred možným smrtiacim vírusom, ktorý by sa rozšíril po planéte. Najväčšie šance vraj mala vtáčia chrípka alebo nejaký koronavírus. Nuž, do čierneho.
Čo ma vyslovene rušilo, bol preklad. Zbytočne som bojoval s veľkou časťou knihy, ktorá bola preložená ako z google translatora. Čítal som niekoľkokrát jednu vetu a nerozumel som jej zmyslu. Shame.
December 19, 2024
I’ve read a few books with either the same title or one very similar and they have mainly been about the heroic age of exploration dating from around the time that the Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope and Columbus made his voyages to the “new” world. And, I must make it clear that this review is based only on the Blinkist summary of the original book and in that sense, is a little unfair to the authors. On the other hand, I’ve found the Blinkist summaries to be remarkably good at extracting the essence of the book. In the following paragraphs I’ve extracted some segments which captured my attention:
”What exactly was the Renaissance? It was a period from about 1450 to 1550 during which supreme achievements of scientific and artistic genius were made. But it also had a dark side......The idea of “Renaissance Europe” was crafted by nineteenth-century European historians as a way to fortify the standing of European nations.....The Renaissance was also a time of great destruction and suffering. Diseases like smallpox were spread across oceans, practically exterminating the Aztecs, Incas and other Native Americans.
Our current New Renaissance has also been a time of great growth. The New Renaissance could be said to have started in 1990 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. Commercial internet service began, and China stepped back into the world economy.
For example, the World Trade Organization or WTO, formed in 1995, is a powerful symbol of international economic advancement, cooperation and a radically different historical
period. Today it numbers 161 members, representing every major economy in the world. [The authors give no credit to the GATT that was established in 1948, which became the WTO. In fact, I worked in the GATT section of the Australian Dept of Trade for some time in the early 1980’s so I have some interest in this body].
Centuries ago, the printing press revolutionized communication over the period of just a single lifetime......It began around 1450 when the German entrepreneur Johann Gutenberg (1395–1468) invented movable type. A person born in the 1450s could look back on her fiftieth birthday to see that 15 to 20 million books had been printed during her lifetime. This number easily surpassed the number of books written since ancient Roman times by all European scribes combined. Similarly, the internet has transformed at an incredible speed the way people today interact with one another and the world.......The number of users connected.......In 2000 it was 400 million; in 2005, it was one billion, and by 2015 it had reached three billion.: The fastest mass adoption of a technology in the whole of human history........two average users on this social network are less than four degrees of separation apart.
Today, the quality of global health and wealth are at their highest level ever, even for the most disadvantaged populations on earth. Life expectancy has risen by almost two decades since 1960, climbing from 52 to 71 years.....To put that in perspective, the last 20-year improvement in this metric took 1,000 years to achieve, not 50. In 1990, something like two billion people were living below the World Bank’s international poverty line; by 2015, although the human population had grown by two billion, the total number of people living in extreme poverty on less than $1.25 per day had dropped by over half to just 900 million.
Competition has increased, which has, in turn, lowered the prices of goods and services while boosting their quality......During this time, technological advancements and better practices in public sanitation, clean water, hygiene, pest control, vaccines and drugs–along with growing public budgets to support them–have helped combat disease.
During the first Renaissance, there were clear signs that the progress attained during this period had disparate outcomes. While average welfare rose during much of the period, the wealth gap between rich and poor grew dramatically.....By 1550, in practically every Western European town of any decent size, the top 5 to 10 percent of residents owned between 40 and 50 percent of the town’s total wealth, while the bottom half owned little more than their own labour power.....The disparity was primarily precipitated by falling wages on the lower half of the income scale. Such cuts were felt particularly acutely by women. Between 1480 and 1562, a nanny’s wages did not increase at all, yet the cost of her daily necessities rose by 150 percent......Outside Europe, matters were far worse. Some 150,000 Africans were enslaved between 1450 and 1550,....[to keep this in perspective, I’ve read somewhere that the Roman Empire in its heyday was enslaving 400,000 people per annum...though this sounds remarkably high].
Unsurprisingly, a polarity between rich and poor is also central to our current Renaissance.
In 2010, the 388 richest people in the world controlled more wealth than the poorest 50 percent of the population. By 2015, this number dropped dramatically as just 62 people controlled more wealth than the bottom half.
Disease spread rampantly during the Renaissance, and we now know this particular affliction as syphilis. Within four years of its emergence, this sexually transmitted disease had spread all over Europe and was a global menace a mere five years later....The deadly advance of syphilis was facilitated by populations concentrated in urban centers.....The massive rise in air travel neatly mimics the population exchange and economic linkages that enabled syphilis to spread throughout Europe and across the sea. A good example is the Ebola epidemic...[though this was brought under fairly early control with disinfection and quarantine measures].
Massive pitfalls appear regularly as side-effects of positive phenomena like rising global financial investments and the construction of the incredible infrastructure behind the internet.
Just consider the 2008 financial crisis, which began in the United States but swiftly became a global issue......As the world of the first Renaissance evolved at an astonishing rate, people often experienced fear, doubt and insecurities. This climate proved fertile ground for radical messages proclaiming doom and a need for extreme action.....Just take Girolamo Savonarola, a Dominican friar who, in 1497 generated fervent passions.....They piled everything up in Florence’s central piazza and set it ablaze in what has become known as the Bonfire of the Vanities.......the friar became the most powerful figure in Florentine politics by launching a public campaign of moral purification that called for draconian laws prohibiting vice........He was preaching his apocalyptic message as the year 1500 drew near–a year many Christians believed would bring the Last Judgment. [He was also lynched by the mob some time later]
Today radical messages of hate and extremism also pose a threat.....All of these hate groups are examples of what can happen in a rapidly changing world marked by deepening inequality and general disorientation......So, the Renaissance wasn’t all great back then and it’s not all great now. But does that mean the future is bleak?
Even at times when the world as we know it might vanish down the drain, there’s still potential for tremendous good......The strength of innovations in the creation of wealth, health, art and justice is hard to measure in numbers. However, new technologies are still dramatically transforming the way we understand the world......A mere 20 years ago, we thought Earth-like planets were rare. Today, because of better telescopes, computers and the thousands of astronomers who are linked together through the internet, we know that the Milky Way alone holds at least 10 billion other planets that are of the appropriate size, temperature and orbit to support life.
Thanks to phenomena like Wikipedia, humanity is much better off in terms of time and money saved, even though GDP isn’t directly affected.
The key message in this book: The first Renaissance was a period of tremendous creativity and innovation, but also one of profound destruction and suffering. Today’s world is in many ways similar to the Renaissance of 500 years ago, and a historical perspective can shine a light on its intricacies.
Yep....I can go along with that but I’m not sure that there is much in here that is new to me. I guess, the comparison of the original Renaissance with the modern world of rapid change is novel and interesting, But I find myself asking “So what” after all of this. Is there anything that we can learn and apply from the earlier Renaissance? If so, the then authors don’t appear to make the case....their best effort seems to be the line, “there’s still potential for tremendous good.....[with] the innovations in the creation of wealth, health, art and justice.....
Not a bad book, but not great either. Three stars from me.
”What exactly was the Renaissance? It was a period from about 1450 to 1550 during which supreme achievements of scientific and artistic genius were made. But it also had a dark side......The idea of “Renaissance Europe” was crafted by nineteenth-century European historians as a way to fortify the standing of European nations.....The Renaissance was also a time of great destruction and suffering. Diseases like smallpox were spread across oceans, practically exterminating the Aztecs, Incas and other Native Americans.
Our current New Renaissance has also been a time of great growth. The New Renaissance could be said to have started in 1990 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. Commercial internet service began, and China stepped back into the world economy.
For example, the World Trade Organization or WTO, formed in 1995, is a powerful symbol of international economic advancement, cooperation and a radically different historical
period. Today it numbers 161 members, representing every major economy in the world. [The authors give no credit to the GATT that was established in 1948, which became the WTO. In fact, I worked in the GATT section of the Australian Dept of Trade for some time in the early 1980’s so I have some interest in this body].
Centuries ago, the printing press revolutionized communication over the period of just a single lifetime......It began around 1450 when the German entrepreneur Johann Gutenberg (1395–1468) invented movable type. A person born in the 1450s could look back on her fiftieth birthday to see that 15 to 20 million books had been printed during her lifetime. This number easily surpassed the number of books written since ancient Roman times by all European scribes combined. Similarly, the internet has transformed at an incredible speed the way people today interact with one another and the world.......The number of users connected.......In 2000 it was 400 million; in 2005, it was one billion, and by 2015 it had reached three billion.: The fastest mass adoption of a technology in the whole of human history........two average users on this social network are less than four degrees of separation apart.
Today, the quality of global health and wealth are at their highest level ever, even for the most disadvantaged populations on earth. Life expectancy has risen by almost two decades since 1960, climbing from 52 to 71 years.....To put that in perspective, the last 20-year improvement in this metric took 1,000 years to achieve, not 50. In 1990, something like two billion people were living below the World Bank’s international poverty line; by 2015, although the human population had grown by two billion, the total number of people living in extreme poverty on less than $1.25 per day had dropped by over half to just 900 million.
Competition has increased, which has, in turn, lowered the prices of goods and services while boosting their quality......During this time, technological advancements and better practices in public sanitation, clean water, hygiene, pest control, vaccines and drugs–along with growing public budgets to support them–have helped combat disease.
During the first Renaissance, there were clear signs that the progress attained during this period had disparate outcomes. While average welfare rose during much of the period, the wealth gap between rich and poor grew dramatically.....By 1550, in practically every Western European town of any decent size, the top 5 to 10 percent of residents owned between 40 and 50 percent of the town’s total wealth, while the bottom half owned little more than their own labour power.....The disparity was primarily precipitated by falling wages on the lower half of the income scale. Such cuts were felt particularly acutely by women. Between 1480 and 1562, a nanny’s wages did not increase at all, yet the cost of her daily necessities rose by 150 percent......Outside Europe, matters were far worse. Some 150,000 Africans were enslaved between 1450 and 1550,....[to keep this in perspective, I’ve read somewhere that the Roman Empire in its heyday was enslaving 400,000 people per annum...though this sounds remarkably high].
Unsurprisingly, a polarity between rich and poor is also central to our current Renaissance.
In 2010, the 388 richest people in the world controlled more wealth than the poorest 50 percent of the population. By 2015, this number dropped dramatically as just 62 people controlled more wealth than the bottom half.
Disease spread rampantly during the Renaissance, and we now know this particular affliction as syphilis. Within four years of its emergence, this sexually transmitted disease had spread all over Europe and was a global menace a mere five years later....The deadly advance of syphilis was facilitated by populations concentrated in urban centers.....The massive rise in air travel neatly mimics the population exchange and economic linkages that enabled syphilis to spread throughout Europe and across the sea. A good example is the Ebola epidemic...[though this was brought under fairly early control with disinfection and quarantine measures].
Massive pitfalls appear regularly as side-effects of positive phenomena like rising global financial investments and the construction of the incredible infrastructure behind the internet.
Just consider the 2008 financial crisis, which began in the United States but swiftly became a global issue......As the world of the first Renaissance evolved at an astonishing rate, people often experienced fear, doubt and insecurities. This climate proved fertile ground for radical messages proclaiming doom and a need for extreme action.....Just take Girolamo Savonarola, a Dominican friar who, in 1497 generated fervent passions.....They piled everything up in Florence’s central piazza and set it ablaze in what has become known as the Bonfire of the Vanities.......the friar became the most powerful figure in Florentine politics by launching a public campaign of moral purification that called for draconian laws prohibiting vice........He was preaching his apocalyptic message as the year 1500 drew near–a year many Christians believed would bring the Last Judgment. [He was also lynched by the mob some time later]
Today radical messages of hate and extremism also pose a threat.....All of these hate groups are examples of what can happen in a rapidly changing world marked by deepening inequality and general disorientation......So, the Renaissance wasn’t all great back then and it’s not all great now. But does that mean the future is bleak?
Even at times when the world as we know it might vanish down the drain, there’s still potential for tremendous good......The strength of innovations in the creation of wealth, health, art and justice is hard to measure in numbers. However, new technologies are still dramatically transforming the way we understand the world......A mere 20 years ago, we thought Earth-like planets were rare. Today, because of better telescopes, computers and the thousands of astronomers who are linked together through the internet, we know that the Milky Way alone holds at least 10 billion other planets that are of the appropriate size, temperature and orbit to support life.
Thanks to phenomena like Wikipedia, humanity is much better off in terms of time and money saved, even though GDP isn’t directly affected.
The key message in this book: The first Renaissance was a period of tremendous creativity and innovation, but also one of profound destruction and suffering. Today’s world is in many ways similar to the Renaissance of 500 years ago, and a historical perspective can shine a light on its intricacies.
Yep....I can go along with that but I’m not sure that there is much in here that is new to me. I guess, the comparison of the original Renaissance with the modern world of rapid change is novel and interesting, But I find myself asking “So what” after all of this. Is there anything that we can learn and apply from the earlier Renaissance? If so, the then authors don’t appear to make the case....their best effort seems to be the line, “there’s still potential for tremendous good.....[with] the innovations in the creation of wealth, health, art and justice.....
Not a bad book, but not great either. Three stars from me.
July 13, 2016
The years 1450 through 1550 mark the height of the Renaissance. The recently invented printing press encouraged literacy and facilitated communication. Larger ships brought about increases in trade and migration. New technologies such as the telescope enabled startling discoveries, and information about them was shared quicker, easier, and farther than ever before. This was the age of Leonardo and Michelangelo, an age of great achievements.
It was also a time of daunting risks, conflicts, and challenges. As people moved, diseases spread. New ideas challenged tradition and threatened the powers that upheld it. The Western world was ripe for political, religious, and societal change, but these changes were resisted, both by nature and by cultural inertia.
In Age of Discovery, Goldin and Kutarna (both of the Oxford Martin School, a research and policy unit based in the Social Sciences Division of the University of Oxford) draw parallels between that period of history and our own. I can't do justice to their full argument or list all their supporting evidence in this short review, but I will try to summarize some of their key points.
The authors mark 1990 as the approximate start of a New Renaissance. They convincingly show that forces similar to those that defined the original one are at work now. Like the printing press of the 15th century, the internet is expanding our ability to communicate and coordinate. The lowering of political barriers is facilitating trade and migration. Science is making amazing, perspective-altering discoveries. New technologies are emerging and being quickly adopted. But perhaps most important of all, and just as in the Renaissance of the past, great minds are coming together, irrespective or national borders, to find answers to questions and solutions for problems.
For the most part, our New Renaissance has been successful. From a global perspective, health, wealth, education, personal freedom, safety, and opportunity are all better now than at any time in the past. Our ability to combat disease, hunger, and poverty has never been greater. But, as with all change, there have been unforeseen or irresponsibly ignored negative consequences. Also as in the past, the changes happening now and the opportunities they offer are coming into conflict with political and financial establishments and with religious and cultural traditions. The risks of social upheaval are again great.
Will we embrace the opportunities presented by this New Renaissance or will we squander them? Will we take action to address global issues or will we delay until social and environmental crises are at hand? The authors are cautiously hopeful and offer some suggestions. But whether we heed their advice or not, changes are happening. How these affect the human condition depends on what we do…or don't do. It's up to us.
------------------------------
This review was originally posted on The Avery Slom Philosophical Laboratory https://philosophylaboratory.wordpres...
It was also a time of daunting risks, conflicts, and challenges. As people moved, diseases spread. New ideas challenged tradition and threatened the powers that upheld it. The Western world was ripe for political, religious, and societal change, but these changes were resisted, both by nature and by cultural inertia.
In Age of Discovery, Goldin and Kutarna (both of the Oxford Martin School, a research and policy unit based in the Social Sciences Division of the University of Oxford) draw parallels between that period of history and our own. I can't do justice to their full argument or list all their supporting evidence in this short review, but I will try to summarize some of their key points.
The authors mark 1990 as the approximate start of a New Renaissance. They convincingly show that forces similar to those that defined the original one are at work now. Like the printing press of the 15th century, the internet is expanding our ability to communicate and coordinate. The lowering of political barriers is facilitating trade and migration. Science is making amazing, perspective-altering discoveries. New technologies are emerging and being quickly adopted. But perhaps most important of all, and just as in the Renaissance of the past, great minds are coming together, irrespective or national borders, to find answers to questions and solutions for problems.
For the most part, our New Renaissance has been successful. From a global perspective, health, wealth, education, personal freedom, safety, and opportunity are all better now than at any time in the past. Our ability to combat disease, hunger, and poverty has never been greater. But, as with all change, there have been unforeseen or irresponsibly ignored negative consequences. Also as in the past, the changes happening now and the opportunities they offer are coming into conflict with political and financial establishments and with religious and cultural traditions. The risks of social upheaval are again great.
Will we embrace the opportunities presented by this New Renaissance or will we squander them? Will we take action to address global issues or will we delay until social and environmental crises are at hand? The authors are cautiously hopeful and offer some suggestions. But whether we heed their advice or not, changes are happening. How these affect the human condition depends on what we do…or don't do. It's up to us.
------------------------------
This review was originally posted on The Avery Slom Philosophical Laboratory https://philosophylaboratory.wordpres...
August 12, 2018
Age of Discovery is a great read for people who believe that we live in best time in the history. This book shows on many examples that there is a solid evidence for this belief. What's more, it also explores changes, challenges, and complexity we've never seen before and we have to learn to cope with today. Age of Discovery has incredible scope and explores many different subjects and disciplines. These subjects and disciplines includes education, history, geography, politics, economics, science and even art. Authors provide incredible facts, statistics and data about scientific achievements from all these subjects to show that we, as humankind, are at the same point as people during the age of Renaissance. The conclusion after reading this book is simple. We are in the second era of Renaissance. We are entering new golden age. There are no limits of what we can do achieve. The only potential limit is our own imagination. Our future is in our hands.
I highly recommend this book to people interested in scientific achievements of the past as well as the present. I also highly recommend this book to those who want to prepare for uncertain future that will be like nothing we've seen so far. This book can give you a better idea about the things that might be behind the corner.
I highly recommend this book to people interested in scientific achievements of the past as well as the present. I also highly recommend this book to those who want to prepare for uncertain future that will be like nothing we've seen so far. This book can give you a better idea about the things that might be behind the corner.
August 12, 2018
Profesionálni historici pravdepodobne budú pri niektorých paralelách škrípať zubami (porovnávať Donalda Trumpa s Hieronymom Savonarolom?). Niektoré prirovnania sú príliš „na silu“ a robiť dnešné rozhodnutia na základe našej historickej skúsenosti z obdobia renesancie je tiež prinajlepšom diskutabilné. História sa neopakuje. Ekonomické, sociálne i kultúrne podmienky nikdy nebudú úplne rovnaké, ako boli niekedy v minulosti. Ale o to v tejto knihe ani nejde. Goldin a Kutarna priniesli pomerne unikátny pohľad, ktorý nemusí vždy byť nevyhnutne stopercentne presný, no prijme čitateľa k premýšľaniu, dá mu iný pohľad na svet i na dejiny. Pri záplave kníh s katastrofickým scenárom, či historických kníh o vojnách a nekonečnom ľudskom utrpení navyše z tejto knihy srší optimizmus a viera v človeka a humanitu.
June 29, 2017
Starts out very much like a Thomas Friedman pro-technology, pro-entrepreneurism, pro-globalization editorial & is pretty off-putting for that reason but hold on, it gets better. This is a very comprehensive exposition of contemporary world assets & liabilities in terms of capacities & challenges. In terms of sheer magnitude of these & contrast with historical magnitudes, the authors liken our age to that of the Renaissance in Western Europe. They are remarkably comprehensive in cataloging both sides of the equation but leave us with a sense of optimism that with the application of genius which is not in short supply, creativity, & determination our problems may not exceed our capacities. Very informative!
March 15, 2018
Gli autori spiegano passo passo perché ritengono che siamo in quel complesso sistema di condizioni dello sviluppo umano che rendono possibile l'avvento di un secondo Rinascimento.
Possibile, non determinato. Non si tira indietro al momento di proporre una ricetta, estremamente politica, a che non si perda l'occasione unica.
Soltanto per lo svolgimento della tesi e per il pragmatico e competente ottimismo c'è una stella in più.
Inutile dire che la disamina storica degli elementi necessari a una nuova età dell'oro si svolge quasi del tutto in Italia.
Di questi tempi immaginare seriamente una nuova Firenze non è impresa da poco.
Possibile, non determinato. Non si tira indietro al momento di proporre una ricetta, estremamente politica, a che non si perda l'occasione unica.
Soltanto per lo svolgimento della tesi e per il pragmatico e competente ottimismo c'è una stella in più.
Inutile dire che la disamina storica degli elementi necessari a una nuova età dell'oro si svolge quasi del tutto in Italia.
Di questi tempi immaginare seriamente una nuova Firenze non è impresa da poco.
January 31, 2017
This book gives me hope. It compares the current age with the Renaissance, where great men dreamt of great things, in art and science, in astronomy, in religion, that led to the modern age. The authors believe that we are now at the point of inflexion and we will soon be able to make progress for our world, if we are able to develop our virtues.
After all, fortune favors the bold as Virgil has written. It is a refreshing point of view that let me dare hope again.
After all, fortune favors the bold as Virgil has written. It is a refreshing point of view that let me dare hope again.
October 22, 2017
Of late one of the best book about economics
It's about the details of the details of present situation and it starts from the origin
It's so clear and precise you never get bored about the minute details he analysed
Lovely book and should be read as first book if someone want to know the functioning of the world.
It's about the details of the details of present situation and it starts from the origin
It's so clear and precise you never get bored about the minute details he analysed
Lovely book and should be read as first book if someone want to know the functioning of the world.
July 28, 2016
Incredible
Seems like a book of the year. Outstanding work and a must read.
Seems like a book of the year. Outstanding work and a must read.
March 28, 2021
One of the most boring books I have read in years. It felt like reading a poorly written university book. Did not finish!
June 27, 2017
"June 27, 2017 – Finished Reading
June 26, 2017 – page 30
9.38% ""Actually, today, the quality of global health and wealth are at their highest level ever, even for the most disadvantaged populations on earth. Life expectancy has risen by almost two decades since 1960, climbing from 52 to 71 years...""
June 26, 2017 – Started Reading"
"Within a year of this spectacle, the friar became the most powerful figure in Florentine politics by launching a public campaign of moral purification that called for draconian laws prohibiting vice. His rapid ascent to power was mostly a product of good timing. After all, he was preaching his apocalyptic message as the year 1500 drew near – a year many Christians believed would bring the Last Judgment.Today radical messages of hate and extremism also pose a threat. Just take the rise of Islamic State, fringe Christian denominations that preach Islamophobia and homophobia, Orthodox Israeli Jews who assault gay people at pride parades and conceive plots to bomb Arab girls’ schools and, of course, the resurgence of neo-Nazi groups."
The key message in this book:The first Renaissance was a period of tremendous creativity and innovation, but also one of profound destruction and suffering. Today’s world is in many ways similar to the Renaissance of 500 years ago, and a historical perspective can shine a light on its intricacies.
June 26, 2017 – page 30
9.38% ""Actually, today, the quality of global health and wealth are at their highest level ever, even for the most disadvantaged populations on earth. Life expectancy has risen by almost two decades since 1960, climbing from 52 to 71 years...""
June 26, 2017 – Started Reading"
"Within a year of this spectacle, the friar became the most powerful figure in Florentine politics by launching a public campaign of moral purification that called for draconian laws prohibiting vice. His rapid ascent to power was mostly a product of good timing. After all, he was preaching his apocalyptic message as the year 1500 drew near – a year many Christians believed would bring the Last Judgment.Today radical messages of hate and extremism also pose a threat. Just take the rise of Islamic State, fringe Christian denominations that preach Islamophobia and homophobia, Orthodox Israeli Jews who assault gay people at pride parades and conceive plots to bomb Arab girls’ schools and, of course, the resurgence of neo-Nazi groups."
The key message in this book:The first Renaissance was a period of tremendous creativity and innovation, but also one of profound destruction and suffering. Today’s world is in many ways similar to the Renaissance of 500 years ago, and a historical perspective can shine a light on its intricacies.
July 19, 2025
“Age of Discovery" is a well-researched and engaging book that draws intriguing parallels between our modern world and the Renaissance era. Authors Ian Goldin and Chris Kutarna invite readers to consider how lessons from the past can help us courageously navigate our complex, interconnected present.
The book highlights the importance of understanding our rapidly evolving world and how advancements in technology, science, and global interconnectedness impact our lives. Goldin and Kutarna explore the benefits and risks associated with this progress and emphasize the need to ensure that the rewards are shared more equitably.
One of the most striking aspects of "Age of Discovery" is its relevance to the current political and social landscape. As the authors delve into topics like tax reform and the need for broadened perspectives, it's evident that the insights shared can offer valuable guidance to today's politicians and corporate leaders. In fact, this book can serve as a learning resource for anyone interested in understanding our contemporary challenges and opportunities.
Despite addressing complex issues, "Age of Discovery" is accessible and thought-provoking. Goldin and Kutarna present their ideas in a clear, compelling manner, inviting readers to reflect on the world around us and how we can work together to create a brighter future.
The book highlights the importance of understanding our rapidly evolving world and how advancements in technology, science, and global interconnectedness impact our lives. Goldin and Kutarna explore the benefits and risks associated with this progress and emphasize the need to ensure that the rewards are shared more equitably.
One of the most striking aspects of "Age of Discovery" is its relevance to the current political and social landscape. As the authors delve into topics like tax reform and the need for broadened perspectives, it's evident that the insights shared can offer valuable guidance to today's politicians and corporate leaders. In fact, this book can serve as a learning resource for anyone interested in understanding our contemporary challenges and opportunities.
Despite addressing complex issues, "Age of Discovery" is accessible and thought-provoking. Goldin and Kutarna present their ideas in a clear, compelling manner, inviting readers to reflect on the world around us and how we can work together to create a brighter future.
May 4, 2023
For me, this book is sort of encyclopedia - it follows the evolution of humanity since Renaissance in all kinds of spheres - geography, politics, science, economy, medicine, technology, art, history, religion, diseases/ pandemics, etc. It gives you a really good general knowledge and a lot of things to think about or discuss. It is written in pretty accessible and understandable way. Most of the things I already knew but it is quite interesting that the book also discusses SARS and other possible pandemic diseases in the past 10 years before Covid (the book is published in 2016) and warns of possible future pandemic. I think it also gives you perspective comparing Covid-19 to the diseases spread in the past years and that we could have handled better and not overreacted, as we did. Overall the book states that maybe we are in the midst if Renaissance 2.0 and we live in the age that is better from the previous ones (even though we often might not feel like it). There is hope :)
February 19, 2018
An interesting book, but I think the overall argument (that the current age can be compared to the renaissance of the 15th Century and decisions should be made using this as a starting point) lacked strength and felt quite forced at times. Any attempt to compare distinct parts of history is always going to be tricky and it is easy to pick and choose bits that match your arguments, but (for example) comparing Trump with Savonarola just didn't make any sense.
That being said, I did enjoy the fact that this book had an optimistic view of humanity and the direction we are going, which is quite novel (pun intended) these days. It was also interesting to learn so much about new technologies that I knew nothing about.
I did enjoy reading this, and got through it quickly, but felt the central premise just wasn't strong enough to carry the entire book. 3.5/5
That being said, I did enjoy the fact that this book had an optimistic view of humanity and the direction we are going, which is quite novel (pun intended) these days. It was also interesting to learn so much about new technologies that I knew nothing about.
I did enjoy reading this, and got through it quickly, but felt the central premise just wasn't strong enough to carry the entire book. 3.5/5
October 14, 2018
The First Renaissance was a period of high creativity and innovation, but also one of highest in terms of destruction and suffering. Today's world is quite similar to the Renaissance 500 years ago, and a historical perspective can shine a light on its intricacies. Hate group is happening almost everywhere, including the one you're in right now (and even mine). The rise of inequality and general disorientation is the results from a poor leadership of the leader itself in this rapidly changing world. The cycle is repeating itself but centered in this modern day and age. Technology plays a very important role today, it connects the whole humanity which supposed to be a good thing when globalization happen, alas more hate can be spread easily to the whole world.
September 6, 2019
Este ensaio compara dois períodos temporais com base na ideia de que o Renascimento como um "momento raro do florescimento generalizado" (p.33). Esses períodos são 1450-1550 e 1990-...., apresentados em paralelo de forma a demonstrar que as mudanças que estamos a viver e os seus problemas não são novidades e já encontramos, como espécie humana, formas de ultrapassar e vencer esses problemas. A fragilidade deste argumento está no facto de ainda não termos comprido totalmente as consequências das mudanças porque estamos a vivê-las.
Mas é um ensaio esperançoso, pois impele os leitores a confiar mais nas vitórias civilizacionais do humanismo e da democracia e a agir para isso, sempre apoiados num melhor conhecimento do seu passado e do seu presente.
Mas é um ensaio esperançoso, pois impele os leitores a confiar mais nas vitórias civilizacionais do humanismo e da democracia e a agir para isso, sempre apoiados num melhor conhecimento do seu passado e do seu presente.
September 18, 2024
Amazing book, I had a lot of fun and it really open my eyes, the concept that our period of history is equivalent to that of the renaissance, I learned a lot from this book and I totally recommend it, something I notice about this book is that the conversation gets from positive in the start of the book to negative. But I like it it shows the negatives and positives of our second reinassance. The book is absolutely packed with data and facts which is quite hard for me to process since I'm a dumbass, so I can only read 1-2 chapters per sitting. Anyways it was an amazing read and I recommend it for everyone
February 27, 2025
Excellent and informative book. It does a great job drawing parallels between the Renaissance and the age we live in. The discussion about the competition between the "flourishing genius" of our age and the system risks (due to concentration and technology) is on point and definitely worth reading.
I like that it ends on an optimistic note and identifies what we can do to enhance the benefits of "genius" and mitigate the system risks. However, it is depressing that we are clearly going in the opposite direction from the book's recommendations in many areas such as education, immigration, health, etc.
Nevertheless, great book.
I like that it ends on an optimistic note and identifies what we can do to enhance the benefits of "genius" and mitigate the system risks. However, it is depressing that we are clearly going in the opposite direction from the book's recommendations in many areas such as education, immigration, health, etc.
Nevertheless, great book.
July 29, 2019
'Age of Discovery' posits that our current age is experiencing development and growth alike to the Renaissance period, and rather optimistically addresses the downsides/upsides of such progression. The book is very optimistic, and perhaps a little too one-sided. It's also very information dense and covers a breadth of topics and material, which can make it a bit difficult to read and tempting to skip pages. It also felt just a tad redundant - I don't feel any new or unique insight was provided, rather just a restating of facts and opinions expressed all the time all over the internet.
June 12, 2020
A phenomenally researched, well-laid out account of how the previous Renaissance can help us live better through the flourishing of risk and the flourishing of genius that we are currently seeing. The book compares the spike in connectedness experienced now and in the Renaissance and uses a well-researched retrospective combined with a deep understanding of current affairs to make better use of this 21st-Century Renaissance.
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