Mark Twain lived through an era of significant industry growth. In class on Thursday, we talked about technological advancements such as typewriters, telephones, and railways, which made it easier for people to stay in touch. National corporations also began to play a huge role in society. With everything developing around him, the idea of going back in time with new progressive technological knowledge seems like a great position to be in. To the people in the past, Twain could use his modern knowledge and would seem like a genius; a magician. Before class on Thursday, I didn’t consider where Twain found inspiration; if the culture he was always surrounded by influenced his writing. After Thursday’s discussion, I can see how external events in his life could have led him to write “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court” and I feel as though he is living a what if scenario through Hank Morgan.
For Thursday’s history exercise, I chose to go back to the 60’s/70’s. To be honest, I chose this time era because of the musicians and bands that were leading the music industry. I could definitely picture myself as a hippie, I would love to have gone to Woodstock, and worn loose-fitting clothes. In class I was thinking of being me in the 60’s/70’s, but now that I have had more time to consider the question, I think it would be very interesting to be someone completely different. I would want to be someone who was a strong and effective leader and who identifies with the LGBT+ community. I think being someone who helps lead and organize the Stonewall riots would be such a different experience than anything I could have in the present era. And the riot helped start the beginning of the LGBT rights movement.
One thing to note is, there wasn’t internet in 1969. It is interesting to think about the present era. The Women’s March on Washington started out with a few women on Facebook and now it has spread across the whole country and it is expected that at least 200,000 people show up. In 1969, people still had phones and transportation, but didn’t have social media. Social media spreads news faster than word of mouth, newspapers, and radios. I wonder what it would have like there was Internet in 1969.
One reply on “Journal 1”
Turns out there were 500,000 in DC on Saturday. I took my teenage daughter. It was inspiring! Great idea about wanting to be part of a revolutionary movement for social change. And a great insight that your social networking skills would not necessarily have helped you to be effective back then. Keep up the good work.