One theme that fascinates me was the introductions of technology to people that have never seen something before. This was a common theme in both Mark Twain’s novel and the Worlds Fair documentary. It blows my mind to think that slightly over 100 years ago people had never seen artificial light, and were being exposed to the brightest event in the history of the Earth. Also, the biggest building ever created on this planet was showcased at the worlds fair. The sheer awe of seeing something like this first hand is unfathomable, and hopefully will be replicated in our lifetime with the advancements we have made. Another point that was made in the film is that this was the Western Hemisphere’s first exposure to the Far East, such as Japan. In today’s world, we have movies and other references, so little surprises us about the cultures and customs of other people around the world. It is weird to think that my great-grandfather’s parents did not know anything about the Japanese until adulthood. Thinking like this really puts the human timescale into perspective about how far we have come in such a short period of time, in good and bad ways.
Thinking about The Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Hank Mason goes back in time to the 6th Century and takes for granted little things that are now commonplace. Not having glass is the thing that really stuck with me. No windows, mirrors, cups, or anything that we use everyday were not anywhere to be found. I look at myself in the mirror everyday before I go to class or work, and some of these people might not have a good idea of what they look like for their entire lives. This book puts things into perspective just as the documentary did, if not more.