The Power of Knowledge

Through out class we have talked about how the printing press expanded the realm of what information could be assessed. We also learned that people tried to suppress this information. It was hard for me to understand why anyone would want to deny people the right to information. I live in an age where information is not only immediately at my disposal but information is trusted at me with out having to seek it out.  Information never seemed dangerous to me.

While being in class I learned that the monks were the main source of drafting books and manuscripts. They would spend at time months to years hand drafting and illustrating this giant books and when they finished they seemed not to let anyone read them. Sure the population was mostly illiterate but if you don't give them the opportunity to learn then nothing is gained.

I believe that the restriction of these books was a way to hold power in the hands of the wealthy and the church and to keep the impoverished weak and subservient. If the impoverished were educated maybe they could understand that they were living basically like slaves. The phrase with knowledge comes power, power to understand and to change things. After learning this fact and gaining a deeper understanding of how information can truly change things it’s no wonder that the clergy was afraid. Afraid people would ask questions, people would stop believing, and people could cause change.