The Importance of History in a Digital World

A new focus on "Origin and Evolution of the Internet" and present trends in the Internet: "Party Time on the Titanic" starring e-commerce as the most prominent iceberg

In North America (i.e., the US and Canada), history is not held in high regard. Aside from certain pivotal points glorifying American nationalism (often referred to by the euphemistic term "patriotism"), history is generally regarded as boring or dead. In a way, economic and technological expansion is a reflection of this, as the drive to get a "real job" and make "real money" takes precedence over careers that can help better understand our global environment -- and ourselves.

Almost everything we have learned that is worthwhile we have learned by studying the behaviour of other human beings -- past and present. Even so, history teaches us nothing; rather, we learn from history. This act of learning from history falls to the living, in where we search out the lessons that lie quietly in the records of human behaviour, waiting to be brought to life and put to use.

The world of the Internet is no exception to this. In many ways, history is reflective of the Internet. In terms of history, we have recovered and preserved a vast fund of historical knowledge which previous generations never dreamed possible; and yet, with all this wealth of information, we don't seem able to read the "lessons of history". In much the same way, we are generating through the Internet vast amounts of information that only a couple of years ago we wouldn't have thought possible; likewise, we aren't able to fully use this information in any constructive way so as to help us better understand our world and make progress toward a more just and equitable way of living.

Considering the prevalent view that we have somehow reached the "end of history", the study of history is more pressing now than ever. And since the Internet is expected to become an integral part of our lives -- at least in the developed world -- there is a need to use history to help us not only understand the way computer networking has affected our lives, but the future implications it will have as well.

There are principally two ways in which we can use history when looking at the Internet. One way is through a study of the origin and evolution of computer networking, and perhaps find some indication of possible alternatives that were missed or wrong turns that were taken. This would then help us to clarify the direction in which we are headed, and to subsequently make adjustments or alterations where and when necessary.

The other is as a repository of experience and examples by which we can draw an analogy with present conditions. By doing so, we can not only better comprehend what is happening around us, we may also have an inkling of what dangers lie ahead; in turn, we can use this knowledge to help avoid making costly mistakes.

What will be presented here is a combination of both these approaches. The first will focus on the origin and evolution of the Internet; following this will be the use of an analogy from the twentieth century which best illustrates the way in which we are moving with the Internet into the twenty-first century.

Only by knowing where we have come from in the past can we gain a better understanding of our present, which can then be used as therapy for our future.