‘Instructor’s Name’
“Because the people, who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” - Apple Inc.
The one thing that never ceases to surprise is the way things change over time. As a Wiseman once said nothing is permanent except change. When we look back over the past couple of centuries many phenomenon, concepts and roles have changed, both for better and worse. This essay aims to discuss some of those things which have changed significantly over the years, and expand on the ways in which they are different today.
Gender roles of women, are one significant aspect which has gone through a complete transformation in the past few years. Women of the bygone eras were denied their basic rights, and were trivialized and oppressed. During the Victorian era, women were confined to their domestic sphere, and they did not have any say in matters outside the kitchen. They were not allowed to vote, and had very few professional options. Today the situation is much better, with women being offered equal economic opportunities, and prospects to fulfill their individual potential. They are politically active, get married later, and are treated equal to men in almost all domains.
Communication technology is another phenomenon that has grown at a mammoth rate in the past few decades. Transmission of messages via, smoke signals, messengers, and drums were in practice from some thousand years ago. However the advent of electrical telecommunication completely altered the scenario. From the late nineteenth century many technological advancements, such as the wireless telegraph and telephones, has helped speed up transmission of messages. The advent of internet has further revolutionized the entire process, and today people from either ends of the planet can get in touch with each other in matter of seconds.
The dominance of religion, over the political and social systems, also has undergone a vital change in the past few centuries. Earlier only the educated elite formed the upper echelon of religious organizations such as the Church, Monasteries, Madrasas etc., and they preached the truth about life to the uneducated masses. They taught them not just moral values, but also science and technology. Whatever the Church believed, was the accepted truth of the bygone eras. The religious bodies also decided who ruled the people, and had control over war and peace. During the enlightenment era (late seventeenth to eighteenth century), people started questioning the preaching of the Church, and gradually the Church lost its grip over politics and science. Today people in most countries turn to religion, only for their moral and spiritual needs, and matters related to science and governance remain separated from the religious authorities.
