SMC219Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Polymath, Roman Numerals, Marshall Mcluhan
27 Sep 2017
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Wealthy people - library of 50 books (a lot at a time where books were scarcely reproduced) Can"t afford to buy book -> low priority to learn how to read. Wealthy and noble people would own books, but may not know how to read them purely for the indication of status. Books = magical quality emanated from books even if it was not read. Few people with books -> few people knew/could access information -> limited world view. Not a lot of knowledge -> possible to know/master everything there was to know. Limited social mobility (no access to ideas outside immediate environment -> stay inside - use skills immediately accessible - usually obtain skills from parents) Tendency to stay in same class that they were born. Possible through marriage to move up/down but people typically married in same class. All social change before printing = difficult and slower.
