Started reading this (off my bookshelf)...
"In the early 1500s a number of political and economic woes troubled Western Europe. For more than 50 years a population explosion had outstripped the continent's ability to feed itself. Inflation in prices and rents drove land-owning peasants into poverty, while in the towns and cities a growing group of powerful and wealthy merchants and craftspeople challenged the rule of hereditary nobles. University scholars grew sharply critical of state corruption.
The menacing power of the Ottoman Turks to the east threatened feelings of national security. Kings struggled not only to wrest power and authority from local nobles, but also against rival monarchs across Europe. Anxiety only grew as the printing press shrank the European world. No longer were events in Paris and Vienna so distant; the printed page relayed messages of doom, destruction, and social unrest from city to city in a matter of days. Free from direct state control, the new press circulated ideas and arguments in a way that often increased anxiety and discontent." (page 6)
Not much has changed, except today, we don't even have to wait 'days' for the gloom and doom messages!
How true that is. At least, in the past some regions remained unaware of unrest in places, and could have peaceful minds. But now we know everything - well, we can know what we are willing to know - and I suppose we have a responsibility to pray for those involved.
ReplyDelete'Instant information' is not all it's cracked up to be. Our senses are bombarded from so many sources. It does have its good points, especially when searching out information, but even then, you have to wade through so much contradictory info, that as with so many things in the world today, 'less is more' :) xx
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