James Burke Interview [video]
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James Burke Interview [video]
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Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#2For the uninitiated, Connections is a documentary series from the seventies exploring the interconnectedness of technology. In the first episode, titled "The Trigger Effect" [0], Burke shows that if electricity were taken away from us, we'd be sent back to the plow. It's a little dated (1978), but it's an excellent watch even today.
Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#3For the uninitiated, Connections is a documentary series from the seventies exploring the interconnectedness of technology. In the first episode, titled "The Trigger Effect" [0], Burke shows that if electricity were taken away from us, we'd be sent back to the plow. It's a little dated (1978), but it's an excellent watch even today. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetplHcM7aQ
I hope everyone here has seen the complete "Connections" (the original ten episodes). Almost certainly the inspiration for Sagan's "Cosmos".
In addition to each episode being fascinating, he ties it all up with a bow in a fascinating final episode.
Some of the Cold War, super-power paranoia might seem a little dated, but the "Future Shock" stuff seems just as relevant today, 40+ years later.
Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#4For the uninitiated, Connections is a documentary series from the seventies exploring the interconnectedness of technology. In the first episode, titled "The Trigger Effect" [0], Burke shows that if electricity were taken away from us, we'd be sent back to the plow. It's a little dated (1978), but it's an excellent watch even today. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetplHcM7aQ
I hope everyone here has seen the complete "Connections" (the original ten episodes). Almost certainly the inspiration for Sagan's "Cosmos". In addition to each episode being fascinating, he ties it all up with a bow in a fascinating final episode. Some of the Cold War, super-power paranoia might seem a little dated, but the "Future Shock" stuff seems just as relevant today, 40+ years later.
I have a strong recollection of the first episode, where he just walks you through the first few days / weeks of a technological breakdown. At one point, you fled the city to a farm, you are looking for food - would you kill the owners to take over the farm? Would you be able to? If you killed them, would you know how to milk a cow? How to run an actual farm? If you look at the barn, there will be machines that need electric power and gas, what do you do if you run out of gas? Does the farm still have old equipment from the 19th century that doesn't need gas? Does the farm still have animals to pull that euqipment? Do you know how to sow? When to sow? Where to get seeds? Even if you managed to do all that, at one point other people will come by, who might also try to take over the farm, or even just steal from you. Would you be able to defend yourself?
As a viewer, you quickly get the impression that you would most likely be dead after 2-3 months.
Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#5For the uninitiated, Connections is a documentary series from the seventies exploring the interconnectedness of technology. In the first episode, titled "The Trigger Effect" [0], Burke shows that if electricity were taken away from us, we'd be sent back to the plow. It's a little dated (1978), but it's an excellent watch even today. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetplHcM7aQ
The book version of Connections is also very good.
Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#6For the uninitiated, Connections is a documentary series from the seventies exploring the interconnectedness of technology. In the first episode, titled "The Trigger Effect" [0], Burke shows that if electricity were taken away from us, we'd be sent back to the plow. It's a little dated (1978), but it's an excellent watch even today. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetplHcM7aQ
I hope everyone here has seen the complete "Connections" (the original ten episodes). Almost certainly the inspiration for Sagan's "Cosmos". In addition to each episode being fascinating, he ties it all up with a bow in a fascinating final episode. Some of the Cold War, super-power paranoia might seem a little dated, but the "Future Shock" stuff seems just as relevant today, 40+ years later.
Dated, but also in itself a powerful example of “The Day the Universe Changed” effects that Burke has so powerfully illuminated.
Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#7For the uninitiated, Connections is a documentary series from the seventies exploring the interconnectedness of technology. In the first episode, titled "The Trigger Effect" [0], Burke shows that if electricity were taken away from us, we'd be sent back to the plow. It's a little dated (1978), but it's an excellent watch even today. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetplHcM7aQ
The first Connections series (and the book), and The Day the Universe Changed, are both excellent.
Connections2 and Connections3 flag somewhat. Both were produced for TLC, at a point before its Honey Boo Boo slide, though off its peak. One ran shorter (~25 minute) episodes, which is unfortunate, and there was an excessive fascination with early-1990s CGI effects. Still a net positive.
The series is often findable on YouTube.
A notable omission from all four series is much reference to Chinese science and technology, or any reference to Burke's compatriot Joseph Needham, who compiled the definitive study of these topics, Science and Civilisation in China, a monumental work I've only learned of in the past five years or so.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_Civilisation_in_Ch...
Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#8For the uninitiated, Connections is a documentary series from the seventies exploring the interconnectedness of technology. In the first episode, titled "The Trigger Effect" [0], Burke shows that if electricity were taken away from us, we'd be sent back to the plow. It's a little dated (1978), but it's an excellent watch even today. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetplHcM7aQ
The first Connections series (and the book), and The Day the Universe Changed , are both excellent. Connections2 and Connections3 flag somewhat. Both were produced for TLC, at a point before its Honey Boo Boo slide, though off its peak. One ran shorter (~25 minute) episodes, which is unfortunate, and there was an excessive fascination with early-1990s CGI effects. Still a net positive. The series is often findable on…
You've got me interested--I've been trying to find a good way to release myself from the eurocentric view of history, particularly as it concerns science/technology/mathematics. Do you know of any good resources in addition to Needham's work that might be helpful?
Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#9Connections really changed how I viewed history and how progress works and etc.
It's amazing how the pieces of new tech and new ideas are all around us and to some extent readily available for a long long time and often it just takes someone to put them together and how happenstance and etc play a part.
It's not 'make a gun' or 'make a thing' it is the culmination of so many things (even completely non 'invention' related) that add up to the key piece(s) that someone puts together.
Things I think of as obvious progress over time sometimes sat on the shelf available for ages and only came together because of a misc invention or some failures of someone else, etc.
Re: James Burke Interview [video]
#10For the uninitiated, Connections is a documentary series from the seventies exploring the interconnectedness of technology. In the first episode, titled "The Trigger Effect" [0], Burke shows that if electricity were taken away from us, we'd be sent back to the plow. It's a little dated (1978), but it's an excellent watch even today. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetplHcM7aQ
I hope everyone here has seen the complete "Connections" (the original ten episodes). Almost certainly the inspiration for Sagan's "Cosmos". In addition to each episode being fascinating, he ties it all up with a bow in a fascinating final episode. Some of the Cold War, super-power paranoia might seem a little dated, but the "Future Shock" stuff seems just as relevant today, 40+ years later.
Don't forget Connections^2