In an earlier post, I talked a little bit about why we read in this day and age. If anything, it is seen as more of a hobby or leisure activity. But reading hasn't always been such a simple pastime.
In a classical civilization course that I'm taking at BYU, we are currently studying the era between the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. These centuries are known as the Middle or "Dark" Ages, and rightly so. Almost no one could read, and so books in general served an entirely different purpose. Here are the main points that I saw:
--Reading was basically a premium ticket to salvation, since the only book read was almost always the Holy Bible. You were in good shape if you could read the Word.
--Reading was very expensive, with a decorative family Bible usually amounting to the value of a standard house. And that doesn't even account for the weeks and months the monks spent handwriting each and every word, on every single page.
--There was certainly a narrow scope of what could actually be read, especially since almost everyone was illiterate. So basically, whatever the church wanted to publish, that's what you had to read.
I think that to wrap up, I just want to make a few observations about censorship and the role it played (and plays) in maintaining certain morals in society. Since the circulation was controlled by the church, they could make people read exactly what they wanted them to. It worked out pretty well for them, considering that much of the classic Greek and Latin works were preserved...but there's not a lot of particular hallmarks from the actual time period. So did censorship work? Maybe. I think that a lot of really creative ideas could have been silently suppressed by early church censorship. Of course, there is a line to draw somewhere. I think that maybe the morals of society should allow for free publishing, but without damaging the peaceable status of families within society. Draw the line somewhere good.
Really interesting. I think we sometimes take for granted the amount of knowledge available to us through the internet and books. I agree that free publishing should be allowed as long as it doesn't damage the peace in society. However, there will always be some who feel that not having their voice heard is damaging their personal peace, so I guess that idea is purely theoretical.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post. I love studying ancient religion, like the catholics back when not everyone could read, and read the bible. Martin Luther was such a boss! Even though the people didn't have freedom of speech, or freedom of the press, he still powered forward and did what he thought and knew was best. And because of his bravery we are here today being able to exercise those freedoms and the freedom of religion! So awesome! Go Martin!
ReplyDeleteBut you are right. The line does need to be drawn somewhere good. No doubt. Sweet post.
I never knew how much a Medieval Bible cost! Incredible. No wonder technology slipped backwards. This just goes to show how much power media can have over people. I wish that we could filter out some of the newer moral views from general media.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy how much reading and the value that knowledge can bring to a society. How many dictators of the past have been able to, while maybe not successfully in the long-term, suppress an entire nation simply with the removal of that information. Without a past, how can we ever hope to make sound life decisions?
ReplyDeleteIt never occurred to me that censorship could actually prohibit creativity. We live in a world where not a whole lot is censored anymore. In the dark ages, as you said, the church controlled what people knew. Without a knowledge of other cultures or life beyond their small worlds, their creativity was seriously limited. The same thing happened in East Germany before the Berlin Wall fell. The people living in Berlin especially were restricted in much the same way: They had no access to outside influences because the government wanted to keep the people in control. Their creativity was seriously limited, and it wasn't until the Wall fell that the people finally realized how other cultures lived and how things like art and literature had evolved in the forty years since the second World War.
ReplyDeleteI agree that you have to be careful with censorship. It's such a sensitive topic because it's basically telling people where and what they talk about. I think an interesting question might be: is it censorship to limit what is viewed in public? Because that would help protect families but keep contentionable content off the air. I also never thought of reading in the middle ages as a doorway to heaven. Interesting idea.
ReplyDeleteCensorship is a really tricky thing. Usually it starts out with good intentions like maintaining certain morals but end up getting out of hand. It's really hard to know what the right balance it
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting thinking about how much the reasons for reading has changed. It's true that these days reading is generally viewed as a fun pass time, it's usually listed alongside watching a movie or playing a game. But in the Middle Ages it was completely different, it was really a privilege to even be able to read.
I honestly take being able to read for advantage. I don't read very much and I have never really noticed what I am able to read but you have opened my eyes a little bit. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to read and to read whatever I want. Thanks for the good post.
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