Inventing the modern world while pretending not to ...
Between the end of the Middle Ages and the start of the Reformation, society underwent significant changes while quietly laying the foundations for the modern world. Or did it?
🔗 Milestones - Futility Closet inform us that …
The Middle Ages ended on July 16, 1453, at 12 o’clock meridian
💬 James Ussher
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the Reformation was not launched by Martin Luther until October 31, 1517, at 10:15 a.m.
💬 H.L. Mencken
So what the hell was the world doing for 84 years?
I asked the bots, who told be that we were … mostly rebuilding institutions, arguing about theology, inventing double-entry bookkeeping, dying of plague, rediscovering Greek texts, fighting dynastic wars, financing voyages, and quietly inventing the modern world while pretending not to. Going on to remind us that Civilisations rarely collapse in a cinematic moment. Usually the architecture changes first, then the language catches up a generation later. A bit like enterprise software rebrands after everyone has already stopped using the old system. 😂 .. and they say the bots have no humour.
