Quote:
Originally Posted by yvanleterrible
Well think about it, we're so spoiled with what we have now that we don't even see how incredible those things are. Imagine the power one could obtain using those objects in the past; tools, electricity, communications, video cameras and a basic four by four that would run on biodiesel  Hey just a watch that would keep the time accurately! Plastic containers, fridges. That's a lot to transpose, it could make a series. |
Yup, we live in such a throw away before even thinking about repair world today. Then again even people and their jobs are considered disposable.
I love how the series brings what, as you mention, take for granted, but it shows the people of the time stuff like paper, a light bulb, plastics, even simple things such as sanitation (bathing, soap, sterilization) seem magical to the characters from the era.
Even clear glass. It was not until the mid-late 1800's that glass making became refined enough for truly clear windows. They could make a sort of molded lead-crystal glass in the early to mid-1700s but it was very brittle and easily damaged. Also the molding techniques required the forms have elaborate designs to hide wavy imperfections and thickness issues. The history of glass is actually really interesting. I only own one piece from around 1720-1740ish and have been researching it for a few years now. Between me and the folks at the corning glassware museum we think it was likely a French made piece possibly early Baccarat. It's actually really amazing considering the era and the lack of modern day molding techniques.
I guess that is sort of the reverse of people of that era being amazed by what we have now. I sit and look at this piece thinking how amazing it was they could make something of such quality almost 300 years ago.
For fun here is a pic of the piece:
{if that is too big I'll re-size it}
So, maybe because of my interest in antiques I am sort of drawn to the history juxtaposition in the 1632 series...and like you say we take so many things as a given...think for example that aspirin was really not know for a while yet and even once discovered (it comes from Willow bark btw) it actually killed a lot of folks before they realized just how toxic it can be...