From Gutenberg to Google: The History of Our Future

306 Pages·2019·8.52 MB·English

by  Tom Wheeler

W
“With each new book, It’s easy to think that today’s revolutions in
h
culture—is how we connect with each other. Our “. . . Tom Wheeler seems to sense in his bones the age-old (and comforting) e Tom Wheeler cements his stature communications, business, and many areas of
networks have always defined who we are, both truth that ‘there’s nothing new under the sun,’ and yet is able to weave e daily life are unprecedented. The changes we
l as one of the foremost ‘explainers’
economically and sociologically. Now, technology together complex and fascinating stories about the machines we make— e experience nearly every day may be happening
r of technology and its effects
has delivered us into history’s latest network revo- and the way they make us.” faster than those of the past, and on multiple fronts.
throughout our history.”
lution, changing everything it touches. — KEN BURNS But our ancestors at times were just as bewildered by
—KEN BURNS rapid upheavals in what we now call “networks”: the
Outlining “what’s next,” Wheeler describes how “A fascinating review of 500 years of new technology and the challenges as
physical links that bind any society together.
artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain, well as opportunities of technological change.”
and the need for cybersecurity will prolong the — STEVE CASE, American entrepreneur, founder of AOL In this fascinating book, Tom Wheeler vividly de-
third network revolution well into the future. scribes the two great network revolutions of the
“Tom Wheeler’s From Gutenberg to Google contains page after page of
past and uses them to put in perspective the confu-
insight about the unexpected ways in which technologies—from movable
sion, uncertainty, and excitement most people feel
type and the telegraph to blockchain—have altered what we know and
about changes happening now, changes that make
do. Drawing on his sure-footed command of the history of networks and
up the third network revolution.
from his time on the regulatory front lines, Wheeler has written a classic.”
The first major network revolution was Gutenberg’s
— KATHLEEN HALL JAMIESON, director of
invention of movable-type printing in the fifteenth
the Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania
century, which created the first mass-information
“Sometimes we have to take a step back in order to understand what’s
The History economy. This book, its millions of predecessors,
under our noses. With his entertaining account of three historical network
and history-shifting trends such as the Reforma-
revolutions and the reactions they inspired, Tom Wheeler gives us the tools
tion, the Renaissance, and the scientific revolutions
to understand the revolution we are living through today—and where it
of the past 500 years would not have been possible
might take us tomorrow.” of Our Future
without that one invention.
— TOM STANDAGE, author, The Victorian Internet
The second revolution came early in the nineteenth
“An entertaining and erudite tour of the great networks that have defined
century with the inventions of the railroad and the
our civilization. Wheeler makes it clear that confronting the technological
telegraph. Never before had people been able to
challenges of our time without the perspective provided by history is
travel or communicate over long distances faster
Before he became chairman of the Federal Commu- much like flying an airplane blindfolded.”
than a horse could gallop. Together, these two in-
nications Commission in 2013, Tom Wheeler started
— TIM WU, professor, Columbia Law School; ventions compressed space and time, and in the
or helped found several companies offering new
author, The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires and process upended centuries of stability, transformed
cable, wireless, and video communications services.
He is also a historian with a deep interest in how the The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads economies, and redrew the map of the world.
events and trends of today reflect—or don’t—what
Wheeler contrasts these past revolutions with
happened in the past. His previous books include Take
our experience today, when rapid-fire changes in
Command: Leadership Lessons from the Civil War and
networking are disrupting the nature of work, per-
Mr. Lincoln’s T-Mails: How Abraham L incoln Used the
Telegraph to Win the Civil War. BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS sonal privacy, education, the media, and nearly
Washington, D.C. every other aspect of modern life. The principal
Tom Wheeler
manifestation of this revolution—one that touches
Jacket design: Guido Caroti each of us directly and shapes both commerce and
Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images
Wheeler_From Gutenberg to Google_Jacket.indd 1 11/30/18 9:55 AM
W
“With each new book, It’s easy to think that today’s revolutions in
h
culture—is how we connect with each other. Our “. . . Tom Wheeler seems to sense in his bones the age-old (and comforting) e Tom Wheeler cements his stature communications, business, and many areas of
networks have always defined who we are, both truth that ‘there’s nothing new under the sun,’ and yet is able to weave e daily life are unprecedented. The changes we
l as one of the foremost ‘explainers’
economically and sociologically. Now, technology together complex and fascinating stories about the machines we make— e experience nearly every day may be happening
r of technology and its effects
has delivered us into history’s latest network revo- and the way they make us.” faster than those of the past, and on multiple fronts.
throughout our history.”
lution, changing everything it touches. — KEN BURNS But our ancestors at times were just as bewildered by
—KEN BURNS rapid upheavals in what we now call “networks”: the
Outlining “what’s next,” Wheeler describes how “A fascinating review of 500 years of new technology and the challenges as
physical links that bind any society together.
artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain, well as opportunities of technological change.”
and the need for cybersecurity will prolong the — STEVE CASE, American entrepreneur, founder of AOL In this fascinating book, Tom Wheeler vividly de-
third network revolution well into the future. scribes the two great network revolutions of the
“Tom Wheeler’s From Gutenberg to Google contains page after page of
past and uses them to put in perspective the confu-
insight about the unexpected ways in which technologies—from movable
sion, uncertainty, and excitement most people feel
type and the telegraph to blockchain—have altered what we know and
about changes happening now, changes that make
do. Drawing on his sure-footed command of the history of networks and
up the third network revolution.
from his time on the regulatory front lines, Wheeler has written a classic.”
The first major network revolution was Gutenberg’s
— KATHLEEN HALL JAMIESON, director of
invention of movable-type printing in the fifteenth
the Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania
century, which created the first mass-information
“Sometimes we have to take a step back in order to understand what’s
The History economy. This book, its millions of predecessors,
under our noses. With his entertaining account of three historical network
and history-shifting trends such as the Reforma-
revolutions and the reactions they inspired, Tom Wheeler gives us the tools
tion, the Renaissance, and the scientific revolutions
to understand the revolution we are living through today—and where it
of the past 500 years would not have been possible
might take us tomorrow.” of Our Future
without that one invention.
— TOM STANDAGE, author, The Victorian Internet
The second revolution came early in the nineteenth
“An entertaining and erudite tour of the great networks that have defined
century with the inventions of the railroad and the
our civilization. Wheeler makes it clear that confronting the technological
telegraph. Never before had people been able to
challenges of our time without the perspective provided by history is
travel or communicate over long distances faster
Before he became chairman of the Federal Commu- much like flying an airplane blindfolded.”
than a horse could gallop. Together, these two in-
nications Commission in 2013, Tom Wheeler started
— TIM WU, professor, Columbia Law School; ventions compressed space and time, and in the
or helped found several companies offering new
author, The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires and process upended centuries of stability, transformed
cable, wireless, and video communications services.
He is also a historian with a deep interest in how the The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads economies, and redrew the map of the world.
events and trends of today reflect—or don’t—what
Wheeler contrasts these past revolutions with
happened in the past. His previous books include Take
our experience today, when rapid-fire changes in
Command: Leadership Lessons from the Civil War and
networking are disrupting the nature of work, per-
Mr. Lincoln’s T-Mails: How Abraham L incoln Used the
Telegraph to Win the Civil War. BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS sonal privacy, education, the media, and nearly
Washington, D.C. every other aspect of modern life. The principal
Tom Wheeler
manifestation of this revolution—one that touches
Jacket design: Guido Caroti each of us directly and shapes both commerce and
Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images
Wheeler_From Gutenberg to Google_Jacket.indd 1 11/30/18 9:55 AM
W
“With each new book, It’s easy to think that today’s revolutions in
h
culture—is how we connect with each other. Our “. . . Tom Wheeler seems to sense in his bones the age-old (and comforting) e Tom Wheeler cements his stature communications, business, and many areas of
networks have always defined who we are, both truth that ‘there’s nothing new under the sun,’ and yet is able to weave e daily life are unprecedented. The changes we
l as one of the foremost ‘explainers’
economically and sociologically. Now, technology together complex and fascinating stories about the machines we make— e experience nearly every day may be happening
r of technology and its effects
has delivered us into history’s latest network revo- and the way they make us.” faster than those of the past, and on multiple fronts.
throughout our history.”
lution, changing everything it touches. — KEN BURNS But our ancestors at times were just as bewildered by
—KEN BURNS rapid upheavals in what we now call “networks”: the
Outlining “what’s next,” Wheeler describes how “A fascinating review of 500 years of new technology and the challenges as
physical links that bind any society together.
artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain, well as opportunities of technological change.”
and the need for cybersecurity will prolong the — STEVE CASE, American entrepreneur, founder of AOL In this fascinating book, Tom Wheeler vividly de-
third network revolution well into the future. scribes the two great network revolutions of the
“Tom Wheeler’s From Gutenberg to Google contains page after page of
past and uses them to put in perspective the confu-
insight about the unexpected ways in which technologies—from movable
sion, uncertainty, and excitement most people feel
type and the telegraph to blockchain—have altered what we know and
about changes happening now, changes that make
do. Drawing on his sure-footed command of the history of networks and
up the third network revolution.
from his time on the regulatory front lines, Wheeler has written a classic.”
The first major network revolution was Gutenberg’s
— KATHLEEN HALL JAMIESON, director of
invention of movable-type printing in the fifteenth
the Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania
century, which created the first mass-information
“Sometimes we have to take a step back in order to understand what’s
The History economy. This book, its millions of predecessors,
under our noses. With his entertaining account of three historical network
and history-shifting trends such as the Reforma-
revolutions and the reactions they inspired, Tom Wheeler gives us the tools
tion, the Renaissance, and the scientific revolutions
to understand the revolution we are living through today—and where it
of the past 500 years would not have been possible
might take us tomorrow.” of Our Future
without that one invention.
— TOM STANDAGE, author, The Victorian Internet
The second revolution came early in the nineteenth
“An entertaining and erudite tour of the great networks that have defined
century with the inventions of the railroad and the
our civilization. Wheeler makes it clear that confronting the technological
telegraph. Never before had people been able to
challenges of our time without the perspective provided by history is
travel or communicate over long distances faster
Before he became chairman of the Federal Commu- much like flying an airplane blindfolded.”
than a horse could gallop. Together, these two in-
nications Commission in 2013, Tom Wheeler started
— TIM WU, professor, Columbia Law School; ventions compressed space and time, and in the
or helped found several companies offering new
author, The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires and process upended centuries of stability, transformed
cable, wireless, and video communications services.
He is also a historian with a deep interest in how the The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads economies, and redrew the map of the world.
events and trends of today reflect—or don’t—what
Wheeler contrasts these past revolutions with
happened in the past. His previous books include Take
our experience today, when rapid-fire changes in
Command: Leadership Lessons from the Civil War and
networking are disrupting the nature of work, per-
Mr. Lincoln’s T-Mails: How Abraham L incoln Used the
Telegraph to Win the Civil War. BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS sonal privacy, education, the media, and nearly
Washington, D.C. every other aspect of modern life. The principal
Tom Wheeler
manifestation of this revolution—one that touches
Jacket design: Guido Caroti each of us directly and shapes both commerce and
Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images
Wheeler_From Gutenberg to Google_Jacket.indd 1 11/30/18 9:55 AM
From Gutenberg to Google
Wheeler_From Gutenberg to Google_i-xvi_1-286.indd 1 11/15/18 12:05 PM
Wheeler_From Gutenberg to Google_i-xvi_1-286.indd 2 11/15/18 12:05 PM
From
Gutenberg
to
Google
The History of Our Future
TOM WHEELER
BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS
Washington, D.C.
Wheeler_From Gutenberg to Google_i-xvi_1-286.indd 3 11/15/18 12:05 PM
Copyright © 2019
the brookings institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
www.brookings.edu
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or trans-
mitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the
Brookings Institution Press.
The Brookings Institution is a private nonprofit organization devoted to re-
search, education, and publication on important issues of domestic and for-
eign policy. Its principal purpose is to bring the highest quality independent
research and analysis to bear on current and emerging policy problems. In-
terpretations or conclusions in Brookings publications should be understood
to be solely those of the authors.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication data are available.
ISBN 978-0-8157-3532-8 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-8157-3533-5 (ebook)
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Typeset in Bulmer MT
Composition by Elliott Beard
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For Melvin, Hunter, and Skyler—
it is you who will decide the future
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Preface xiii
Prologue 1
Part I
Perspective
One
Connections Have Consequences 11
Part II
Predicates
Two
The Original Information Revolution 27
Three
The First High- Speed Network and 55
the Death of Distance
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