Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you will meet these learning objectives:
• Examine cultural events or shifts in the humanities
• Compare how a cultural work impacted people at the time of its creation versus how it will impact people in the future
• Explain how human expression can impact issues we deal with today
Module Overview
Introduction to the Cultural Events or Shifts in the Humanities
The humanities give us an opportunity to investigate cultural events that have occurred throughout history and even ones that we experience in our own lifetimes. These events reflect the “big questions” that humans have wondered about throughout history. You have probably noticed or even experienced some of these cultural events and shifts today that have stirred up questions about human life. For example, social media, a development of the digital revolution, has been both praised and criticized for its power to connect people. Social media and virtual interactions have changed and continue to change the way we communicate and interact in major ways.
This is not the first time a major cultural shift has impacted communication and created fear and panic about how people are affected and what is being lost in the transition. Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates expressed fear with the written word, suggesting that we would lose our ability to memorize an abundance of information (a prized skill in the oral tradition in the ancient world) if it was recorded and written down. Today, we still hold great speakers and performers in high esteem, though we also understand that rote memorization is not a full and meaningful learning experience, and we no longer have to rely solely on memory for documentation. Since the majority of the people on the planet were not literate until the twentieth century, you can imagine how those who were literate throughout history held the power. You are among a minority of humans because you are literate!
Communication through digital technologies and social media, it can be argued, gives power to the people. In 2011 when people in Arab countries confronted big questions about how to overcome oppressive governments and improve very low standards of living, online activism through social media like Facebook and Twitter resulted in people organizing and staying informed. The result was seen in events like the Egyptian democratic revolution when people revealed that “the power of the people is stronger than the people in power” (Ghonim, 2011). Other cultural works that were inspired by the revolution can be seen in the street art murals of Egyptian street artist Ammar Abo Bakr (MENASource, 2019).
Bakr’s work helps us understand how cultural works impact people differently over time. For example, during the revolution, the messages he and others left on Cairo city walls were part of the protests and helped people connect and share ideas. “The murals acted as an evolving visual commentary on Egypt’s revolution: the faces of Field Marshal Tantawi and Hosni Mubarak merging; a parade of martyrs as angels and corpses; pharaonic armies of women deposing mythical oppressors; a boy eating street food with tears in his eyes” (Jankowicz, 2016). However, today the local government has demolished many of these cultural works in an effort to beautify the city. Artists who seek to express themselves on public walls risk arrest. What was once a way to connect people during a time of revolt is now either gone or part of a university’s photo archive.
