E.H. Gombrich 'A Little History of the World' 40. Looking Back part one

Summary

In 'A Little History of the World' by E. H. Gombrich, Chapter 40 reflects on the author's personal experiences and the world's rapid transformation since 1918. Gombrich discusses the advent of television, computers, space travel, and atomic energy, and the doubling of the global population. He highlights the shrinking world due to technological advancements in travel and communication. Gombrich also touches on the dangers of propaganda and the rise of totalitarian regimes, particularly Hitler's Germany, and the lead-up to World War II. The chapter serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of blind obedience and the importance of questioning the narratives we are fed.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The author reflects on the personal experience of living through history, highlighting the difference between reading about it and experiencing it firsthand.
• ✈️ Technological advancements, such as air travel, have made the world feel smaller by reducing the time it takes to travel long distances.
• 📺 The introduction of television and other media has made global events more immediate and visible to the public, with news from around the world accessible almost instantly.
• 🚀 The world has seen significant technological progress since the early 20th century, including space flights and the development of atomic energy.
• 🌱 The global population has more than doubled since the end of World War I, leading to a greater sense of interconnectedness and shared global challenges.
• 📰 The author emphasizes the importance of critical thinking when consuming news, as personal experiences and biases can affect the interpretation of historical events.
• 🗣️ Hitler's use of propaganda and manipulation of the public's grievances played a significant role in his rise to power and the lead-up to World War II.
• 🔄 The author acknowledges mistakes in historical interpretation, such as underestimating the potential for persecution and brutality in the modern era.
• 🏛️ The script discusses the dangers of nationalism and the belief in racial superiority, which were used to justify aggressive actions by certain countries in the early 20th century.
• 🕊️ The author recounts the somber mood and sense of duty among those who had to fight in World War II, contrasting the optimism of previous wars with the grim realities of this conflict.

Q & A

What is the main difference between learning history from books and experiencing it firsthand according to the author?

The author suggests that learning history from books provides a broad, distant view, while experiencing it firsthand offers a more immediate and personal perspective, with some events appearing clearer and others less visible.

How does the author describe the world's transformation from 1918 to the time of writing?

The author describes the world as having changed utterly, with the advent of technologies like televisions, computers, space flights, and atomic energy, and a significant increase in the global population.

What was the global population near the end of World War I, according to the author?

The global population near the end of World War I was a little over two billion people.

How does the author illustrate the rapid growth of the global population?

The author uses the analogy of people queuing at the equator; whereas in his youth, the queue would have gone around the world 22 times, with the increased population, it would now go around more than 50 times.

What does the author mean when he says the globe was 'imperceptibly growing smaller'?

The author refers to the shrinking of the globe metaphorically, indicating that advancements in technology, particularly in transportation, made distances between different parts of the world seem shorter and more accessible.

Why does the author express regret over his portrayal of President Wilson in an earlier chapter?

The author regrets his portrayal of President Wilson because he later discovered that his memory and the popular belief at the time were incorrect, and he should have checked his facts more carefully.

How did Adolf Hitler exploit the feelings of those who felt deceived after World War I?

Hitler exploited the feelings of deception by blaming external forces and using propaganda to incite a desire for vengeance, particularly targeting the Jews as a scapegoat for Germany's suffering.

What does the author suggest about the nature of intolerance among young people?

The author suggests that intolerance among young people can manifest in seemingly minor ways, such as teasing or tormenting those who are different, and that this behavior can escalate if not checked.

What was the author's role during World War II after he moved to England?

The author's role during World War II was to listen to German broadcasts and translate them into English to understand what was being communicated to German listeners and what was being withheld.

How does the author describe the mood of the British people as they prepared for war in 1939?

The author describes the British people as determined but also experiencing sadness and anxiety, with no cheerful battle songs or dreams of glory, as they were simply doing their duty to stop the madness.