The Impact Of Technology: A Look At The History And Future Of America
b"With Dr. Richard Kurin, PhD, Under Secretary for History, Art & Culture at the Smithsonian Institute, Author of Six Books including Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem and The Smithsonian's\\xa0History of America in 101 Objects
Americans have always been seekers of innovation, exploration and adventure \\u2013 it\\u2019s in our DNA. This innovation mindset has been central to shaping our nation\\u2019s economy, role as global powerbroker and leader, advanced military capabilities, and history and culture \\u2013 much as it continues to do so today, with the world getting pretty much all of its game-changing innovation from the United States. Dr. Richard Kurin is a prolific author, researcher and maven on the intersection of American innovation history, art and culture, and gives us fascinating insights into how technology has continually reshaped American and global life \\u2013 economic, military, political, business and civil \\u2013 in positive and negative ways, predictably at times but more often with unintended consequences.
Dr. Kurin believes the invention of the telegraph was a major change \\u2013 eons before the Internet and technology as we know it today \\u2013 and transformed the American way of life, just as the Cotton Gin disrupted the cotton economy and inadvertently reinforced cotton production and slavery\\u2026 with far reaching consequences beyond the original invention or intent. He talks of how the telegraph upturned the world of communication \\u2013 where each character cost money - and replaced flowery, flowing letters with brevity in our written and spoken words. Similarly, the railroad impacted our western expansion\\u2026 and hugely impacted global trade, commerce and the exchange of ideas. He also talks about how the radio changed communication, entertainment and political landscapes \\u2013 with Roosevelt\\u2019s fireside chats that brought the president into people\\u2019s homes in real time, and saved the banking system from collapsing during the Great Depression of 1929; or how the music and entertainment business models underwent a revolution.
Kurin talks about today\\u2019s technological innovations with mobile communications and the Internet. He uses historical insights to build a picture on where today\\u2019s technological innovation could take us in the future, the value of patents in America\\u2019s history, and tells us what really matters for business success beyond the initial invention or innovation."