The Flat World and Humanism in their revolutionary aspects affected people in many similar ways, however, they still had contrasting aspects as well. Both empowered people, drove them deeper into discovering art and passions, and both have aided in the quenching of the thirst for knowledge. By using what we know of Humanism and how it affected the world reasonable predictions about The Flat World can be made.
Humanism began to change people by giving them the idea that their individual lives had meaning. Before Humanism the whole of peoples lives was centered around getting to heaven and only that. Things they did in their lives meant nothing, except it's relevance to getting or deterring them from heaven. As Humanism developed and spread people saw their lives as having a greater purpose than being just a stumbling block to getting to heaven. Heaven was still important to them, but instead of a stumbling block, there lives became something that was for meaning, and naturally because of the changed outlook, the way they lived their lives was changed.
The idea of The Flat World and it's technology is that people from every part of the world are now much more collaborative, competitive, and connected to one another because of advanced technology. The business world is becoming more open with equal opportunities for many people all over the world, and the numbers are growing. In the Flat World it is an extremely competitive race to the top, and you have to run it to make it anywhere.
Humanism and The Flat World both inspire a strong force of human empowerment. Humanism empowered people to find meaningful things to do with their lives for themselves as well as God, instead of being fully one sided. People began to delve into art and much of the style was changed. Humanism caused people to question, to dig deeper into their lives, to find how or if what they did in their lives affected the world or others. The Flat World is also empowering people. In the Flat World, because you have to be so competitive with a greatly increased number of people, many are being empowered to strive for better and better education. Not only does the Flat World empower people to strive for better education but, like Humanism, it is giving people power and opportunity to let their lives and opinions affect the world, but with the Flat World it is through internet resources like blogging.
Both the Flat World and Humanism made art and passion more important. Humanism caused a change in art that brought more realistic pieces. The images had not just a part of life in them, but were life captured in a moment. Peoples passions became important because now that humanity in itself was something special, the passions that make humanity what it is became something to be thought on, admired, and cultivated. In the Flat World artistic abilities and mindsets along with passion are very important. Now, with so many people competing for your job in this flattening world, it is crucial that you have something special to offer to get the job. If you and another have the same ability but the other person has more passion, or better artistically inclined ideas, you lose out.
The availability of knowledge is something that Humanism and The Flat World have had a hand in. Humanism encouraged asking questions and learning because learning has to do with the human experience. Because Humanism encouraged learning, more people began to be able to acquire knowledge, and it became desirable to obtain it. Knowledge has never been easier to come by than in the Flat World. The internet makes access to countless forms of knowledge attainable, and easily at that. Anyone with some way of having internet access can acquire knowledge on practically anything. In the Flat World knowledge is not only desirable, but necessary.
Humanism had more of an affect on the Catholic Church, while The Flat World affects economy rather than religion. Humanism caused people to appreciate life and the significance of it in the present and future, which lead them to question the things in their lives, including the Church. Eventually the questioning became stronger and later caused a rift. The Flat World does not appear to be causing trouble for a particular religious power, however, it is affecting the economy. The technology in the Flat World is affecting hierarchy of superpower nations and powerful businesses, because the playing field is being leveled. Countries that formerly were lower on the list are rising because of the empowerment their people get from the Flat World technology to rise to higher positions in the world. Large scale businesses won't always be able to dominate over every other company, because the smallest business, as long as it has the right technological access, can connect with anyone in the world.
From the history of Humanism you can make the conclusion that ultimately, Humanism and The Flat World will lead to many of the same things, but with opposite intentions. Humanism questioned, encouraged education and knowledge, grew in passions and art, for the reason of giving their lives purpose, for aesthetic development, and becoming better people with more understanding of their own nature. In the Flat World, though maybe some people have the same intentions as those of the time when Humanism began, most seek greater knowledge and cultivate their passions and creativity because they are competing to get to the top of a practically flat economical world, not to improve for greater meaning, but for greater job and standing, quite possibly just because they must. Before Humanism people strove for one goal only, to get to heaven; then they discovered other ways to identify themselves and give their lives meaning. In the Flat World people still use these things to help identify themselves, but once again, like the time before Humanism, they are striving towards one ultimate goal, only this time, instead of being eternal happiness in heaven after death, it is for corruptible money, power, and/or fame until death.
