“The Victorian Internet” the Book by Tom Standage

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Theme Explored
Critical Evaluation
Conclusion
Work Cited

Introduction

It is impossible to imagine the modern world without the Internet that makes it possible for people to find any necessary information and communicate with individuals from other continents. Now, many tend to believe that these opportunities are characteristic features of the late 20^th-early 21^st century. However, Tom Standage, in his book The Victorian Internet, argues that people of the 19^th century could also benefit from such possibilities. During Queen Victoria’s reign, there was invented the telegraph, a new communication technology that provided its users with similar functions compared to the Internet. Thus, the given book draws attention to the advantages and disadvantages of the telegraph to reveal those of the Internet and explains how modern users should use technologies.

Theme Explored

A more substantial part of the book is devoted to the history of the telegraph. Standage describes how the prototype of an electric network appeared when monks held iron wires in their hands in 1746 (p. 1). At that time, the technical possibilities of people were significantly limited, and the notion of transmitting electricity over a distance was an essential discovery. The importance of that event is even higher when it becomes clear that the monks and their experiment gave rise to further technological developments, including various signaling systems, telegraph, and telephone. This information can allow us to suppose that explaining when and how the telegraph appeared is the only theme of the book, but closer analysis reveals that it draws attention to many significant issues.

Firstly, Standage tries to describe how new technologies can affect society. To begin with, the author emphasizes that the telegraph, like any other invention, witnessed both supporters and opponents. On the one hand, Standage states that the ability to send and obtain information almost immediately resulted in new forms of business practice, which enhanced people’s capabilities to earn money (p. 212). In addition to that, individuals obtained access to more information and could enter into a romantic relationship with telegraph help. On the other hand, the given technology led to the changing social mores and created new kinds of crime. Consequently, the author describes that the telegraph resulted in various issues, both positive and negative, and it could not but influence society in multiple ways. It was so because when people of a single generation experience a significant shock, their lifestyles should reflect it, and it happened in the 1800s.

Secondly, Standage refers to the topic of how individuals can contribute to the development of the world. In The Victorian Internet, the author describes the activities of many inventors and scientists, but Samuel Morse, Charles Wheatstone, and William Cooke deserve specific attention. Here, Standage mentions that Morse was the Father of the Telegraph (p. 181). At the same time, Cooke and Wheatstone also were telegraph inventors, but their system was less sophisticated. Standage states that Cooke was among many people who admitted: “the superiority of the Morse system” (p. 184). The idea above denotes that the actions of a single person can have a significant impact on humankind.

In addition to that, the book under consideration reveals an unexpected thought. It refers to the fact that Morse experienced essential problems in an attempt to make his invention universally applicable. According to Standage, the most significant issues arise in the United States, where officials opposed the telegraph because they considered it black magic (p. 52). This situation introduces the topic that society can be deprived of some benefits because of the ignorance of some officials. Thus, the author describes that the people who govern a nation should have appropriate experience and expertise to achieve productive results.

Finally, the author devotes an essential part of its book to compare the Internet and the telegraph. Even though the Internet seems to be a unique creation, the given piece of literature refutes this statement. Here, Standage mentions that the two phenomena under consideration share a few similarities, which refers to the use of secret codes, special abbreviations, and romantic opportunities (p. 208-209). In addition to that, the author stipulates that the two phenomena evoked the same social reaction, including skepticism and admiration. Furthermore, Standage argues that a person from the Victorian epoch would have been unimpressed with the Internet if they had arrived in the late 20^th century (p 213). That is why the author concludes that any hopes that the Internet can lead people to a better world are useless because the telegraph failed to cope with the task.

Critical Evaluation

According to the information above, it is impossible to state that Standage’s purpose in writing the book was to describe the history of the telegraph. It seems that the most significant idea of The Victorian Internet is to demonstrate how that invention affected society and compare it to the modern world. The author emphasizes that many people believe that the Internet can be a solution to all problems and that this phenomenon can create a better world. However, this scenario is not likely to occur in the near future because of the unsuccessful historical example. Even though the piece of literature mainly discusses past events, its primary goal is to remind readers of the Internet’s limited abilities irrespective of the fact that numerous individuals claim the opposite.

As for the readers, one can say that the book tries to reach various groups of readers. Firstly, The Victorian Internet will be exciting for those people who are interested in historical affairs. Secondly, the book offers relevant information for those who like and understand technologies. It is so because Standage tries to describe how and why the inventions worked technically. Thirdly, social scientists will also find useful data in the given piece of literature because it explains and comments on communication mechanisms that are applied in modern society. Finally, numerous young people can find this book interesting since it refers to the Internet, and this aspect is sufficient to attract the youth. Thus, one can say that the given book aims at targeting a combined audience.

At this point, it should be clear that reaching the essential goal and influencing different groups of the audience requires a research basis. On the one hand, it refers to the fact that Standage has the necessary background. He has worked as a science journalist and a deputy editor. That is why Standage knows how to choose the best means to influence readers. Consequently, the author’s presentation of the thoughts is not narrow and detailed, which is appreciated by the general public. However, some explicit descriptions of technical issues are also present for the specific audience, as has been described above. On the other hand, the given literary work relies on credible scientific knowledge that comes from more than 30 sources, including books and scientific journals (p. 214-218). It means that the author has managed to synthesize the existing ideas and generate his conclusions on their basis.

Finally, another aspect that contributes to the fact that The Victorian Internet effectively influences the audience refers to the book organization. This piece of literature has 12 chapters, and each of them focuses on a particular idea. The events are represented chronically, which makes it easier for readers to understand what and why happened. In addition to that, the chapters contain both precise data and the author’s reflection on the topic. This peculiarity creates a trustworthy image of the author, and the readers do not have reasons to question his ideas.

Conclusion

The Victorian Internet by Standage is an extensive work by a scientist who decided to explain some peculiarities of the modern world through the lens of history. Irrespective of positive expectations that were attached to the Internet when it appeared, the author knew that it would not make a significant difference. Standage offered such a conclusion because the telegraph, an Internet predecessor, also had these possibilities but failed. Consequently, the author conducted research to identify the technological, historical, and social peculiarities of the telegraph and found some similarities with the modern state of affairs. Thus, Standage has managed to organize his thoughts in the most effective way to help readers better understand the main point. However, it seems that the author has overestimated the meaning of analogies between the Internet and the telegraph. Even though the two use similar ways of transmitting information, modern technology provides is in constant development and provides its users with more useful functions.

Work Cited

Standage, Tom. The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century’s On-line Pioneers. Walker Publishing Company, 1998.

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“The Victorian Internet” the Book by Tom Standage

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