Gutenberg and Luther: Disruptive Technology (Essay)
Martin Luther
Technological innovations that "evaporate" a single market are sometimes called "disruptive technologies." Kodak is an example of a company that faced a life-or-death crisis because it stuck to conventional film despite the widespread use of digital cameras. When photographs are stored and printed electronically, the traditional film camera market will 'evaporate'.
Now that the information medium that replaces "paper" has become commonplace as it is today, looking back, we can see that "paper = letterpress printing" was also a "destructive technology" in the Middle Ages.
In medieval Europe, instead of what we now call paper, they used "parchment", a "paper" derived from animals, so copying sutras by hand was inefficient. Cai Lun of China invented paper in 105 A.D. A paper craftsman who was taken prisoner by the Tang Dynasty in China during the Battle of Taras in 751 passed on to the Saracen Empire and passed on his paper-making skills to the Saracen Empire for many years. In 1189, it was introduced to France.
And here comes a person who uses medieval "disruptive technology". Johannes Gutenberg (1398?-1468). In 1455, he printed the Old Testament and the New Testament. At that time, people thought that hand-copying sutras would not have been possible in such a large quantity, and that it was the work of the devil. (At that time, the Bible was written by hand, letter by letter.) Gutenberg himself was betrayed by his business partner and felt bitter, but continued the printing and binding business.
Then, when it became possible for anyone to obtain the Bible relatively cheaply, the momentum for the Reformation increased, and Martin Luther (1483-1546) raised his voice. (By the time he was born, Gutenberg's Bible was already circulating.)
As we have seen, "paper = letterpress printing" is very similar and parallel to the modern IT revolution. Perhaps it is a "disruptive technology" that is more drastic than the IT revolution or equivalent. Today's Twitter and Facebook on the Internet have moved Arab youth and produced the "Jasmine Revolution." The situation is very similar in the case of the Reformation. Because there is no need for a professional priest like the Catholic Church, and each person is now able to face the Bible. It is a gift of letterpress printing that can print in large quantities = bookbinding.
