The New Enlightenment and the Fight to Free Knowledge By Peter B. Kaufman (2021)

In the book The New Enlightenment and the Fight to Free Knowledge by Peter B. Kaufman, the author asks a critical question: How do we create a universe of truthful and verifiable information accessible to everyone? Kaufman, who leads MIT Open Learning, explores the powerful forces throughout history that have deliberately obstructed humanity's efforts to share knowledge openly and freely.

From popes and inquisitors to emperors and their hangmen, from commissars and secret police, oppressive regimes have consistently sought to stem the free flow of information. Kaufman chronicles eras when translating the Bible could lead to execution, when dictionaries and encyclopedias were banned, when books on literature, science, and history were destroyed—often alongside their authors—and when corporate interests stifled public television and radio networks.

In the 21st century, these enemies of free thought have taken on new forms: enormous corporate entities, expansive national security agencies, and weakened regulatory bodies. Without moral guidance or a sense of social responsibility, their efforts to surveil and control are just as insidious as those of their historical predecessors. Kaufman refers to this contemporary threat as the "Monsterverse."

The book outlines the urgent need to resist these forces by leveraging modern tools—particularly the Internet and video technology—and rallying knowledge institutions such as universities, libraries, museums, and archives to combat misinformation, disinformation, and censorship. Kaufman argues that these institutions have a unique responsibility in this digital age to protect the free flow of information.

A film and video producer with a background in publishing, Kaufman envisions a new social contract for the networked video age, inspired by the heroic efforts of figures like William Tyndale in the 16th century, Denis Diderot in the 18th, and dissidents from the Soviet era, many of whom sacrificed their lives in the fight for knowledge. Their legacy continues today through champions like Aaron Swartz, Richard Stallman, Tim Berners-Lee, and Edward Snowden, who fought for a more just and open society.

Its final section, The New Enlightenment and the Fight to Free Knowledge, offers a bold and progressive roadmap for today's free thinkers to unite for an informed and liberated future. As the world increasingly shifts online, Kaufman’s call to action resonates, challenging us to redefine what it means to be an active and engaged citizen in the 21st century.

Credit: Adapted from Amazon

 
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