From Agrarian Life to IT Revolution

There was a time when life was family-/village-/community-centred. People interacted with each other in their own lingo within their community; everybody knew everybody. Feudalism was an accepted way of life with heads or leaders of families and communities; local loyalty was appreciated. Some feel that life in agrarian societies was simple and that local cultures flourished.

Then came the Industrial Revolution with its urbanization, capitalism and consumerism; life became more urban and migratory, living became more repetitive with routine jobs in factories, workshops, and offices. Men and materials constituted the capital and the individual became a machine. Groups that wielded power imposed their strength and power on others in the name of modernization. The Euro-centric universe emerged and Western notions became universal; industrial life itself became accepted as a universal concept even in areas where there was no industrial revolution. The world became more and more Euro-centric and the two World Wars helped the establishment of Western hegemony.

Then came Information Technology with, what is called, the IT revolution; repetitive tasks were shifted to machines like robots and computers, and human beings were left with more time for self articulation, critical and creative thinking. Knowledge became the capital, and the distinction between home and office got blurred. The electronic revolution gave birth to the post-modern world with its virtual reality. The world started ‘shrinking’ and became a ‘global village’ in terms of communication.