Most important event in world history?

[Tinhampton]

The announcement on January 9th 2020 that a recent pneumonia outbreak which had infected dozens of people in Wuhan, PR China, might have been caused by a coronavirus.

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The announcement on January 9th 2020 that a recent pneumonia outbreak which had infected dozens of people in Wuhan, PR China, might have been caused by a coronavirus.

The announcement itself wasn't the consequential event, the pandemic would have spread regardless. The historical event was when the bat in the cage shat on the pangolin in the cage below it (or however it happened, I don't know if that theory has been disproven).

But in the grand scheme of things I don't think covid will be all that significant. We'll presumably have a vaccine soon, most people will get vaccinated, and although covid probably won't be exterminated it will go from an ongoing crisis to a seasonal annoyance and it will just end up being another of many viruses humans live with. And while society has endured significant economic damage, it will bounce back.

The current pandemic might have some long term historical consequences but it's nowhere close to the most significant pandemic in human history. There is no comparison to the bubonic plague in terms of sheer impact.

[Resilient Acceleration]

7th of September almost two decades ago (or arguably, 9 months before that ). Without that day, in my opinion, even the very existence of the universe will be completely irrelevant.

[Ethel mermania]

I'm going to assume human history when you say "world history". One of the most important events to me would be the invention (and adopting) the usage of fridges/refrigerators.

Sure, these things were pretty darn pollutive when they first came out, and newer models are making sure that they are using less pollutive substitutes, or less energy use, but you can't deny that it has definitely allowed us to put our fresh foods in a safe environment, and we don't have to rely on a constant supply of ice to store them in an ice box. And since some of the nastier diseases happen because of rotten food, or because of bacteria accumulation over time, fridges slowed/stopped this from happening before we even cook it. Also can apply to medicine which needs to be kept cool.

I am personally finding it a bit difficult to put in precise words, but let's just say that the better part of the world are eating (and storing) better because of refrigeration.

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To another extent, the invention of a pencil. It might not be as elegant as fountain pens, or ballpoint pens, or any other writing devices, but pencils are definitely the most reliable - you can drop it, keep it in your pencil case when you were 6 y/o, only to find the pencil again when you are 40, and that pencil would still write pretty damn well despite being 30+ years old.

Very easily accessible.

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Books too. Like just the invention of books. No more need to lug around scrolls, and it's so damn compact.

Just say, the most important event in world history is the invention of writing.

[Adamede]

I'm going to assume human history when you say "world history". One of the most important events to me would be the invention (and adopting) the usage of fridges/refrigerators.

Sure, these things were pretty darn pollutive when they first came out, and newer models are making sure that they are using less pollutive substitutes, or less energy use, but you can't deny that it has definitely allowed us to put our fresh foods in a safe environment, and we don't have to rely on a constant supply of ice to store them in an ice box. And since some of the nastier diseases happen because of rotten food, or because of bacteria accumulation over time, fridges slowed/stopped this from happening before we even cook it. Also can apply to medicine which needs to be kept cool.

I am personally finding it a bit difficult to put in precise words, but let's just say that the better part of the world are eating (and storing) better because of refrigeration.

-----

To another extent, the invention of a pencil. It might not be as elegant as fountain pens, or ballpoint pens, or any other writing devices, but pencils are definitely the most reliable - you can drop it, keep it in your pencil case when you were 6 y/o, only to find the pencil again when you are 40, and that pencil would still write pretty damn well despite being 30+ years old.

Very easily accessible.

-----

Books too. Like just the invention of books. No more need to lug around scrolls, and it's so damn compact.

Just say, the most important event in world history is the invention of writing.

Writing would never have developed if not for the advent of agriculture allowing for a surplus of population and the need to catalog food stores leading to the rise of a class of bookkeepers, essentially. It predates history sure, but was fundamental to its development.

[Eleutherosophia]

I would argue that even before writing that the invention of language is the most important event in world history. Humans are still the only animals that can communicate complex ideas back and forth, and so language is instrumental in every part of human history from the formation of permanent settlements, governments, corporations, etc. Without language, there would be no religion, no philosophy, no science. Our language so far is the last thing that separates us from our ape cousins, and so I argue that it is what has turned our history into the twinly wonderful and horrifying mess it is.

[Forsher]

One of my lecturers once advanced the notion that the Fall of Constantinople and general Ottoman strength forced European nations to find alternative routes East. I find this argument compelling, so I'll go with that as the ultimate proximate cause of maritime colonial empire, which is the world condition in which we continue to live under, the condition that created the Industrial revolution and the condition that thereby spurred the Green Revolution which enables the human population to reach the size it does today. It's certainly the most important thing in global history given it created global history as we understand it (if you accept the initial premise), but I think that little chain of reasons is a pretty good crack at an argument for the most important thing in world history.

I hesitate to call the Neolithic Revolution an event.

[Ifreann]

The birth of Dolly Parton. Where would any of us be without her?

[Ethel mermania]

Just say, the most important event in world history is the invention of writing.

Writing would never have developed if not for the advent of agriculture allowing for a surplus of population and the need to catalog food stores leading to the rise of a class of bookkeepers, essentially. It predates history sure, but was fundamental to its development.

If we counted prehistory your vote would be for agriculture.

We could ask arch if permanent settlements predate agriculture.

[Ethel mermania]

The birth of Dolly Parton. Where would any of us be without her?

She indeed is a blessing beyond compare, and while everybody whined about coronavirus, she did something about it


https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/fac ... 373339002/

[Gig em Aggies]

No I think the most important event in world history is New Years Eve 2020, leaving behind the dumpster fire of a year. but in reality I would say the advent of agriculture is the most important otherwise humanity would most likley still be a Hunter gatherer society with temporary cities instead of permenant ones we have today.

[Old Tyrannia]

The birth of Christ.

The crucifixion of Christ.

I'm going to go one better than both of you and say the resurrection of Christ.

Seriously, though, the resurrection is the obvious choice for those who believe in it. Similarly, I'd expect other religious people to point to the seminal events in their faith's narrative as the most important in world history; the birth or enlightenment of the Buddha for Buddhists, for example, or the reception of the Ten Commandments by Moses as one possibility for the Jews. After all, giving purpose to existence and thus objective significance to events is part of the role of religion in the human noosphere. From a secular point of view, the answer to the question is necessarily less clear and more subjective. It depends in part on what you define as an "event;" the prehistoric agricultural revolution is a good choice if it counts, but it could be argued that it wasn't really an event per se but a gradual process occuring independently in different parts of the world. I'm going to go with the birth of the last common ancestor of all living humans, who would be either "mitochondrial Eve", the last matrilineal ancestor of all living women, or "Y-chromosomal Adam", the last patrilineal ancestor of all living men.

[Valasaya]

It depends what we mean by world history. The history of the universe? Whenever it began, if it did. The history of the earth? Whenever earth began. The history of humans? Whenever we began to exist. The first event is the most important, in my opinion.

[The Archregimancy]

We could ask arch if permanent settlements predate agriculture.

On the evidence of the Natufian culture, permanent settlement predates agriculture in the Levant.

There are grey areas around the margins - there's some evidence that the Natufians may have begun some limited crop cultivation, for example - but for the most part the Natufians seem to have been sedentary hunter gatherers who developed settlements before agriculture.

Because of its significance, Wadi Natuf in Palestine* is now on the tentative list of potential UNESCO World Heritage Sites.



*'Palestine' is not me making a political statement; the site's official UNESCO listing is via the Palestinian permanent delegation to UNESCO, not via Israel.

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The birth of Christ.

The crucifixion of Christ.

I'm going to go one better than both of you and say the resurrection of Christ.

Seriously, though, the resurrection is the obvious choice for those who believe in it. Similarly, I'd expect other religious people to point to the seminal events in their faith's narrative as the most important in world history; the birth or enlightenment of the Buddha for Buddhists, for example, or the reception of the Ten Commandments by Moses as one possibility for the Jews. After all, giving purpose to existence and thus objective significance to events is part of the role of religion in the human noosphere. From a secular point of view, the answer to the question is necessarily less clear and more subjective. It depends in part on what you define as an "event;" the prehistoric agricultural revolution is a good choice if it counts, but it could be argued that it wasn't really an event per se but a gradual process occuring independently in different parts of the world. I'm going to go with the birth of the last common ancestor of all living humans, who would be either "mitochondrial Eve", the last matrilineal ancestor of all living women, or "Y-chromosomal Adam", the last patrilineal ancestor of all living men.

From a secular perspective, as far as Christianity goes I'd say the most significant event was Paul's conversion, because up until that point it was still an apocalyptic Judaism sect, but Paul made Christianity more appealing to gentiles. And I guarantee you very few people in the Roman Empire would have converted if Paul didn't decide circumcision was unnecessary.

[Ethel mermania]

We could ask arch if permanent settlements predate agriculture.

On the evidence of the Natufian culture, permanent settlement predates agriculture in the Levant.

There are grey areas around the margins - there's some evidence that the Natufians may have begun some limited crop cultivation, for example - but for the most part the Natufians seem to have been sedentary hunter gatherers who developed settlements before agriculture.

Because of its significance, Wadi Natuf in Palestine* is now on the tentative list of potential UNESCO World Heritage Sites.



*'Palestine' is not me making a political statement; the site's official UNESCO listing is via the Palestinian permanent delegation to UNESCO, not via Israel.

So we can say it was the all to human desire to sit on our lazy fat asses and not go out to work is the most important reason that has lead to the rise of civilization and therefore human history.

[The Archregimancy]

On the evidence of the Natufian culture, permanent settlement predates agriculture in the Levant.

There are grey areas around the margins - there's some evidence that the Natufians may have begun some limited crop cultivation, for example - but for the most part the Natufians seem to have been sedentary hunter gatherers who developed settlements before agriculture.

Because of its significance, Wadi Natuf in Palestine* is now on the tentative list of potential UNESCO World Heritage Sites.



*'Palestine' is not me making a political statement; the site's official UNESCO listing is via the Palestinian permanent delegation to UNESCO, not via Israel.

So we can say it was the all to human desire to sit on our lazy fat asses and not go out to work is the most important reason that has lead to the rise of civilization and therefore human history.

That and one other thing....

In addition, the oldest known evidence of beer, dating to approximately 13,000 BP, was found at the Raqefet Cave in Mount Carmel near Haifa in Israel

So it was to sit on our lazy fat arses,* not go out to work, and drink beer.


*I have to insist on the British spelling here to avoid a misunderstanding over sitting on a fat Equus africanus asinus.

[Ethel mermania]

So we can say it was the all to human desire to sit on our lazy fat asses and not go out to work is the most important reason that has lead to the rise of civilization and therefore human history.

That and one other thing....

In addition, the oldest known evidence of beer, dating to approximately 13,000 BP, was found at the Raqefet Cave in Mount Carmel near Haifa in Israel

So it was to sit on our lazy fat arses,* not go out to work, and drink beer.


*I have to insist on the British spelling here to avoid a misunderstanding over sitting on a fat Equus africanus asinus.

I knew there was a purpose to life, thank you Dr. Jones for helping us solve that aged old dilemma.

' Arsed' it is, sounds all fancy to us Americans.

[Valentine Z]

Just say, the most important event in world history is the invention of writing.

Oh, no doubt about that. ^^ I probably should have made it clearer that I was sidetracking a little from the "Most important event", I apologise for that.

While writing is no doubt the most important thing, I think having invented the concept of a book, and of a pencil, came close at second and third because it made writing a lot more accessible - one that is much more compact and more packed than a scroll, and a writing instrument that can write anywhere (except in spaceeee!)

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Speaking of which, beer does come close to being an important event! The cornerstone of motivation for most folks at home.

[Mandicoria]

The industrial revolution, nothing compares it was the event that set of a chain reaction that has changed the world like never before.

Its consequences were a disaster for the human race. :^)

[The Emerald Legion]

The killing of Ymir.

[Merrill]

The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[Mathuvan Union]

Just say, the most important event in world history is the invention of writing.

Oh, no doubt about that. ^^ I probably should have made it clearer that I was sidetracking a little from the "Most important event", I apologise for that.

While writing is no doubt the most important thing, I think having invented the concept of a book, and of a pencil, came close at second and third because it made writing a lot more accessible - one that is much more compact and more packed than a scroll, and a writing instrument that can write anywhere (except in spaceeee!)

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Speaking of which, beer does come close to being an important event! The cornerstone of motivation for most folks at home.

quoting the great Australian rePublic, beer tastes like piss.
so no, of course not.

[Valentine Z]

quoting the great Australian rePublic, beer tastes like piss.
so no, of course not.

If urine makes people drunk, we might have just reached the Golden Age.

[The Archregimancy]

Oh, no doubt about that. ^^ I probably should have made it clearer that I was sidetracking a little from the "Most important event", I apologise for that.

While writing is no doubt the most important thing, I think having invented the concept of a book, and of a pencil, came close at second and third because it made writing a lot more accessible - one that is much more compact and more packed than a scroll, and a writing instrument that can write anywhere (except in spaceeee!)

-----

Speaking of which, beer does come close to being an important event! The cornerstone of motivation for most folks at home.

quoting the great Australian rePublic, beer tastes like piss.
so no, of course not.

Having had experience of living in both countries, I can state with some confidence that Americans and Australians just need to drink better beer.

As the old joke goes: 'Why is drinking American beer like making love in a canoe? Because it's fucking close to water.'