How modern life is becoming like medieval times; new book explains how
Between the pandemic, worldwide wars, and social upheaval everywhere, life in America and the rest of the world is becoming more and more like life in medieval times. That’s the subject of the new book The New American Middle Ages which was just published by Waterside Press. I wrote it after doing extensive research to compare then and now.
You can see a short 2-minute introduction to the book on YouTube at https://youtu.be/hO3S25swBMs. I also wrote a popular song: Are We Back to the Middle Ages?, which is on YouTube at https://youtu.be/1m5kTv7eHxk
The book is based on the premise that today’s growing split between rich and poor is like the divide between royalty, nobles, and rich merchants versus the medieval peasants and artisans. The book compares the rise of the medieval kingdoms and the battles between the high-tech titans and describes the parallels between different institutions and lifestyles then and now. It concludes with recommendations on what to do about the problems we face now based on what we can learn for today from what happened back then.
The book raises many important issues that can bring new insights about what is happening today and what to do about it. These include the following:
- Why it is it important to know that America is like the Middle Ages in many ways, and what we can learn for today about what happened back then?
- How the growing inequality in society is a major source of division today, as it was in medieval times.
- How the medieval peasant rebellions have parallels with the rebellions all over the world today, and just like the royalty and nobles cracked down on the peasants, so the police and military are cracking down now.
- How today’s pandemic is like the Black Death that swept through Europe, the UK, Middle East, and Asia in the 14th century and wiped out about a half of the population. Much like today it had the most severe effect on the lower income groups.
- There are also parallels between the courtiers in the medieval courts and the retinues of publicists and advisers around celebrities now.
- The role of the Church in medieval times has many parallels with the media today.
Despite its devastation, the Black Death in the Middle Ages led to many social changes, that prepared the way for the Renaissance which followed, suggesting we might similarly experience a renewal and find ways to heal the great divisions and conflicts in our society.
I was inspired to write the book by noticing the comparisons with modern society while viewing a series of historical documentaries about medieval times in Europe and the Ottoman Empire on Netflix. Then, I looked through many dozens of articles and books to document these similarities between life today and the Middle Ages.
For more information, you can see the book on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/New-American-Middle-Ages-Medieval/dp/1951805313.
GINI GRAHAM SCOTT, Ph.D., J.D., is a nationally known writer, consultant, speaker, and seminar leader, specializing in business and work relationships, professional and personal development, social trends, and popular culture. She has published 50 books with major publishers. She has worked with dozens of clients on memoirs, self-help, popular business books, and film scripts. Writing samples are at www.changemakerspublishingandwriting.com.
She is the founder of Changemakers Publishing, featuring books on work, business, psychology, social trends, and self-help. The company has published over 200 print, e-books, and audiobooks. She has received national media exposure for her books, including appearances on Good Morning America, Oprah, and CNN.
Scott is active in a number of community and business groups, including the Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek Chambers of Commerce. She does workshops and seminars on the topics of her books.