Insight

I would like viewers to understand from viewing this exhibit that words are timeless. Reading the work of Charles Darwin, 100 years in our past impacts us in an entirely different way to reading his work today. As the Scopes Trial demonstrates, there are occasions where the banning of something leads to spreading and discussion far greater than before. Censorship piques the curious of many of us and it often leads individuals to reading about topics they were never interested in. The Scopes Trial undoubtedly attracted many modernists who were exposed to the ideas of fundamentalists and may have been converted to another viewpoint, and vice versa for a fundamentalist. The discussion that arises out of the prohibition of something may not always be negative as well, as the modernists were pushed to improve their argumentation and evidence, advancing the debate and knowledge within society. The bible also serves to be strengthened, as it was challenged in new ways and fundamentalists had to find ways to defend it, expanding their knowledge of the bible, it’s history, and specific teachings.

The book was published at a time where the printing press was more well established, and theories around evolution was becoming more developed. Had Darwin published his controversial piece in a time where the printing press was at its infancy, it may have been easy for his writing to be completely lost due to the great difficulty in creating vast copies of his work. Darwin perhaps publishing at an earlier time where religion was at greater strength may have also seen even less favorable reactions than the ones he received. The afterlife of the book is well served by the technologies of the printing press, allowing enough copies to be made that physical copies survive even until today, continuing to pass down his knowledge.

This particular case reminds us to never hold any belief in absolute certainty, as things we may percieve to be impossible or unthinkable can easily be usupred, similar to how religious beliefs in Darwin's time was almost ironclad and incredibly widespread. Despite how strongly society tied itself to religion, today's world sees a different landscape of opinions, proving that anything can change. 

The digital exhibit collects the information on a particular topic in a special way that allows better understanding and synthesis. Where information is otherwise vastly scattered and more research may be required, learning through a digital exhibit allows all information to be even more so available and greater understanding can be achieved in having adequate context and background provided.