James Burke: Connections

[Keit]

Many years ago I watched a show on Discovery channel that was extremely interesting and fascinating. In fact, it was the best scientific show I ever saw on TV. And yesterday I stumbled upon all its episodes. Very exciting! Highly recommend it.

_http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/james-burke-connections/

James Burke: Connections

Connections explores an Alternative View of Change (the subtitle of the series) that rejects the conventional linear and teleological view of historical progress. Burke contends that one cannot consider the development of any particular piece of the modern world in isolation.

Rather, the entire gestalt of the modern world is the result of a web of interconnected events, each one consisting of a person or group acting for reasons of their own (e.g., profit, curiosity, religious) motivations with no concept of the final, modern result of what either their or their contemporaries’ actions finally led to. The interplay of the results of these isolated events is what drives history and innovation, and is also the main focus of the series and its sequels.

To demonstrate this view, Burke begins each episode with a particular event or innovation in the past (usually Ancient or Medieval times) and traces the path from that event through a series of seemingly unrelated connections to a fundamental and essential aspect of the modern world. For example, The Long Chain episode traces the invention of plastics from the development of the fluyt, a type of Dutch cargo ship.

 

[aaronfransen]

I absolutely loved this show. Not only did Burke present a side of history you weren't taught in school, he did it with a wry and dry sense of humour that made it thoroughly interesting.

I ended up ordering it on DVD a few years ago just so I could have it! Glad to see it's online.

 

[luke wilson]

I watched this a couple of years back. One word, AMAZING.

 

[clerck de bonk]

I watched this a couple of years back. One word, AMAZING.

...Another word, PRICELESS. I mean, the Humour

 

[LQB]

Very interesting "connections" indeed. In episode 1 there is a long drawn out description of a large NE US blackout that occurred Nov 9 1965 at 5:16pm. A Niagara relay tripped off power in a loaded line and the overload on other lines brought down power from Boston to NY. At the time, Scandinavian airlines flight 911 (89 passengers) was on approach to Kennedy when the ILS went out due to the blackout (30 million in the dark). Flight 911 was at 2000 feet and heading straight for Manhattan when the pilot pulled the plane up and out.

At the end of the episode, the credits listed as follows:

United Nations Organization
Scandinavian Airlines Systems
World Trade Center
Mount Sinai Hospital
New York Port Authority
New York Transit Authority
o
o
o
​

This show was originally produced by the BBC in 1978. Very Interesting ...