Albert Einstein. If we establish the fact that Einstein was not just a scientist but a philosopher-scientist, there is no surprise in reading this quote of Einsteins: Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge i

        If the overriding trend during the Industrial Revolution was everything getting bigger—from population size to economic output—the overriding trend in our current Information Revolution is convergence. Technologies, ideas, and perspectives that are essentially unrelated to each other are being converged together in many ways. We have to look no further than the IPhone we hold in our hands. The real attractiveness of the IPhone lie in the fact that it is an all-in-one device—where one can browse the web, call, text, and download thousands of apps that can perform other functions as well. This integration and convergence of different technologies is a basic aspect of not just the IPhone but a variety of other hi-tech gadgets like tablets, Smart TV’s, and laptops. All of these developments stem out of the very idea that Einstein discusses in his quote. True convergence cannot be achieved without equality—the idea that different technologies are equal in all aspects. Einstein outlines that there should be no hierarchy between ideas and knowledge because one idea should not dictate “what should be” over other ideas. This equality of ideas is what enables true convergence, and it can be said that the Information Revolution that is shaping our lives as we speak is centred around Einstein’s philosophy.

        The film V for Vendetta, directed by James McTeigue, outlines a similar support for Einstein’s ideals. The film portrays a dystopian society where every single aspect of an individual’s life is controlled by High Chancellor Adam Sutler and his government. What the government says is the one and only truth, and all aspirations for knowledge are strongly repressed. Einstein, being an ardent believer in the philosophy that the destiny of truth and knowledge come from God, would criticize the dystopian government of V for Vendetta as “playing God”. Einstein encouraged searching for the truth—the “what is”. But he did not support anyone dictating “what should be”. The dystopian society portrayed in V for Vendetta paints a precise picture of what Einstein criticizes in his quote. In the end of the film, we see that the dictatorial government of the High Chancellor falling apart as the once repressed population becomes enlightened with new ideas proposed by the main character, V. Only when the population realizes that they can form their own opinion of “what should be” do they rise up against the government. All of these developments of the movie’s plot and the overall dystopia portrayed in the film V for Vendetta go hand in hand with Einstein’s values.

        There is no doubt that Einstein contributed a great deal to humanity. But we must be able to take into account the philosophies and values of Einstein’s that shaped his scientific breakthroughs. In doing so, we find fascinating values of Einstein’s that formed the basis of today’s Information Revolution and the film V for Vendetta. In such ways, Einstein’s contributions to humankind have been both scientific and philosophical, making him a truly well-rounded figure that will be remembered for centuries to come.