I'd say Internet, but only by a little.  9-11 was very tragic but it was more the change of mind it created (well in America) that was time-changing.  That was when the Millenium really begun  :\'(

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking here? Are you asking what has most defined the new century from the old? I would argue that it's far too early to ask that.

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking here? Are you asking what has most defined the new century from the old? I would argue that it's far too early to ask that.


Yeah that's what I'm trying to say.

Well if that's the case, it probably a bit early to say! Certainly the advances in communication in the past decade have made the gap between the 20th and the 21st centuries quite wide, but trying to define an exact turning point so soon into this century is probably a little hard to call right now. The advent of mechanized warfare was probably the turning point of the 19th/20th centuries, but that took place over a 20 year period. I think we still need to wait and see...

Yeah, it's too early to ask that.

Well if that's the case, it probably a bit early to say! Certainly the advances in communication in the past decade have made the gap between the 20th and the 21st centuries quite wide, but trying to define an exact turning point so soon into this century is probably a little hard to call right now. The advent of mechanized warfare was probably the turning point of the 19th/20th centuries, but that took place over a 20 year period. I think we still need to wait and see...


It is too early to tell I guess. Personally I think the 20th century spanned from about 1920 to 1996 technologically, maybe 1914 to 1990 historically.  The beginning of WW2 and the Berlin Wall/reunification of Germany are good start and end points historically.

It is too early to tell I guess. Personally I think the 20th century spanned from about 1920 to 1996 technologically, maybe 1914 to 1990 historically.  The beginning of WW2 and the Berlin Wall/reunification of Germany are good start and end points historically.


What?, lol. The technological 20th century lasted until 1996, I don't really get that. I just put it all at 1901-2000 and leave it at that.

What?, lol. The technological 20th century lasted until 1996, I don't really get that. I just put it all at 1901-2000 and leave it at that.


Some will tell you the 20th century is 1900-1999  ;D  They're wrong, that's the 1900s.  ;)

Some will tell you the 20th century is 1900-1999  ;D  They're wrong, that's the 1900s.  ;)


Oh yeah I know that, which is why I said 1901-2000 like you said.  ;)

Oh yeah I know that, which is why I said 1901-2000 like you said.  ;)


Yeah I know :) I was just making a joke  :D

-DR

To be honest with you, it's a bit difficult to mark the "turning point" with any century, really. The beginning of the 1800s wasn't any different to the end of the 1700s, but the end of the 1800s was nothing like the beginning. That said though, while the world didn't really change that much between 1880 and 1910, you could argue that the world has changed a LOT between 1980 and 2005.

To be honest with you, it's a bit difficult to mark the "turning point" with any century, really. The beginning of the 1800s wasn't any different to the end of the 1700s, but the end of the 1800s was nothing like the beginning. That said though, while the world didn't really change that much between 1880 and 1910, you could argue that the world has changed a LOT between 1980 and 2005.


Yeah, with technology since the 20th decades are distinct from eachother almost as much as previous centuries are distinct from eachother.  Not much changed between 1000 and 1300 either.

Yeah, with technology since the 20th decades are distinct from eachother almost as much as previous centuries are distinct from eachother.  Not much changed between 1000 and 1300 either.


It's hard to label "20th century" technology, I mean you can't compare 1901 to 1999 or 2000. Technology changes like every what 6 months, so you can imagine how much it changes in 100 years. The most you can label technology by is by the decade, which is still difficult.

It's hard to label "20th century" technology, I mean you can't compare 1901 to 1999 or 2000. Technology changes like every what 6 months, so you can imagine how much it changes in 100 years. The most you can label technology by is by the decade, which is still difficult.


Yeah decade even is hard .. 1990 tech is way different from 1999 tech.

Yeah decade even is hard .. 1990 tech is way different from 1999 tech.


Exactly what I was thinking.

Exactly what I was thinking.


I know ... compared Super Mario Bros. 3 to Twisted Metal 3.  HUGE difference.

I know ... compared Super Mario Bros. 3 to Twisted Metal 3.  HUGE difference.


Genesis compared to Dreamcast as well.

Genesis compared to Dreamcast as well.


Don't Sega but I'm sure  ;)

Don't Sega but I'm sure  ;)


I used a Sega comparison because Dreamcast was the only "next-gen" system to come out in the '90s, 1999, dummy me traded my ps1 and 15 games and got one the day it came out.

Not to take anything away from that horrible day of September 11th but on a personal level my worst day was April 26, 2001...Blaines death :\'(

Since, I'm a closet American historian.

I'd say the defining moment of the 20th century would be in 1929, when the Stock Market crashed.

Without that crash, you don't have things like social security, medicare, medicaid, other government-led economic stimuli
and subsidies as we know it would not exist.

Also, the 30s saw the widespread of radio-which at that point was the technological equivalent of t.v. in the 50s and internet in the 90s.

However, there were definitely more shifts and twists in the 20th century for sure.

i live in britain and seeing 9-11 really upset me everytime that clip is played i feel sick and angry i'd say either that or the end of WW2  are the defining moments

I think 2050 should be when we can start talking about new millenium stuff.  The 20th was about war with other countries (man vs man)  I'd say around 2050 we'll have artificial enemies to deal with (man vs machine).  Not to mention germs, viruses, bacteria that can immune to any drug we'll make for them (man vs nature)  Then we'll end up going back to "start" and have to do it all over again (man vs stupidity).  Who know's but now....it is, in fact, too early to make calls and point fingers.