The Enlightenment Legacy could be summarized with the general description of life in the reading as “understood as a struggle between rationality and emotion, with feeling frequently exercising controlling force (Norton 5).  This quote seems to highlight the questioning nature of the Enlightenment movement, where men and women began to explore their abilities and question the claims made by authority figures. The acknowledgment of human nature that dictates many of our lives presents itself as a challenge not only to authority figures of the times but also to individuals themselves. Introspecting thinking preceded outward seeking as knowledge and communication became widespread during the times. The questioning nature of the Enlightenment against authority or ritualistic beliefs is present today in social aspects of contemporary life.

One aspect of contemporary life that could be compared to the questioning nature of the Enlightenment Legacy is the evolution of independent internet broadcasting. Most customs and communication methods before the new millennium between coworkers, schoolchildren and friends could be based on existing forms of media such as TV shows, and movies. With the development and the widespread usage of worldwide web services, blogging is possible and sometimes memes are used colloquially as forms of speech. People begin to explain the rituals in their daily lives and question the reasons for their habits.

The internet could be said to be a platform for the contemporary Enlightenment Legacy. It could be likened to the saloons in upper class Enlightenment society mentioned in the article (Norton 7), where women were able to converse in new ways throughout the 18th century. Just like many connections were forged between like minds in the original Enlightenment movement, many more connections are being made today by participants in the different communication spheres across the web today. Even though it is a platform for re-evaluating current behaviors and cultural norms, it is still part of a movement characteristic of a generation of people.