One of the most frustrating tropes in stories of industrialization is the way protagonists are portrayed as effortlessly recreating the Industrial Revolution, as if it’s something anyone with a bit of knowledge and determination could do in a few years. These characters are often depicted as having an almost magical understanding of complex processes, from metallurgy to mechanics, and somehow possess the resources and technology needed to pull off feats that took real-world societies centuries to achieve. As someone who has taken gunsmithing lessons, trained in HEMA, and practiced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, I can tell you firsthand that the level of expertise required for these kinds of advancements is immense. It’s not something you can just pick up or figure out on the fly.
The first issue with these stories is the absurd assumption that the necessary materials are conveniently accessible. In reality, the raw materials required for advanced technology are often scattered across the globe, not just sitting around in easily exploitable deposits. If the protagonist is in some alternate universe or remote part of Earth, how are they getting their hands on the right quality of iron ore, the specific alloys needed for machinery, or the components for gunpowder? The Industrial Revolution was as much about resource acquisition and global trade as it was about technological innovation, but these stories gloss over that entirely, acting as if the ingredients for industrialization are always close at hand. It’s an oversimplification that disregards the logistical challenges and sheer luck involved in actually obtaining these resources.
Even if we suspend our disbelief and accept that the protagonist somehow has access to all the materials they need, we’re then expected to believe that the knowledge of these technological advancements wouldn’t spread. This is where the stories really fall apart. There’s a reason the CIA has a saying that goes something like, "Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, and three times is enemy action." The moment more than one person is involved in creating or using advanced technology, it’s no longer a secret. In reality, once you start producing firearms or any other significant technology, people are going to notice. Workers, merchants, rival factions—everyone has eyes and ears, and information like that doesn’t stay under wraps for long.
The idea that the protagonist could single-handedly control the spread of these innovations is not only unrealistic but utterly naive. Industrial espionage, reverse engineering, and the natural human tendency to share knowledge would quickly lead to the diffusion of these technologies. Yet, these stories often portray the protagonist as having complete control over the industrialization process, with no significant leaks or pushback. It’s a gross oversimplification that fails to recognize the complexities of technological development and the inevitability of knowledge spreading once it’s out in the open.
In sum, these stories do a disservice to the true complexity and difficulty of industrialization. They undermine the real struggles and ingenuity that went into the technological advancements that shaped our world, reducing them to little more than a series of convenient plot points. It’s not just unrealistic—it’s a shallow and ultimately disrespectful portrayal of the monumental efforts that have gone into human progress.
In 10 years you can copycat plenty, but that is another story.
