Someone asked me: "can you name a single thing that has
   benefited people as much as science?" Yes I can. The
   democratization of knowledge is superior. Without it, all the
   sciences would've stayed with the elite and there would have
   been no benefit to the people. -- Knowledge comes in many forms.
   Most knowledge, even today, is accepted knowledge based upon
   authorities.. Did you or I walk on the moon? Nope. Someone else
   did. Yet, I believe it because I trust the authorities and the
   evidence they supply. All comparing isn't Science though. That's
   comparing. Conversation. Discussion. Debate. It's a part of
   communication, not strictly Science. -- The Sciences may be
   leading us down a generally _better_ path (I don't like to say
   "Science" as a 'thing' - it's Sciences - they're distinct, each
   with their pluses and minuses) than, say, Economics, or
   Politics, or whatever, even Religions. But without the
   democratization of knowledge, there would be fewer opportunities
   for people to discover truths on their own, in their own ways.*
   As great as the answers brought forth by the Sciences are and as
   much progress as they have brought us to, I would not want them
   to be in control of civilizations for example. There's more to
   life than the Sciences and even to knowledge, but easy access to
   knowledge at least gives us the tools for discovery and should
   leaderships fail us, "the people" can rebuild. --