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I think there are things that make you wow from time to time. Smartphones, smart devices, etc.
That said - while technological innovation seemed to have accelerated over the last 5-7 years, I almost feel that social norms/behavior has deteriorated. But I guess that's a conversation for a different thread...
The reason why most people don't feel like we are living in the future is because the technological changes take effect gradually and we get "gradually" accustomed to the changes. This is similar to putting a frog in a pot of water on the stove, and gradually increasing the heat. But if you are old enough and compare the technologies of the 50's to the technologies of today, then you realize how far we have moved into the future.
The reason why most people don't feel like we are living in the future is because the technological changes take effect gradually and we get "gradually" accustomed to the changes. This is similar to putting a frog in a pot of water on the stove, and gradually increasing the heat. But if you are old enough and compare the technologies of the 50's to the technologies of today, then you realize how far we have moved into the future.
It is not just tech though I feel our infrastructure has not changed. Lots of older architecture from seventies lots of older homes still around.
I spoke to my sister and her family yesterday and we were remembering the old days when family members had to line up to speak on the phone. "Hurry up, it's LONG DISTANCE". My first TV in college was B & W. My first calculator was a $ 99 Bomar 4 function job. I remember hating my friends whose phone number was 998-9999 because of rotary phones, thank God for push buttons. I've seen fax machines come & go. I could go on, but yeah, I feel like I'm in the future.
You have no idea how 1980's it really is, do you? I was doing the same (different topics) starting in 1984 with Usenet. Replies took a little longer, mostly due to the fewer number of participants.
By 1990 I was freaking my mom out by leaving her text messages on her computer (me in Montana at college, her in Wyoming in her college office), had "penpals" all over the globe and real-time chat via telnet services anytime I liked. Video chat was a thing by the mid 90's. Oohhh, so modern and futuristic here in 2018, 20 and 30 years later.
The 1980s were also futuristic and cool. Really, I'd peg the 1950s as a historic leap into a new era, with the advent of TVs and microwaves and so on. The future seems passe because we've been living in it for 60 years.
The reason why most people don't feel like we are living in the future is because the technological changes take effect gradually and we get "gradually" accustomed to the changes. This is similar to putting a frog in a pot of water on the stove, and gradually increasing the heat. But if you are old enough and compare the technologies of the 50's to the technologies of today, then you realize how far we have moved into the future.
This isnt just by coincidence though, its planned that way for a reason.
Gone are the days when we would see huge leap forwards like the light bulb, the wheel, ability to create fire, etc.
I think its strange we dont see many inventors on the internet, especially with Youtube and other video sharing sites, in years past, inventors would put on public displays of their newest invention or creation, in town square or public parks, (even if they didnt work)...dont see any of that nowadays for some reason? where are the Teslas, Edisons, etc of our time?
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