It must be said, that like many of my age, I am often seduced by modern technology, and can rarely resist the next new big thing.
When I grew up in the '80s computing was still in its infancy, and mobile phone technology was barely off the ground. But it was the possibilities of what technology might bring that certainly drew me in as a teenager. I remember the films of the late '70s and early '80s, from Star Wars, Explorers, Back to the Future, Computer Games, and the more adult Blade Runner all suggested a wonderful time technology could bring. I even remember watching an episode of Tomorrow's World where a presenter suggested that one day robots would do all the menial work, giving humans more leisure time.
Move on 30 years or so, to the present day, and we're working harder and longer hours than normal, we are not being transported around in flying cars, nor are we feeling particularly optimistic about our future.
So, what went wrong?
Basically the reality of competition, greed, caution and fundamental technical limitations have stifled the progress we were hoping for. Plus everyone wants everything for free now-a-days. We take for granted the miniaturisation of mobile phone technology, and the sheer growth of the TV sizes, and the speed of change of the little things that make the world we live in today an exciting place to be.
Sure we don't expect flying cars and robot butlers anytime soon, but there are still things to wonder at.
Perhaps because we haven't got the laser guns and flying cars that we were promised in all those films, my generation get so excited about the latest mobile phone or tablet, or drool over the latest Lamborghini or whatever. But should we be so excited? Do the younger generation , who seem take these small advancements in their stride, appreciate and get excited about what is to come, or, as I suspect, are blase about technical advancement and just expect it to happen.
Should we be demanding our flying ships and robot butlers?
