Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Rapidity

I don't know about you, but I normally don't give a second thought to pushing a button on my TV remote and then being able to choose from several hundred high-definition channels. It's kind of amazing to think how utterly different my present situation is compared to when I was a kid. We got three primary VHF channels (ABC, CBS, and NBC) and one or two grainy UHF channels (depending on the weather) that we could watch on our tiny black and white television.

I completely take for granted the fact that I can withdraw the plastic and chrome encased phone from the holster on my belt and place a call from pretty much anywhere at any time. It wasn't all that long again where I used to make calls on a box the size of a carton of milk with a rotary dial and a heavy, corded handset.

I can pop up the screen on my laptop and connect in a matter of moments to any number of computers around the world. I frequently use programs that allow me to conduct video meetings with colleagues from Europe, Asia, and South America connected simultaneously. The first personal use computers weren't even readily available until I was in high school.

You would think that slow, crawling progress over many years might not be recognized and appreciated, but technology upgrades and changes and moves from generation to generation almost before our eyes. Perhaps it is the dizzying level of progress that spins our eyes in our heads and numbs us to really taking note of the technological marvels that we use every day. However, for me a recent experience made me sit up and take notice. It was near midnight on a Monday evening when I had decided to place an order on Amazon for 5 books. I came home early on Wednesday to check on something at the house, and my order was sitting on my front steps. This just totally blew me away. Absolutely amazing.