Some reflections on how technology has progressed as I flew home from North Carolina to Wisconsin last Friday

Posted on June 25 2018

Just a reflection on how technology has advanced over a time period I can remember.I can remember in high school wishing I could type some of my homework on my  30 minute  bus rides each way, and although until 11th grade I had a very nice electronic typewriter, it wasn’t portable.   Then when I went to California in 11th grade there was no way to even think about taking my Apple IIe computer along.Now, as I type this post I’m at  35000 feet traveling between  490-520 miles per hour currently over Kentucky, (I love running GPS on my phone)   flying home to Madison WI from Charlotte NC. Yes I flew to California, my first time in an airplane,  back in high school, but back then when on a trip I pretty much lost contact with family and friends “gone for a week talk to you when I get back” I’d have to say. Thankfully I can now say that time is over.The basic definition of technology is to make doing some task easier, but I’d say think deeper, think more  human. Technology are innovations to make our lives better beyond just doing tasks; technology when used properly can let us be more human. In this case technology let me communicate with family and friends while I was working in Dayton Ohio this week. It also lets me put down thoughts on an airplane. Ye we still have pen and paper, but my handwriting is so bad I can’t even read it; oh wait, I can’t read anyone’s handwriting   for other reasons, some people can actually read mine, although they cringe and complain about it.I’m not saying technology is amaZing, because that implies it can’t be understood, but I do think we shouldn’t take technology as much for granted, yes that includes me too some times. Beyond using it, and enjoying its benefits, I think more regularly appreciating how it has and will continue to transform who we are and what we can do. RecogniZing this mind set more may also help us shape how and what we do with technology available to us. If we consider our human side more while geeking out with our technical side, just imagine how you, I, or together we can make the world better. No this post won’t end any wars, but maybe thinking more like this we could avoid a few more  fights, or discuss and debate more  and argue less. Maybe with all this technology at my fingertips I could understand someone different than me a little more.; and don’t forget friendships, try to reconnect a few of those that have faded too.  GPS update, the plane is  now over the south western corner of OHio.No I can’t post this to the blog from this airplane, no wifi on this flight,  and some might find that frustrating; despite the fact that if they could tell the pilgrims from 1620, or even Immigrants from only 150 years ago that you could get from London to New York in about 6 hours they would have never believed it.  but I’m totally happy with how far things have progressed as much as they have, posting it when I get home, or maybe not even until tomorrow is just fine by me.