X-Message-Number: 32956
References: <>
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:45:28 -0500
Subject: Re: CryoNet #32951 - #32953
From: Freeposity <>

On Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 4:00 AM, CryoNet <> wrote:
Message #32952
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2010 08:45:14 -0700
Subject: Future Fatigue
From: MARK PLUS <>

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of "Future Shock"

http://bigthink.com/ideas/24533

>I can see why Toffler's book might have impressed people in 1970 for a
>week or two as something insightful, radical or edgy.

>I don't see why it has that reputation now. I turn 51 next month, and
>nothing in my life has given me "future shock," mainly because of all
>the fraudulent promises of technological transformations I've heard
>since my childhood. (And you know what I refer to.)


Fraudulent? Isn't that a bit hyperbolic? Surely some predictions were
overly optimistic but others have been too conservative. For example,
I'm holding a device that has more computing power than the world had
when I was born. I can put it in my pocket, I can call just about
anyone on the planet. It can tell me my location, can plan a trip,
take a picture or a movie or a audio recording, become a compass, help
me to identify birds. I can put a staggering amount of music on it for
my listening pleasure or I can put books on it to read. I can find
obscure items and purchase them. I can identify specific stars in the
sky by just pointing it at them. I can also speak into it and have it
translate my words into other languages in audible speech.

I have an implanted cardio defibrillator in my chest. It constantly
monitors my heart and wirelessly communicates with my doctors. They
send me reports on the status of my heart and when I go into their
office they can actually change the rhythm of my heart.

Many cars now automatically call for help when they've been in an
accident. Google has been testing cars that drive themselves.

Over 500 exoplanets have been discovered.

I could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. Just because we
don't have flying cars yet or aren't living on the moon it doesn't
follow that prior claims are fraudulent, merely mistaken or misguided.
In many cases it's more a matter of people not pursuiing the goals
than a matter of the technology not being feasible.

Of course for people like us, future shock is not likely to happen.
But for the common person they get over it rather quickly and embrace
the tech when it becomes a reailty.



-- 
Money isn't speech.
A Corporation isn't a person.
http://www.movetoamend.org/

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