Consider the history of human civilization. For the first few thousands of years, we had almost no technological movement at all. We had wheels, simple farming tools and fire, and we made the most out of them to subsist. It was only in the last 300 years or so that our world has begun to make huge advances in technology. And the greatest of our advances have happened in only the last 100 years. How lucky we are as a people to be living in these times!

Just think of it. We could have been living in the middle ages, when people were drawn and quartered for suggesting that the Earth rotated the Sun and not the other way around. We could have been living in the early ages when life was all about survival and conquest. In those times, comfort was something saved for kings and queens, and even then, comfort was relative.

Instead, we have seen amazing advances during our lifetimes! When I was born, televisions were brand new and all were black and white. Just a few years before, people had only had radios. In my lifetime, we broke the speed of sound, left the confines of Earth for the first time, walked on the Moon for the first time.

In my lifetime, LPs became 8 tracks, then cassettes, and then CDs. We went from board games, dominos and cards to the Wii, MMORPGs and PSPs. In my lifetime, we moved from manual typewriters to electric typewriters, to Selectrics, to computers. We still use the same keyboard configuration, but now it’s often split down the middle for ergonomic reasons.

In my lifetime, we’ve landed on Mars, we’ve flown to Saturn and Neptune, we’ve discovered a planet and decommissioned a planet. In my lifetime, we’ve mapped the human genome, we’ve cloned sheep and cats and dogs. We’ve gone from AM mono to FM stereo. We’ve invented surround sound and iMax theater.

And so much more…

How lucky we are to be here to experience this! Think of all you’ve seen in your lifetime and just imagine what it might be like in the future. The next 50 years are sure to be as exciting as the last 50. I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Stumble It!