From: haradon@acsu.buffalo.edu
Date: Mon Sep 28 1998 - 10:36:57 MDT
>> > if I was arguing Robin's case I know what I'd say, change is slowing
>> > down. Even in technologically advanced parts of the world the change
>> in
>> > daily life between 1899 and 1949 was greater than between 1949 and
>> > 1999.
>>
>> I agree with almost all of your points. There is no single invention or
>>
>> scientific discovery since 1949 that has been as transformative as any
>> of the
>> other ones you mentioned prior to 1949.
How do you know? You would have to take surveys of people alive from 1899 to
1949 (taking the surveys in 1949) and compare that to surveys of people
alive from 1949 until now. First time I used the internet, it was amazing,
but I don't gasp in amazement every single time I log on today. If someone
asked me if the internet changed my life, I'd say probably, but it's a
routine thing now and I'm accustomed to it. If you asked people about cars
or planes or radios in 1949, they'd probably say about the same thing. It's
hard to define what constitutes a real change in daily life because people
become accustomed to things so quickly. In 50 years when I can cook up a new
pair of shoes in my assembler for 25 cents, I probably won't think much of
it because it will be the fifth time I've used it that day.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Zeb Haradon
my web page:
http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~haradon
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