“I’ve come up with a set of rules that describe our
reactions to technologies,” writes Douglas Adams in The Salmon of Doubt.
“One, anything that is in the world when you’re born is
normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.” For
me, this includes the automobile, the telephone, television, credit cards,
magic markers, WD-40, bubble wrap, Spandex and weather satellites.
“Two, anything that’s invented between when you’re fifteen
and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get
a career in it.” This is really dating me, but my list includes MRI, GPS, GUI, email,
Post-It Notes, UPC, iPod, and the Space Shuttle.
“Three, anything invented after you’re thirty-five is
against the natural order of things.” This is a much shorter list: cloning,
Netflix, drones, hybrid cars, self-driving cars, flat screens, DVDs, ISS,
blogging, Bitcoin, Facebook and YouTube. What would your three lists look like?
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