I disagree. Today is amazing in many of the same ways that the 50s and 60s were.
In your pocket you have a device that can connect to a wider network of interconnected devices. Some of those contain hundreds of Libraries of information that is freely available to anybody who wants to know. You can ask a question and experts from around the world can answer. These devices, which used to cost millions of dollars, are now affordable to nearly everybody. This magical web connects billions of people across the world instantaneously.
With all of this information available, we can learn to build cars that drive themselves, or personal fusion reactors, or a "simple" website that connects you to people over a wide geographic area, or get news as it happens from around the world.
The last part struck me after talking to my grandfather about how news spread in his era. He was in the printing business for magazines like Sunset and Time. He said that it was nearly unheard of to get iconic pictures from the source to print any faster than a week. A WEEK! Now we can see what is going on around the world AS IT HAPPENS!
Think about it. When was the last time you personally had to buy a compiler? The last one I bought was Visual C++ 6.0. You can get the tools and the knowledge for building a successful business and career for free. That alone boggles my mind! Fifty years ago you needed a college education and a fat stack of cash to work on the very things we do for pleasure now.
I mean right now I am making an argument with somebody I never met from a coffee shop in California. Doing a little homework (aka, clicking his username) shows me a company he founded that lets customers talk directly to businesses. HOW COOL IS THAT?
A whole generation is growing up that will never know the concept of information scarcity. That in and of itself is mindblowing.
In your pocket you have a device that can connect to a wider network of interconnected devices. Some of those contain hundreds of Libraries of information that is freely available to anybody who wants to know. You can ask a question and experts from around the world can answer. These devices, which used to cost millions of dollars, are now affordable to nearly everybody. This magical web connects billions of people across the world instantaneously.
With all of this information available, we can learn to build cars that drive themselves, or personal fusion reactors, or a "simple" website that connects you to people over a wide geographic area, or get news as it happens from around the world.
The last part struck me after talking to my grandfather about how news spread in his era. He was in the printing business for magazines like Sunset and Time. He said that it was nearly unheard of to get iconic pictures from the source to print any faster than a week. A WEEK! Now we can see what is going on around the world AS IT HAPPENS!
Think about it. When was the last time you personally had to buy a compiler? The last one I bought was Visual C++ 6.0. You can get the tools and the knowledge for building a successful business and career for free. That alone boggles my mind! Fifty years ago you needed a college education and a fat stack of cash to work on the very things we do for pleasure now.
I mean right now I am making an argument with somebody I never met from a coffee shop in California. Doing a little homework (aka, clicking his username) shows me a company he founded that lets customers talk directly to businesses. HOW COOL IS THAT?
A whole generation is growing up that will never know the concept of information scarcity. That in and of itself is mindblowing.