There’s an old saying, “May you live in interesting times.” Well, we are definitely living in one of the most interesting times in known history. Is it the best time? That is a matter of opinion, and perspective. Technology has always been the product of civilization. Generally speaking, humans are technological creatures and everything we do is somehow influenced by our desire to reinvent the wheel. What is different about our times, as opposed to the past, is the speed of refinement. Before our modern age, it might take decades for new ideas to take hold. Today, change happens at the push of a button. By the time a new model takes hold it is already being replaced by another. Is this a good thing? I’m not always happy about it, but I believe so.

Oftentimes, we confuse refinement with change. Have airplanes fundamentally changed since, the Wright brothers? Absolutely not, but wow, have they ever been refined. Wilbur and Orville could scarcely imagine what their invention would look like 100 years after Kittyhawk, even though the fundamentals of flight are essentially the same. It is no different with computers, cell phones, televisions. Refinement is superficial change. Comparatively, true change still takes a great deal of time. We may love a particular model of car, or maybe, you are impatiently waiting for the latest electric vehicle to emerge, but electric cars are just as old as gas powered cars. Refinements move along at breakneck speeds: they always have and they always will, but a truly new idea is still a rare thing. Children, and adults too, need to understand the difference.