I got to thinking about the article recently that talked about how Google was creating a self-navigating car. What has struck me when I talk about it with people, they are universally scared of the prospect. I’m not mocking them either, I don’t think such a prospect is without risks, but my first thought is, “Humans don’t exactly have a flawless track record when it comes to driving.”
The way I look at, my kids could very likely be shocked and amused that we would ever be more scared of a machine that can simultaneously monitor all directions for movement and run calculations about its velocity and whatnot over a person who can only look in one direction, who is listening to the radio, who is thinking about what he or she needs at the grocery store, etc.
So, looking back, what kinds of technology, new philosophies, medical procedures, etc. were feared by contemporaries, but now seem quaint to us?
PS: I started another thread for things that our kids will look back on and wonder about us.
When the raildroad was first introduced, people were concerned that the mindboggling speed of 40mph might hurt the human body - why, we’re simply not built for such hellish speeds!
Of course ol’ Sputnik raised quite a stir. Yes, the satellite’s source had a lot to do with that but it is amusing given our knowledge of satellite capabilities now to think that such an antiquated, harmless little space basketball caused such widespread concern.
Interracial marriage? Plenty of people were afraid that “they” were going to marry “our” daughters and raise “mongrels” until no one could tell the races apart. Of course the funny thing is they were largely right about those “consequences”; it’s just that most people don’t care anymore.
I’ve always heard this but wondered how true it was. Before cars and trains people rode horses which average around 30mph running and can easily close in on 40mph sprinting.