Finding Inspiration from the Past
Blackberries, computers, and iPhones. Technology moves forward, and I wonder whether we are left behind.
I’m always amazed when I think about the accomplishments of previous generations – you know, the ones that didn’t have a computer. How did they do it? And what can we learn from them?
When I read technology blogs, productivity gadgets pique my interest. Blackberries perpetually connect us as constant communication is now a requirement for many jobs. I used to laugh at doctors with their pagers. Now, I’d rather be the one with the pager instead of an email-enabled leash.
Phones can edit and view documents, ensuring that not one minute of time is wasted. If only we could use electronic devices during take-off and landing, we could fully maximize our time.
Mission Control at Nasa
Or could we?
I love computers. Heck, Apollo 11 didn’t have as much computing power as my living room. But you know what? Those guys made it to the moon. Some days, I don’t even make it outside. We can learn a lot from the generations before us, without fancy gadgets and computers, making possible the impossible.
Many prolific writers still pound out first drafts on a typewriter.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. moved an entire nation without access to the blogosphere or YouTube.
Einstein didn’t have a MacBook Pro.
Sure, some technology is necessary, as a matter of formality. Some schools require laptops for all incoming students. But we should never be trapped in the mindset that limited technology means limited potential. Da Vinci would agree.
The human mind is powerful. And it’s powerful without the aid of a computer. Use technology to enhance what you can already accomplish. But don’t use technology as an excuse for not getting something done.
Look to the past and find inspiration – Gandhi, King Jr., Michelangelo, Gauss, and Jefferson. See how much they accomplished with so little. In the internet age, we have so many tools that they didn’t have. There is no reason that we cannot achieve equally impressive feats.
