July 20, 1969

My dad was so proud that he setup a kitchen chair in front of our TV to steady the camera on and snapped a Polaroid picture of the first foot steps, it still resides in our family photo album. We've come a tremendously long way since then with our technology and are only just scratching the surface, I'm very much looking forward to NASA 2024 mission to get us back to the moon and then beyond.

PGlaves said:

Simply think about this: My parents were both born in 1900. (I was adopted at birth when they were 45.) They lived into the 1980s and 1990s. They lived from the horse and buggy era (my grandfather built buggies) until well after we put men on the moon and all of those things like the Wright Brothers too in between, in a single lifetime. They got to see cars, airplanes, and space ships. I am now 75 and I got to see TV, computers, Internet hackers, and a Wonderwheel on a motorcycle. And we tout our progress. I don't actually think so. I think we are laggards and dullards in comparison. YMMV.

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Paul,
My grandparents were born in the late 1890's and saw all the things you mention. I gave the eulogy at my grandmother's funeral and reminded the audience that her generation had seen more changes (both good and bad), progress, wars, and accomplishments than any generation before them. However, I think I've seen a lot of progress in our generation's time.

We have avoided another world war for 75 years where as it was just over 20 years between WWI and WWII. As we all know, WWIII would use nuclear weapons and there wouldn't be much left of the world.

"Computers" understates the significance of computing technology. The vast majority of the world is now connected to the Internet and can access and share ideas and information in ways that were wild science fiction as late as the 1950's. As has been said, the Internet changed everything: information flows, commerce of all kinds, how people work, sources of news (and lies), our sense of place and community. We are having this discussion only because of the Internet.

Computing power has also made all kinds of smart devices possible. Certainly some uses are frivolous, but computing power makes modern internal combustion engines possible which produce hundreds of horsepower from only 2 liters, and get 30 to 40 mpg doing so. Traction control systems and advanced safety equipment in many forms of transportation require computers. Many modern aircraft can only fly because of computers. The world wide cell phone network is really a big computer network and the smart phones we use are handheld computers.

Further, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data analytics are already profoundly changing our world. We are gaining critical knowledge from massive data stores which in the past were incomprehensible. Doctors now have systems to help with diagnosis and treatment that in ways are "smarter" then they are. AI provides information so we can make better decisions. AI makes self-driving cars possible, and although not yet fully developed it seems pretty clear that technology will go main-stream within the next five to ten years.

AI has, is, and will also power advances in medicine. Watson and Crick were credited with discovering DNA in the '50's. In the last couple of decades, modern research has allowed us to map the entire human genome and identify many parts which affect our potential for disease, and therefore provide tools for treatments. Much of the current research for a Novel Coronavirus vaccine wouldn't be possible without our knowledge of DNA and RNA. Other areas of medical treatment are saving lives every day: micro surgery (low invasiveness), laser and robotic surgery, 3D printed prosthetics, DNA and radiation-based cancer treatments, MRI and CAT scan technology - far beyond X-Rays. From my perspective the human race has made incredible progress in medicine. Although life expectancy in the US have dropped in recent years for other reasons, much of the world is seeing increases due to modern medical knowledge.

As a species we have started to turn the tide in destroying the ability of our planet to support us, and many other life forms. There are now laws and regulations which would have been incomprehensible in the 1950's. I'm not a tree-huger, per se, but I do believe it's short sighed to pee into your own pool, and now we have knowledge and systems to help us make better decisions.

There are many more things I can think of which are examples of major "progress" which have happened since the 1950's and 1960's. Unfortunately, progress is uneven, but, overall, I think we have a lot to show, and have positioned future generations to do even more.

GREGFEELER said:

Although life expectancy in the US have dropped in recent years for other reasons, much of the world is seeing increases due to modern medical knowledge.

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Considering that drop in life expectancy correlates to income level....................I think you've just proved the validity of Mr. Glaves opinion.

36654 said:

Considering that drop in life expectancy correlates to income level....................I think you've just proved the validity of Mr. Glaves opinion.

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My read of Paul's comments were they were more comprehensive then just health care. There certainly is correlation between income and care levels in the US, but there are other factors as well. Further, I did say that progress was uneven, and I would pick health care inputs and outputs (costs and life expectancy) as the area most in need of improvement. But, even the "lower" level of care some associate with lower incomes today is still far advanced over the best care in 1955. This not withstanding, I still believe we have made tremendous progress overall in the last 75 years.

GREGFEELER said:

My read of Paul's comments were they were more comprehensive then just health care. There certainly is correlation between income and care levels in the US, but there are other factors as well. Further, I did say that progress was uneven, and I would pick health care inputs and outputs (costs and life expectancy) as the area most in need of improvement. But, even the "lower" level of care some associate with lower incomes today is still far advanced over the best care in 1955. This not withstanding, I still believe we have made tremendous progress overall in the last 75 years.

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Just picking on you.................But 1955 predated Medicare. As such, that was an era of fairly rudimentary healthcare.

36654 said:

Just picking on you.................But 1955 predated Medicare. As such, that was an era of fairly rudimentary healthcare.

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Hehe - you are making my point.

GREGFEELER said:

Hehe - you are making my point.

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Relative to a poo throwing chimpanzee, even I can be considered an achievement..

36654 said:

Relative to a poo throwing chimpanzee, even I can be considered an achievement..

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The one observation I've made about poo throwing primates is at least you know clearly their opinion at the time.