Just normal midlife? Or does the world sometimes feel unrecognizable to anyone else?

[Anonymous]

I agree that the world is hard to understand now. There are things/people that are obviously fake or evil and masses of people follow like lemmings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Although I am a bit younger (40), I actually completely disagree about technology and world events being less predictable or understandable now than 20-30 years ago. In my opinion, things are moving SLOWER in many ways than they were back then.

1990s: We literally went from many people never having TOUCHED a computer to most families having one at home. We went from having to ask your neighbor for advice or waiting for the daily paper or nightly news to having information constantly at our fingertips in the form of the internet.

2000s: september 11? Was that predictable? Smartphones as powerful as a computer from a few years earlier, tablets, going from physical media to streaming and cloud-based services?

2010s: I feel like all the tech trends from the previous 20 years just continued accelerating. But where is the real new technology? Where is the groundbreaking, "difficult to grasp" tech that OP is talking about???

9/11 was predictable. Not only in the intel community, but anyone paying attention in 1993. It was just the second attempt that was successful.

[Anonymous]

I’m also late 40s. What makes my head spin is just how much stuff Americans have now and how much of it is just constantly new. Food, clothes, tech, home appliances, there’s so much more choice than there was 40 years ago, and people have more of it, and they are replacing it more often. That, combined with the population growth and what we now know about climate change, just makes me feel like the world is spinning faster and faster in a consumption vortex. And it’s not just the US—you go to any other country and they now have pretty much all the same crap we do. We have bought the world a Coke: and then some. It all makes me feel just a little disoriented and like we are speeding to end days.
But maybe that’s just me being old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although I am a bit younger (40), I actually completely disagree about technology and world events being less predictable or understandable now than 20-30 years ago. In my opinion, things are moving SLOWER in many ways than they were back then.

1990s: We literally went from many people never having TOUCHED a computer to most families having one at home. We went from having to ask your neighbor for advice or waiting for the daily paper or nightly news to having information constantly at our fingertips in the form of the internet.

2000s: september 11? Was that predictable? Smartphones as powerful as a computer from a few years earlier, tablets, going from physical media to streaming and cloud-based services?

2010s: I feel like all the tech trends from the previous 20 years just continued accelerating. But where is the real new technology? Where is the groundbreaking, "difficult to grasp" tech that OP is talking about???

You're thinking about technology like a boomer. It's not necessarily something physical that you buy and hold in your hand. The biggest innovations of the last two decades were embedded for use within the existing devices you own and has changed how we interact with the world. Uber, for example. AirBnB. Amazon Prime. Instagram. And it's not just those identifiable apps and user interfaces, but also the stuff you don't see.

All those applications were foreseen more or less in the dot.com Utopia vision, it just took 15 years too actually work. Sure the “gig” economy nature of ordering a taxi or hotel by an internet device may be a new wrinkle, but we had jitney cab service and house rentals long before that. Amazon Prime, hello it’s just fast delivery Amazon. Instagram is essentially a pictures only GeoCities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although I am a bit younger (40), I actually completely disagree about technology and world events being less predictable or understandable now than 20-30 years ago. In my opinion, things are moving SLOWER in many ways than they were back then.

1990s: We literally went from many people never having TOUCHED a computer to most families having one at home. We went from having to ask your neighbor for advice or waiting for the daily paper or nightly news to having information constantly at our fingertips in the form of the internet.

2000s: september 11? Was that predictable? Smartphones as powerful as a computer from a few years earlier, tablets, going from physical media to streaming and cloud-based services?

2010s: I feel like all the tech trends from the previous 20 years just continued accelerating. But where is the real new technology? Where is the groundbreaking, "difficult to grasp" tech that OP is talking about???

You're thinking about technology like a boomer. It's not necessarily something physical that you buy and hold in your hand. The biggest innovations of the last two decades were embedded for use within the existing devices you own and has changed how we interact with the world. Uber, for example. AirBnB. Amazon Prime. Instagram. And it's not just those identifiable apps and user interfaces, but also the stuff you don't see.

All those applications were foreseen more or less in the dot.com Utopia vision, it just took 15 years too actually work. Sure the “gig” economy nature of ordering a taxi or hotel by an internet device may be a new wrinkle, but we had jitney cab service and house rentals long before that. Amazon Prime, hello it’s just fast delivery Amazon. Instagram is essentially a pictures only GeoCities.

Agree. They're simply new uses with the same technology. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy about it but often convenience-related.

I'm 47 and don't feel the same as OP. I wish things were further along and everything is too recognizable.

Social media has made us into a bunch of a-holes though. Or, at least revealed that we are a-holes.

[Anonymous]

I don't feel like the world has changed more drastically now than before. When I think of the 1900's they had so much change with cars, technology (introduction of TV, internet), space travel, world wars, Spanish Flu pandemic, great depression etc. I don't feel like today is changing that much.

I feel like most of the issues of the world are still here today such as climate change, political issues eg Israel/Palestine. For me what has changed the most today is technology. I mean even with space travel not much has been done since the moon landing in 1969 some 52 years ago. We are still orbiting around our tiny rock although the Hubble telescope has given a more in-depth understanding of what's beyond us. It took 8 years to get to the moon and some 52 years later we are barely able to get to Mars. So now we are organising space tourism into orbit and return so it seems like space travel has pretty much finished.

What I do feel has changed dramatically for me is the pandemic. Where I felt my life was fairly predictable before now I don't know. I feel like the world has changed in ways I don't yet understand or see. The easy traveling of yesterday seems gone. There is fear in society, it seems more depressing and harsh. Perhaps that's just me and it will go in time but although the rest of the world still seems to have it's issues that have been going on for eons, for me the world seems a different place all due to COVID.

Perhaps because its technology changing so drastically now and that is all contained in a small device, it feels like the world has stagnated but the online world has exploded. The online world isn't always a positive one and so I feel unsure of the future and how unkind humans will evolve to be.

[Anonymous]

The rise of Trump — and the fact that so many Americans are stupid/naive/racist/(fill in the word) enough to follow him — is without question the most stunning and disappointing development of my late-50s lifetime and I will go to my grave wondering how it happened in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

Wow! European arrogance is real! Do you still live there or here? If here, why?

I live here. Why? To feel superior, of course. If you had stellar K-12 and university systems, you'd understand, just like my economics teacher explained in high school.

The truth is, you are here to make money because you can’t in your own country. That’s usually why Europeans move here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

Just wow . . .

No one cares. Go back to Europe where you can surround yourself with equally well-educated jerks.

I don't think European education is so stellar, especially since a 41 year old like yourself seems to forget what the American contributions were during WWII. Interesting how those uncouth, uneducated American oafs managed to die by the droves so you can now sit here in arrogant judgement.

No one’s said anything against American contributions in WWII; they don’t have to be mentioned every single time Americans and Europe are discussed. Thinking that they do is what is arrogant.

(For the record, though, they are extensively taught to Europeans, especially the French.)

[Anonymous]

Sometimes I take a step back and think about how different things are than when I was a kid. Some of it is bad (Trump, global warming) but other things are good. Growing up I didn't know anyone with (out of the closet) gay parents and the idea of gay marriage being legal was just a glimmer in some activist's eye. And now have made so many strides for LGBTQ rights (although there is more to go!!!). And even though I hate how addicted we are all to iphones, they are pretty amazing! I remember when my scientist dad would take me into work with him to see a Cray computer that took up an entire room. Now my iphone that fits in my pocket is probably more powerful than that computer was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

Just wow . . .

No one cares. Go back to Europe where you can surround yourself with equally well-educated jerks.

I don't think European education is so stellar, especially since a 41 year old like yourself seems to forget what the American contributions were during WWII. Interesting how those uncouth, uneducated American oafs managed to die by the droves so you can now sit here in arrogant judgement.

No one’s said anything against American contributions in WWII; they don’t have to be mentioned every single time Americans and Europe are discussed. Thinking that they do is what is arrogant.

(For the record, though, they are extensively taught to Europeans, especially the French.)

I would hope that it would be taught to the French, who have a very romanticized view of the resistance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although I am a bit younger (40), I actually completely disagree about technology and world events being less predictable or understandable now than 20-30 years ago. In my opinion, things are moving SLOWER in many ways than they were back then.

1990s: We literally went from many people never having TOUCHED a computer to most families having one at home. We went from having to ask your neighbor for advice or waiting for the daily paper or nightly news to having information constantly at our fingertips in the form of the internet.

2000s: september 11? Was that predictable? Smartphones as powerful as a computer from a few years earlier, tablets, going from physical media to streaming and cloud-based services?

2010s: I feel like all the tech trends from the previous 20 years just continued accelerating. But where is the real new technology? Where is the groundbreaking, "difficult to grasp" tech that OP is talking about???

9/11 was predictable. Not only in the intel community, but anyone paying attention in 1993. It was just the second attempt that was successful.

9/11 wasn't predictable, and the intel community didn't predict it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although I am a bit younger (40), I actually completely disagree about technology and world events being less predictable or understandable now than 20-30 years ago. In my opinion, things are moving SLOWER in many ways than they were back then.

1990s: We literally went from many people never having TOUCHED a computer to most families having one at home. We went from having to ask your neighbor for advice or waiting for the daily paper or nightly news to having information constantly at our fingertips in the form of the internet.

2000s: september 11? Was that predictable? Smartphones as powerful as a computer from a few years earlier, tablets, going from physical media to streaming and cloud-based services?

2010s: I feel like all the tech trends from the previous 20 years just continued accelerating. But where is the real new technology? Where is the groundbreaking, "difficult to grasp" tech that OP is talking about???

You're thinking about technology like a boomer. It's not necessarily something physical that you buy and hold in your hand. The biggest innovations of the last two decades were embedded for use within the existing devices you own and has changed how we interact with the world. Uber, for example. AirBnB. Amazon Prime. Instagram. And it's not just those identifiable apps and user interfaces, but also the stuff you don't see.

Agree. Just because the 2010's "tech developments" aren't necessarily each headline-makers in the same way as Sept 11 (what is?), doesn't mean that recent changes, collectively, do not have a huge impact. I think that the rise in the ubiquity of smartphones, the political/commercial exploitation of internet activity, and the way that a whole generation is growing up on social media will actually have much more profound effects than two planes flying into the twin towers (horrifying as that was).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

So you’re perfectly preparing your children for success in a world with unknown technology (because it hasn’t been invented yet) and some degree of climate change, possibly catastrophic. Ok sure.

[Anonymous]

Im with you op. I’m 46 and it is almost hard to process. Here are a few of my wows:

My teens will never understand the amazing ness Uber. It is wild to me that we had to stand on a street corner and just…hope a taxi came along and we would be the lucky ones to hail it down.

That we went to a store to rent videos and could only watch them if someone else did not already have it (unless it was in the “just retuned” box!)

That literally any item you want can be at your door tomorrow and say want you want about Bezos but Amazon changed how the whole world does retail.

That all knowledge on random topics used to be accessed with encyclopedias, so hopefully you had a set less than five years old.

That we had to use a landline to set a place to meet someone and then be there bc there were no cell phones.

I have so many more but the world is so different. What is amazing also is the changes are attributed to a handful of companies and innovations.