Doing my research on Vinted, before listing my products, I often come across a lot of items from the past that makes me smile. Not because those are silly (or maybe they are today), but because it makes me realize how much life has changed, evolved.
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Last week I accidentally came across a plastic board that served as a To Do List. It was literally made of plastic, you could write the list of things to do on it with a marker, then move a switch (made of plastic as well) that covered or revealed a green check mark or a red X, in case the thing was not done.
This was new to me, I've never seen one as when I was a kid, or a teenager, we used a piece of paper, or later post-it notes. Today we have a great variety of downloadable, or built-in apps for free, that let you track everything you want with maximum precision. It can even analyze your progress, if you want.
Photo by Donny Jiang on Unsplash
About two weeks ago I was cleaning one of my study drawers and came across a small notebook, that was sitting in my drawer for years. Of course I opened it, to see what to do with it, as sensitive information can't end up in the garbage bin just like that and was surprised to see what kind of information the notebook was designed for.
Name was first of course, followed by the phone section, divided between mobile and landline. Landline? Who is using landline these days at home? Why would you use one when everyone has their mobile phone? Then came the address section. This made me think of how much information we don't know because those are on need to know bases. Address? No. These days you don't show up on the doorsteps of anyone, without a previous invite. You don't send letters or postcards anymore either, so you don't need to know their address.
Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash
A few months ago, I was watching a series in which the lead actor, a detective lady was surprised by the serial killer she was chasing. The serial killer tied her to the chair with her hands behind her back, classic technique, nothing spectacular till here. She has been trained for situations like this, she knew a thing or two about escaping, so she took her keys out of her back pocket and started cutting the rope or whatever she wad tied up with.
Now let's skip the keys in her back pocket part as no lady is going to place her keys in her back pocket, I can guarantee you that, not to mention a detective is not going to carry her house or office keys to a dangerous mission. What I was thinking was that even if you have your keys, the keys we have today are not knurled, these have a pattern printed on them at best, or you have a key card, so saving your life by cutting the rope, cable or duct tape you're tied with your keys is out of the question.
Photo by Corentin LE LEANNEC on Unsplash
This morning I saw a bracelet containing a watch, that was a high end accessory when I was a teenager. Back in those days, I'd have given everything to have one, but this piece of elegant jewellery would have been a bit too much for a teenage girl.
Today when I saw it, my first reaction was a smile and the second, I was thinking, it's just a watch, it only shows the time. Back when these bracelets were luxury pieces, everyone would have told me that I lost my mind as what do I want a watch to show? It was designed for the sole purpose of showing time, but those times are long gone and watches are small computers these days, or personal assistants or call them whatever you want.
The expectations are high these days, you want to have everything displayed on that screen, from messages, market status, to pulse rate and so on, not to mention the contactless feature used to pay at POS.
A few years ago I saw a James Bong movie, that had Sir Roger George Moore as lead actor. Before one of his missions, he was presented with the latest surveillance technology, which was a radar hidden in the glove compartment, but if I want to be precise, the radar took up all the space available in the glove compartment. Unfortunately Roger is Moore is not with us anymore, but I'd be curious to know what he thinks of the surveillance equipment spy agencies are using today. I think he would be shocked to say the least.
I could go on endlessly about what we don't use anymore and how far we've come regarding life and technology in general, but the question is, can you anticipate what life is going to be like in 10 years? Am I going to laugh at this post in 10 year?
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