Progress reaches for sky
computing power. We would be employed in a paperless office and arriving at work via jet packs. I know they exist. I’ve seen one in action. It was at a grand final once and some guy flew from one side of the MCG to the other.
The noise was worse than a pregame Meat Loaf, and I wondered at the time . . .
“If everybody had one of these, and we were all flying to work at the same time . . . wouldn’t that be a louder, more dangerous environment than the one that we inhabit today?”
Maybe that’s progress. Noise plus disruption may equal propulsion.
The industrial revolution ushered in a cacophony of rapid development. Factories belched into the air and polluted the waterways.
When the motor car started to be mass produced, lanes were replaced with asphalt and manure was substituted for monoxide.
The shape and smell of progress has not changed very much over time. The freeways are not overflowing with Teslas and some conservative politicians are still committed to reigniting decommissioned coal power stations.
But this week on the horizon, the concept of personal flight and transportation began to appear again. Uber did a deal with NASA. They’re developing the “tech” to manage the personal flight paths and the potential aero-engineering needed for a flying taxi service. Yes. This is wild. This is the future. And because it is being developed by Uber, it is going to be a massive disruption to their own original disruption.
History tells us that because it is progress, people will object.
They will ignore the current road toll figures and claim that flying cars are just too dangerous.
No doubt some will demand a man with a red flag must walk in front of the flying taxi in order to warn the drivers on conventional roads.
But it’s exciting that this is being discussed. It’s a terrific time to be alive. This is yet another 21st century moment in history when we can say: “Wow. I never thought I would live to see the day . . . We are one step closer to a paperless office.” Ross Mueller is a freelance writer and columnist