Douglas Adams on Our Reactions to Technology
A previous manager of mine quoted Douglas Adams’ when talking about the different reactions we have to new technology. I find this is especially relevant given the rise of blockchain technology.
I’ve come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:
- Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
- Anything that’s invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
- Anything invented after you’re thirty-five is against the natural order of things.