Who watched the Jetsons? If you say yes to that question then we are of a similar age or you are a real geek. If you say “no” then google it – and that simple statement “google it” is what this blog is about – technology today. No one told me I’d have Google in the 2000s but they did promise me a flying car. Google flying cars and you will see many interesting ideas – but nothing that is going to practically get me to Scotland quicker for my holiday or ease that commute into the city – have a look at this blog – 1960s | Alexandru Duta – he is saying the same thing.
But we do have a lot of other toys – the car I drive would amaze my grandfather with all the gadgets it has. He was pleased when his new car had an automatic choke! The computer I am typing on right now – the iPhone in my pocket – the control for the house lights and heating when we are out – the list goes on and on.
Now there is one thing we do have that I would swap the flying car for – electronic books. I love reading and just like Oscar Gordon I need to read something before I go to sleep (obscure 1960s literary reference and I do not care). Once upon a time that meant a pile of paperbacks. My Dad and I used to go to jumble sales to buy cheap sci-fi books. I bought new and second-hand books at a small bookshop in London because they would take the books I had read as trade-ins. When our library started stocking the latest paperbacks (we’d read most of the sci-fi they had on the shelves) that was a good day for my Dad and me.
Now comes the problem. In 1985 I went travelling in Europe and books then became an issue. Long train rides are the perfect time to read, but how to pack them in a rucksack that was already pretty full – the “Europe on $5 a Day” and the “European Train Timetable” printed on bible paper were already bulky. Add to that the books I thought I might like to read and things were getting out of control – so I only took a couple of smaller books and hoped for the best.
I had to use many strategies to cope:
- Swapping books at Youth Hostels or with other travelers on the train
- Finding an English language bookshop in the current city – that was the first time (but not the last time) I visited Shakespeare and Company in Paris (Friends of Shakespeare and Company | Friends of Shakespeare and Company).
- Reading things twice
- Reading books I would not normally have chosen (both a good and a bad point)
- However I did not have to read the contents of a cereal packet to get my fix (another obscure literary reference – still do not care)
Today it is not a problem – we live in the age of ebooks, Kindles, pdf books and instant purchases and downloads.
No timetables, country or city guides needed, just use the internet.
Today I would just take my iPhone and ebooks (other brands of smartphone are available).
I would like a flying car though…
Clive
p.s. (caption for the photo) “1960s flying cars”
