It’s 2024, and a new world has emerged – or more accurately, it’s already here. The pace of change and technological advancement has far exceeded most expectations. Yet, we find ourselves lagging behind the visions of yesteryears. A glance at older movies depicting 2024 reveals a stark contrast between expectation and reality.
The past envisioned us zipping in flying cars, vacationing on the moon, colonizing Mars, and venturing beyond our solar system – all by 2020. Surprisingly, the year 2024 was rarely considered in these futuristic predictions.
Where do we stand today? Our progress since the 1960s, when many of these films were made, seems modest. True, we have touch screen cell phones, voice-activated gadgets, and even battery-powered cars (which, incidentally, predated gasoline cars). However, our advancements pale in comparison to those cinematic dreams.
This brings us to an intriguing question: why haven’t we reached the heights we once dreamt of? Recall the space race to the moon, a period of intense discovery and rapid technological progress. That era gave us satellites and numerous other technologies. Yet, now, it appears we’ve hit a plateau.
Much of today’s research, both in the private and public sectors, seems aimless. Consider the recent study on trees and carbon dioxide absorption. It confirmed the long-known fact that trees reduce atmospheric CO2, but did we need to spend millions to reestablish this? Instead, those funds could have been directed towards enhancing tree growth, potentially doubling our CO2 absorption capacity.
“Advancements don’t just happen. People have to research and work diligently to progress.” But it’s crucial that this effort targets areas needing advancement. For instance, instead of quantifying a tree’s CO2 absorption, why not invest in research to enhance plant growth or develop ocean-based agriculture?
Our focus seems misaligned. Theoretical fields, irrelevant to our immediate needs, receive more attention than practical areas like agriculture in challenging environments. What we need is a new kind of race, akin to the space race, but focused on pressing global issues.
We need races dedicated to solving world hunger, addressing energy inefficiencies, reclaiming unusable land, and accomplishing these goals with minimal government interference. The recent handling of COVID-19 has shown that government involvement doesn’t always equate to progress.
These are just some thoughts from my post-surgery recovery. Stay tuned for a video on this topic in the coming days. Enjoy your day!
