The lecture today was really interesting because it brought up a lot of things that I really take for granted. I never question why we follow time zones, or why we have standard time. I take for granted the fact that I can visit my family without having to take a several month long boat journey across the ocean, I can just sit in an airplane for 16 hours and be on the opposite side of the world. I never really think about how instantly I am able to talk to my family in Korea, or how I’m able to see them and hear their voices even though we are on opposite sides of the Earth. The whole concept of time and space has been distorted for me since I was very young. It’s really hard to imagine a life without inventions that I have always had, such as a camera, telephone, phonograph, or any other tool used to capture moments in time or to overcome time or space barriers.
The only thing I can really compare to this is how the invention of smartphones and tablets changed the world when I was old enough to witness it happening. I remember when the first iphone came out, people were astonished because it allowed everyone to carry a small computer in their pockets, making an entire world of knowledge instantly accessible. This was a brand new thing back then that people could have only imagined before, and it has affected almost every single aspect of daily life now in modern countries. I almost don’t even have to think anymore because I have my phone with me at all times to do simple functions for me.