Technology has allowed for nearly every aspect of life to move
faster, which is generally a good thing. Information can be retrieved
immediately through the Internet, documents can be sent immediately, and
pay checks can be deposited without even a trip to the bank. Microwaves
have saved families an infinitesimal amount of time when preparing
dinner, and laundry chores have been greatly quickened thanks to the
invention of washing machines.
Myriads of other examples can be listed, affecting nearly every aspect of life. The increased pace started over a hundred years ago in the Industrial Age, but the digital computerized era of the past three decades has exacerbated it to an even greater degree.
In the last thirty years, since computer use became rampant, some aspects have actually slowed instead of quickened. Here are seven common ways in which society has slowed down during this otherwise era of immediacy.
1. The pace of Major League baseball games has slowed from an average of two and a half hours in 1985 to over three hours in 2012. The powers that be have recently turned to technology to quicken the pace but, ironically enough, that has led to an even slower pace because of the technologically-enhanced video review.
2. The procedure of getting through the airport to your plane has greatly slowed, thanks to increased security measures undertaken by the government.
3. The act of making right hand turns has slowed considerably, a fact of which all commuters are regrettably aware. The main reason is that people are driving bigger vehicles (SUVs, vans, monster pickup trucks) while driveways and entrances have remained the same size.
4. The NBA draft used to take a half hour back in the early days after its conception. Now, thanks to broadcast media and advertisers, the selection process lingers for several days.
5. Garbage procedures have slowed since the world has become more conscious of the environment. Three decades ago homeowners simply placed all trash in one container, whereas now they have to separate it into bins for paper, plastic, aluminum cans and even compost.
6. Because they are so technologically burdened, TVs are slower coming back on after a power outage or electrical surge. In the days of analog, the set immediately returned to whichever of the four networks you were watching. After cable and satellite, now the boxes take several minutes to reconnect you to whichever of the 400 channels you were tuned to.
7. Also slowing during the past three decades is the pace of recording albums. The Beatles released five albums in 1964 and then four more in 1965. They never went more than one year between albums, nor did the Rolling Stones for the first ten years of their existence. Since 1985, though, fans are lucky of their favorite artists release even three album in a decade. The artists Beck, who won the Grammy for album of the year in 2014, had last made an album in 2010. A favorite to win the same category this year, the band Spoon with their album They Want My Soul, last made a record in 2010.
Myriads of other examples can be listed, affecting nearly every aspect of life. The increased pace started over a hundred years ago in the Industrial Age, but the digital computerized era of the past three decades has exacerbated it to an even greater degree.
In the last thirty years, since computer use became rampant, some aspects have actually slowed instead of quickened. Here are seven common ways in which society has slowed down during this otherwise era of immediacy.
1. The pace of Major League baseball games has slowed from an average of two and a half hours in 1985 to over three hours in 2012. The powers that be have recently turned to technology to quicken the pace but, ironically enough, that has led to an even slower pace because of the technologically-enhanced video review.
2. The procedure of getting through the airport to your plane has greatly slowed, thanks to increased security measures undertaken by the government.
3. The act of making right hand turns has slowed considerably, a fact of which all commuters are regrettably aware. The main reason is that people are driving bigger vehicles (SUVs, vans, monster pickup trucks) while driveways and entrances have remained the same size.
4. The NBA draft used to take a half hour back in the early days after its conception. Now, thanks to broadcast media and advertisers, the selection process lingers for several days.
5. Garbage procedures have slowed since the world has become more conscious of the environment. Three decades ago homeowners simply placed all trash in one container, whereas now they have to separate it into bins for paper, plastic, aluminum cans and even compost.
6. Because they are so technologically burdened, TVs are slower coming back on after a power outage or electrical surge. In the days of analog, the set immediately returned to whichever of the four networks you were watching. After cable and satellite, now the boxes take several minutes to reconnect you to whichever of the 400 channels you were tuned to.
7. Also slowing during the past three decades is the pace of recording albums. The Beatles released five albums in 1964 and then four more in 1965. They never went more than one year between albums, nor did the Rolling Stones for the first ten years of their existence. Since 1985, though, fans are lucky of their favorite artists release even three album in a decade. The artists Beck, who won the Grammy for album of the year in 2014, had last made an album in 2010. A favorite to win the same category this year, the band Spoon with their album They Want My Soul, last made a record in 2010.
