Did You Know? No, but I figured!

The latest Did You Know 4.0 is available and we've been asked to comment on it. Like its predacessors, there are a lot of statistics given in it pertaining to the rapid progress technology has made. While the statistics are remarkable and sometimes, even, jaw-dropping, I can't say, having watched one or two Did You Know videos previously, that I didn't know what to expect (hence, the title of this post). Am I disappointed? Slightly. But, that doesn't mean the video didn't interest me or have value.

Most people have either witnessed or heard about society's technological advancements. We still have a generation amongst us who tells us about the days when they and the people in their neighborhoods first purchased black and white TVs. Many are aware of the fact that the first computer was as big as a room. Most know that the majority of people today own cell phones. We've seen the news reports about the financial failings of newspapers nationwide, who've struggled, in part, due to increased demand for non-printed material. These statistics didn't effect me. I don't want to be pessimistic about the video, so please don't misunderstand. I was impressed by several other figures, but for the most part, it didn't introduce me to anything that I didn't already know or assume.

Thankfully, what videos like this do (or should do) is serve as a humbling reminder that when we think we've advanced, we really have not seen the half of what humans will discover or accomplish around the corner--and that is not even a smidge, if we were to continue at the same astounding rate, of what will become reality 20, 40, or 80 years from now. So, while we older (yes older, even though I'm only 27) folks remember what it was like without the internet, cell phones, and iPods, at least there are still reruns of Saved by the Bell, with Zach and his seemingly 30 pound car phone, to serve as today's youth's crash course in What Things Used To Be Like 101 (well, it at least gives them a slight picture).

Go, check out the Did You Know Videos. Even if you already do know, you'll usually find them quite enlightening and, sometimes, entertaining.