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The ENIAC is as legendary as it was useful. when it was invented in the early part of the 20th century it ushered in a new era, the age of “The Computer” had arrived! Fast forward a few decades to the present and you will see that the world is now vastly different than it was in a time where Vacuum Tubes stood where transistors now roam. Almost every device on the market is “Smart” and with the emergence of the Internet of Things, it will only be a matter of time before every single device on this planet is connected.What does this mean for us as Human Beings? Well, the main benefit is access to an endless flow of information. The world is powered by knowledge and that information is now accessed and stored as data which can be digitized and transferred almost instantly to anyone with access to the web.

The internet has become a utility in homes across the world. Cable TV and landlines have all but been replaced by streaming services and VOIP systems. Virtual and Augmented reality are now hot topics, just take a look at the Pokemon Go craze that’s sweeping the planet. You have people chasing imaginary creatures that only exist as 0’s and 1’s on their smartphones and it’s okay. We now have the ability to don a VR headset and be whisked away to a world that can be anything you desire. No longer are we bound by the inconvenient barrier of reality. We have already mapped and edited genes, implanted chips, and the term cyborg that invaded pop culture with the advent of films such as The Terminator, Robocop, and Universal Soldier now applies to regular people that either need or want to be augmented with electronics and bionics. I read an article the other day about an artist that implanted a device in his skull to replace the color vision that he was born without and another about a person with a battery powered Heart.

“AT SOME POINT, WE WILL ONLY BE TECHNICALLY HUMAN“

I don’t know how to feel about all the changes that are taking place. On one hand, I welcome it, arms wide open but, on the other, I’m a little afraid of what we may become. At some point, we will only be technically human. Whether it’s via implants or augmentations people will become “more”. More smarter, more stronger, more wiser. Only limited by time and money, those who can afford the modifications will benefit, while the rest will sit back and watch (or suffer depending on what path we choose as a race). The most glaring side-effect of our transcendence into Super-Humanity will be our identities or lack thereof. What many people gloss over is that the price we pay to advance our society is our privacy and individuality. There was a time on this planet where cultures flourished in the absence of others. Communities were able to establish their own unique identities and customs even becoming dogmatic in their beliefs and views of the world around them.

We laugh at it today, but there was a time when it was an almost incontrovertible truth that the world was flat and where some people stood in fear and agreement, there were others that held on to their own convictions that their theories were more factually sound than those established by public opinion. These individuals were usually classed as eccentric or crazy, even to the point of becoming pariahs. Many of these people that were ostracized would eventually be hailed as heroes and visionaries long after their lives of misery and heartache for being denied the recognition they know they deserved was over. What kept them going? One of the main qualities that separate us from the animals that we share so many genes with, is our willpower. When a person is determined to accomplish something. Nothing in this world except death (and maybe the IRS) can stop them. Theories are proven to be disproved, papers are written to be rewritten. History is told by the victor, and memories fade away with each passing day. What will your legacy be? And what will you do to ensure that your contributions to this planet are meaningful and beneficial to society as a whole? We are only but a cog in a wheel that is governed by the laws of time and space. Our actions are only beneficial to us, we live to facilitate the lives of others in our own little world that we have created for ourselves.

Technology is great and the current advances are icing on the cake but like the Borg we are on the path to becoming a Hive Mind. There will be no you or me just us. Is this bad thing? Of course not. They say that “two heads are better than one”, imagine a few Billion. How great that will be for the advancement of the human ideal. The question is, are you ready for that because if you really think about it we’re already there :)

Thanks for reading my post if you like it please feel free to share and tweet, also if you’re not a house mouse like myself please check out our friends over at THE SMART LAD for hand-picked deals on outdoor equipment.