Technological advancements seem to be faster in the last decade than at any other time in history. It feels like we were using beepers and landlines only yesterday, but now we have smart watches and computers in our pockets. This has contributed significantly to the changes in our everyday lives.
That’s true that the once we call the future could be the present we live in. Millennials and baby boomers can agree that the years have flown by, and technological advancements have been made rapidly. Some would say we are already living in the future.
If you’re not convinced yet, you may want to think about these things that used to be futuristic but are now our reality. Here are five signs that we’re already living in the future
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1. Accessible communication
People older than fifty can attest that communication has changed drastically. In the past, people primarily communicated through in-person conversation, letters, or landline phone calls. Can you imagine a world without cell phones? It’s hard to believe that this was futuristic only a few decades ago.
More than fifty years ago, the first-ever videotelephony device, Picturephone Mod II, was introduced. The device was large, unwieldy, and very expensive. AT&T, the company that created it, even predicted that by the 1990s, there would be a Picturephone in almost every home.
Now, we can talk to anyone worldwide at any time with the touch of a button. We can also see the person we’re talking to with video calls, which is something that would have been considered a technological breakthrough.
2. Online shopping
With the advent of internet shopping, we can buy almost anything we want without ever leaving our homes. In 1994, the first online retail transaction occurred on NetMarket, an early e-commerce website. Today, online shopping is a multi-billion dollar industry.
From groceries to clothes to furniture, there’s nothing you can’t buy online. You can even effortlessly sell properties online, which is a big help for those who are into real estate affairs. Online platforms can connect you to buyers from around the globe in just a few clicks.
Food delivery services have also become widely popular in recent years. Companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash make it possible to get a hot meal without stepping out of the house. Online shopping has become the new norm and will only become more prevalent in the years to come.
3. Home automation
Home automation is a term used to describe the use of technology to automate tasks in the home. This can include turning lights and appliances, locking doors, and adjusting thermostats.
While home automation has been around for many years, it has only recently become widely available and affordable for the average consumer. Thanks to technological advances, home automation is now more powerful and user-friendly than ever.
In addition, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has made it possible for devices to communicate with each other, making home automation even more convenient and efficient. You can also use digital assistants like Siri and Alexa to control various devices in the home, making life even easier.
4. Medical advancements
While there are still diseases that medicines can’t cure, there have been many medical advancements in recent years. For example, thanks to vaccines, we can now prevent diseases such as polio and measles. In addition, technological advances have made it possible to detect diseases earlier like cancer and develop more effective treatments.
In the past, people with certain medical conditions had to rely on hospital equipment to stay alive. However, thanks to portable devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps, they can now live healthy every day.
Moreover, medical research is constantly evolving, meaning discoveries are always made. We are making significant progress in the medical field, which signifies that we are living in the future.
5. Futuristic jobs
From driverless cars to artificial intelligence, it’s increasingly clear that we live in a time of radical change. One sign of this is the rise of new and innovative jobs that didn’t even exist a few years ago.
For example, consider the role of social media manager or app developer. Both positions have been created in response to new technologies and are likely to become even more common in the years ahead.
As our world continues to change, we can expect to see an increasing number of futuristic jobs – a clear sign that we are already living in the future.
Though it may seem like we are living in futuristic times, there are still many things that have yet to be developed. But who knows, maybe in a few years, we will all live like the Jetsons with flying cars and robots as our assistants. For now, we can enjoy a small glimpse into our future.
