Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months, you know it's election season in the US of A. We've experienced surprises, disappointments and occasionally elation, regardless of our political persuasion. Now, with the Republican and Democratic conventions out of the way, we know the choice that lies before us: Team Trump or Team Clinton. Red or Blue. Conservative or Liberal. But, the biggest surprise of all has been the winnowing of this contest to a political neophyte and a career politician. How did we get to this point? How is the neophyte performing as well as the expert? And, what can we learn from this election?
The future is upon us, or so it seems. Every day, we are besieged by new technologies and forces of distortion that claim to improve our lives. We willingly trade our habits and quirks for streamlined convenience, placing our faith in artificial intelligence and machine learning, hoping that we will become smarter in the process. As we consider this next chapter in the evolution of the human race, or at least the next step in our ongoing technological revolution, we need to ask ourselves just how much difference and divergence we are willing to sacrifice in the name of progress.
A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine asked the following question of his Facebook followers: "Do we really need driver-less cars?" My answer was a perfunctory "yes," but I now feel that I should have given a more detailed response, as many people still seem to be on the fence when it comes to automated vehicles. Personally, I think the question is moot at this point. We need driver-less cars; the sooner, the better. After years, if not decades, of technological upheaval, I believe we are poised for another major leap forward.