Every century has a handful of artifacts that define its times. Whether it be a rudimentary tool shaped from limestone, a broken plate uncovered my archeologists or the Enola Gay tucked safe and shamefully within the walls of the Smithsonian. If mankind were to uncover the artifacts of the 21st century, say, five hundred years from now, what artifacts might they find, and would they define who we are? Which ones would tell the truth about our culture? Which ones would mislead future generations to think we are something we are not? And which ones would last buried deep under the earth long enough to be uncovered in five hundred years the way a gold sword or an arrowhead spear or a skeleton does?
My guess is that all things plastic, coltan and silicone will last. Which means future humans will know that we were an inventive group that loved convenience, video games and big boobs.
Luckily for us we live with the safety of knowing that our present is constantly being cataloged, recorded and filmed. There should be little confusion about what is fact and what is fiction in regards to the 21st century. In five hundred years our existence will be studied and understood by future generations the way we piece together through art, music, traditions and literature all that we know about the 16th century. Yes, in five hundred years we will still be here through our artifacts and the pieces of us we leave behind. Assuming there will be a 26th century, of course.
I'm not going to argue wether or not change is, as they say, 'good'. At least not tonight. I will stand by the believe however, that change is hard. I can attest to this not only because my life has been defined by thirty years of habits, good and bad, but because I recently switched from a PC to a Mac and my stomach is now in a nostalgic knot. As capable as my brand new computer is, I miss my old one, the way one misses an old pair of shoes or a discontinued brand of potato chips or a hometown.
Old habits die hard, and we are a species that loves consistency, whether or not we give it to ourselves. Consistency provided by brands, companies, tools and traditions keep us warm and fuzzy inside while giving us a sense of security, be it false or not. It's the reason why, like it or not, there is at least one Starbucks within a mile of any zip code. We love knowing that know matter how unpredictable the day is we can still get a grande decaf no whip skinny caramel latte that will taste exactly how we expect it to taste whether we're enjoying it in Stockholm or Santa Fe.
And so, as I my fingers fumble on my brand new keyboard I know that for as awkward as I feel today, after years of typing on my new computer I will soon reach the day when I am as bonded to this new Betty as I am to the old. And then, it will die, as all computers do, and the cycle will continue. It's the circle of life friends. It happens to all machines, and I've heard it happens to humans, too.
