Then and Now: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives

As time moves forward, everything around us changes. We have become a generation almost entirely dependent on technology, and it goes without saying that things were done very differently decades ago than they are now. But as much as some people like to say our reliance on technology hinders us, we can’t deny that it’s made life a lot simpler!

Here are a few things technology has made so much easier for us!

Communication

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Then: Snail mail was a primary source of communication then, as opposed to today, where it is the primary source of junk mail. I remember having pen pals in elementary school and being incredibly excited about writing letters and buying stamps. While there’s something very romantic about the idea of snail mail, it’s called snail mail for a reason—it’s slow and ultimately, inconvenient.

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Now: Today, we use literally anything else but snail mail to communicate with each other. Whether it’s email, text, video chat, fax or instant messaging, we have an arsenal of technologies that allow us to contact each other without having to find a mailbox. Technology has successfully shortened communication from several days to mere minutes.

Transportation

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Then: There’s nothing more inconvenient than horse buggies, ships and those little covered wagons you used to drive on that dreadful Oregon Trail game. Forget about the ridiculous amount of time it takes to get everywhere, talk about uncomfortable! People regularly died trying to get from point A to point B. Now that’s inconvenient.

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Now: Our modes of transportation today are the definition of glamorous. From the first class plane rides to the flashy sports cars, everything today is about speed, safety and comfort. Even if all we can afford is a plane ride in coach or a ride in a 90s Honda, it still beats taking months to go a few states over.

Entertainment

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Then: Plays are definitely still a great source of entertainment today, but its medieval counterpart isn’t all too great. Even if special effects were a little better, let’s remember that women were played by men because the stage was “no place for a female.” Let’s leave the outdated ideals in the past, shall we?

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Now: Thank goodness for the movie theaters, cable television, Netflix, video games and phone apps! Not only are things a little more fun than they were back then, we’re also starting to get more diverse media representation whether it’s gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. Now that’s what I call progress.