communio Eternal progress I read just a week ago and I think that is a little story about the new speed limit. The text is by Julio Cortázar.
"Children are by nature ungrateful, which is understandable since they merely imitate their loving parents, so they are now back in school, push a button and sit see the television drama of the day without a single moment occur to think in this technological marvel of the television. So do not be useless to urge toddlers history of scientific progress, building on the first favorable opportunity, say the passage of a jet crashing in order to show young people the impressive results of human endeavor.
The example of the "jet" is one of the best evidence. Everyone knows, even without having ridden in them, which represent modern aircraft: speed, silence in the cabin, stability, range. But science is par excellence a search without end, and the Jets are quick to fall behind, overtaken by new and more marvelous examples of human ingenuity. With all its advances, these planes had numerous disadvantages, until the day they were replaced by propeller aircraft. This achievement represents a major advance, as when flying at low speed and altitude, the pilot was most likely set the course and making good safety in the takeoff and landing. However, the technicians continued to work for new media still more advanced, and so were announced two discoveries in rapid succession to capital: we refer to the steamship and the railroad. For the first time, thanks to them, the conquest was achieved extraordinary travel at ground level, with a negligible margin of safety it represented. Let
parallel
the evolution of these techniques, starting with shipping. The fire danger, so frequent at sea, prompted engineers to find a safer system: thus were born sailing and later (although the chronology is uncertain) the paddle as the most advantaged to propel ships.
This progress was considerable, but the wrecks were repeated from time to time for various reasons, until technological advances provide a safe and developed to move in the water. We refer of course to swimming, beyond which no progress seems possible, though of course science is rich in surprises.
As far as the railways, its benefits were noticeable with regard to aircraft, but in turn were superseded by the measures, vehicles that polluted the air with smoke, oil or coal, and that allowed admire landscape beauty and vigor of the carriage horses. The bike, highly scientific means of transport, is situated historically between the coach and rail, without being able to define exactly the time of onset. It is known however, and this is the last step of progress, that the undeniable discomfort of measures strained human ingenuity to the point that he soon invented a incomparable journey through the walking gait. Pedestrians and swimmers
thus constitute the culmination of the scientific pyramid, as you might see on any beach when you go to the boardwalk strollers turn pleased to note the evolution of swimmers. Perhaps this is why so many people on the beaches, because of technical progress, although ignored by many children end up being acclaimed by all humanity, especially in the era of paid vacation "
