Despite the incredible technical advances we have experienced since World War II, the ones that arose out of the period from 1890 to 1920 were even more significant in that they were truly “foundational technologies….they didn’t do just one thing; the opened paths for all manner of innovation and change…The remaining decades of the twentieth century certainly saw lots of technological innovations, but they were never as clustered, intense or profound as in that 1890-1920 period.” (Think electric power, radio, phones, cars, airplanes and the growth they enabled….and then imagine your life today without them)
A recent short, but compelling article from Strategy+Business suggests that this is on the verge of happening again. The article’s author sees the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 is analogous in impact to the Ford Model T and that along with cloud computing, CRISPR for gene editing and other breakthroughs are setting the stage for an era similar to the explosive three decades that began in 1890. The impact upon our society and way of life may be profound.
Mark Twain once remarked that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Is it about to again? Decide for yourself and plan accordingly. Spend a few minutes contemplating “The Second Age of Foundational Technologies.”
