I layed on my patio for an hour and a half writhing in pain after throwing out my back at the ripe age of 24.
I had walked outside to open the door and get some air when I coughed and fell onto my back, separated from my phone that was connected through bluetooth Bose headphones.
Just a few years ago, that wouldn’t have been possible. I’m not sure what I would have done.
After about 80 minutes of failed attempts to drag my useless body inside, I used siri to call my parents.
I couldn’t get up to go to the hospital, and my roommate was at work (like normal people).
I lay within sight of my laptop and my phone. I’ve never felt so useless.
While I laid there with surging back spasms, I thought about what it’s like to be elderly; confined at home due to physical ailments.
I thought about those people who lost their jobs due to physical ailments.
I thought about the people spending their entire life locked up in prison for nonviolent crimes, draining taxpayers.
And I thought about the future.
I see the future as following trends like grocery home delivery.
People are busier than ever, even if it’s fake work. Most families have double-incomes to support a busy lifestyle.
Commuting, laundry, and dinner are shoved to the backburner as young professionals juggle their career and children.
That extra time can be spent with children or significant others.
Most innovation isn’t ground-breaking. It’s gmail correcting typos, AI that recognizes syllables, and analyzing google searches.
I remember the HINI flu because it knocked me out of school for more than two weeks (not that I was heartbroken, school has mostly been a waste of time).
The government panicked because they couldn’t track the spread fast enough. Two weeks was too long of a lag.
But big data saved the day. Google engineers created alogrithms that analyzed individual google searches for flu-like symptoms and medicine.
This comes with a price: our privacy.
We complain when companies target our purchasing history. But then we rave about the Spotify playlist crafted for us.
The next disease that breaks out, authorities will be better versed to contain and solve it.
Progress can’t be seen day-to-day. When you’re racking your brain for the right word, it’s painful.
Much like extra reps at the gym, you’re too close to the physical pain and work to notice progress.
And you feel the failure in the moment greater than in hindsight.
Until you look back at your disgusting writing just a few months ago.
Those google engineers didn’t know their code would save thousands of lives through a disease breakout.
And those Apple’s engineers probably never considered they would help an injured 24-year old dodge hospital and ambulance bills. For that, I’m forever grateful. Even when ads follow me.