From the time of birth, a human’s brain is wired to
respond to and interact with the stimuli in its environment. There is a unavoidable curiosity that is inherent in the human brain that drives the need to explore. Circumstances in the environment, such as drought or lack of a food source also created the need to venture out in search for the resources to ensure survival. And so, I could imagine the caveman explorer who first ventured out to explore his surroundings may not have ever returned because he became lost, got too far from a water source or entered the dangerous territory of his predators and died. So, the next caveman got a little smarter and when he went out, he devised a system in which he created landmarks and used the sky to help him find his way back to the camp. His people gave him bread and advised him to drop the crumbs along the trail so that they could track him if he did not return. As time progressed, maps became carved on stone tablets, drawn by hand on hides, cloth, and eventually paper. The portability of these tools enabled the courageous explorers to navigate even further from their homes and actually return. As we fast forward in time, recent advancements in technology, such as GPS and RDIF technology allow us to track anything, anywhere.
Thornburg (n.d.) utilizes the term “rhymes of history” to characterize advancements in technology that rekindle something from the past. He asserts that the more knowledge we have of the past, the more prepared we will be to anticipate the future. GPS and RDIF technologies bring us back to the times of the first explorers and their need to navigate the environment. The same innate curiosities that drove the cavemen to explore still exist today. Our globally connected economies and abilities to travel further distances in shorter time frames make travel an inevitable experience for many. With a GPS, the explorer can travel more efficiently and effectively and successfully return to his/her place of origin. With RDIF technology, a person or thing can be tracked and located. Today’s citizens have the same basic needs as our caveman ancestors which explains why history continues to “rhyme.” What changes are the innovations and advancements of the technologies and how we respond to them.
I feel a particular kinship with my caveman ancestors and those other souls who braved the uncharted waters before me. I am about to embark upon a journey during the dreaded “Carmegeddon” that is supposed to occur with the shut down of the 405 freeway in Los Angeles this weekend. I am relieved that I am the beneficiary of a technological era that relieves my stress from trying to use a map while driving in chaos. I can use a GPS that is built into my rental car or I can use an app on my iPad, both telling me exactly where I need to go. Crumbs….maps….apps….rhymes of history leading to innovations in the future.
References
Thornburg (n.d.). Rhymes of History. Retrieved from Walden University on July 13, 2011 http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5260654&Survey=1&47=5568839&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
