Why Don't We Have Teleporters

I probably spent an average of one hour on the school bus every day throughout grade school. More than once, I wishfully daydreamed of having a teleporting device that would allow me to commute instantaneously between home and school. But, even then, I understood that such a device would have dramatic impact on our societies. No longer would we need cars, trains, or planes. We wouldn't be as dependent on fossil fuels. But people would hardly take the time to travel anywhere anymore. No one would pause to appreciate the beautiful scenery flying past outside their car window. Obesity would probably become a bigger issue because people wouldn't need to get up and move around as much. In Neil Postman's Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change, he mentions that culture always pays a price for technology. I find this concept hard to accept, but hard to disagree with. Technology always brings change, whether good or bad. I understood this intrinsically, even as a young grade school student.