The Way We Iz- Part 1

This is part of a 3 part series on why the present is better- in some ways. It follows up the previous 3 part series on why the past is better- just to keep it equally confusing for all. That’s democracy.

The World is Small

It was once believed that the world is flat. For the most part, people now know this not to be true. But one thing the world has become is a whole lot smaller.

There has never been a time in human history where travel, reaching out and existing virtually in almost every part of the globe at the same time has been possible. Back when cartographers were still figuring out what they thought was our flat planet, there would be vast sections with nothing on it, or pictures of dragons to show the mystery and possible magic of places unknown. Unfortunately, there aren't quite so many dragon maps as there used to be and even less unknown places. But it's fairly easy to get around.

We are incredibly fortunate to live in a time when travel is not just for the jet-setting half alcoholic businessmen who wear fedoras. Now, almost anyone with a middle income or the internet is capable of scoring a seat to travel somewhere in the world that once existed as just a dream. Maybe it's a country that they saw in a documentary or a National Geographic special, or maybe romantic movies in sun-soaked wine valleys; either way, travel, while still a dream for many, is closer to being a reality than it ever was.

Consider the strenuous voyages across the sea that one would have had to take not even a hundred years ago to get to new lands. Between the seasickness, homesickness and general monotony of a week spent on a ship, not to mention some pretty serious cabin fever, ship travel wasn't exactly a cruise. People were lucky to make it to their destination alive in some cases and there was always the fear that a major storm would make it a much shorter trip than anyone bargained for.

Would anyone in that seafaring age have believed us if we told them that now, almost anyone with a summer job in America can travel by plane to the place of their dreams? And it's not just travel which is making the world smaller. An online presence, social networking and virtual business is making it possible for people to connect all over the world, instantaneously. Now it's not uncommon to meet young people who have friends on every continent. And it's even more likely that as they get older, they will travel to meet those friends, or relocate a few times in their lives for work and life experiences. It's also very likely that they will meet the love of their lives while on the road- and maybe face some challenging decisions.

This is a world of possibilities that we are fortunate to have. In our lifetime, if we make world travel our priority, we can scale Mount Kilimanjaro, ride a camel in the desert towards the pyramids, barter for goods in Lebanon, visit the holy land of Jerusalem, surf in Australia and so much more. It's truly a small world.