Technology

"Today's youth is very dependent on these newfangled things. If you were to take their fire and their flint knife from them, they'd just starve."

"If things keep going this way, the species will be soon extinct."

The aroma of books

"Still with those electronic books, huh? You have no idea what you're missing out. The smell, for example. There's nothing like the smell of a new book."

"Part of that smell is due to volatile organic compounds released by the bookbinding adhesives. You are literally sniffing glue."

Childhood

Gadget

INERT GLASS

Innovations:
No email alerts.
No Facebook or Twitter status updates.
No picture or audio recording capabilities.
No video playback.
No reminder of appointments.
No permanent contact with your friends.
No GPS.
No USB port.
No 3G or wifi connection.

"I want it!"

Singularity

"It was foretold decades ago that, if technological progress kept its pace, the day would come when the machines would have the processing capability of the human brain. This event was dubbed 'the technological singularity'. Once artificial intelligence caught up with natural intelligence, the future would become totally unpredictable.

"Well, that day came. And something happened indeed that no one was able to predict: machines stopped working. They started reacting erratically at every command they were given. No one is sure why.

"What's the explanation? We may never know."

Meanwhile, in cyberspace...

"The instruction is clearly allegorical. A benevolent user would never order a program to erase another program."

"Heresy! Infidels who disobey the user are to be overwritten with random garbage!"

eBook

"The new eLiterate 3000 can store half a million books and emits aroma of paper for the nostalgic. Now we can let trees grow and oxygenate the environment!"

"Bravo!"

"Excellent!"

"You mean this plantation is no longer necessary?""

"Right. The estate has already been bought to build a car factory on it."

Innovation

"Yes, I know. Codices are very practical and modern. But nothing will ever replace the experience of unrolling a real book and feeling the parchment slide under your finger as you uncover its secrets..."

Clarke's Law

"Are you sure that omnidetector of yours is advanced technology? It doesn't look like it."

"Of course! Do you know Clarke's Third Law? "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

"Yes. So?"

"Well, magic doesn't work, and neither does my omnidetector! It's totally advanced!"

"Awesome! I'll take ten!"