Chapter 7 Chapter V Education

When the TV was rolled into the room and placed at the end of the bed, Poole was amazed, delighted that he was suffering from an information hunger, and amazed that it was an ancient model that was obsolete in his time . The nurse reminded him: "We have to assure the museum that it will be returned. I think you should know how to do it." Playing with the remote control, Poole suddenly felt a violent nostalgia hit him.Like few other gadgets, it reminded him of his childhood, and the days when most televisions were too simple to accept voice commands. "Thank you, Matron. What's the best news channel?"

She seemed to be overwhelmed by his question, but then became cheerful again. "I see what you mean. But Professor Anderson thinks it's too early for you. So the Archives has made an album for you, which will make you feel very familiar." Poole wondered what the storage medium was at this moment.He also remembers compact discs, and the vinyl record collection that his eccentric uncle was so proud of.But this kind of technological competition must have ended centuries ago, obeying Darwin's law-survival of the fittest and survival of the fittest. He has to admit that the person who made this selection must be quite familiar with the early 21st century. (Could it be Indira?) The results are pretty good.Nothing unpleasant, no strife, no violence, just a little bit of contemporary affairs and politics, which have absolutely nothing to do with the present.There's lighthearted comedy, sports (how do they know he's an avid tennis fan?), classical and pop music, and wildlife documentaries.

Moreover, no matter who is responsible, he must be a person with a sense of humor, otherwise he would not include some of the "Starship Album" of each generation.When he was very young, he had seen "Captain Pickup" and "Spark".If they knew the fate of the little boy who shyly wanted to sign the autograph, what kind of thoughts would they have? It wasn't long after he started exploring (mostly in "fast-forward") when he had a very discouraging thought.He had read somewhere that towards the end of their century (his century!) there were nearly 5,000 stations broadcasting simultaneously.If this number holds up—and more certainly increases—there must be hundreds of millions of hours of television broadcasting by now.Even the most conservative diehard will have to admit that there should be at least a billion hours of TV worth watching...and a million hours of good programming that would pass the toughest standards.How is he going to find these needles in the ocean?

The thought came overwhelming, indeed, so depressing.So, after a week of aimlessly flipping channels, Poole asked for the TV to be removed.Fortunately, perhaps, he spent less and less time alone and, as his strength recovered, he spent more and more time awake. Thanks to a steady stream of visitors—not just serious academics, but also nosy citizens (and presumably influential people who managed to infiltrate the impenetrable walls erected by the Matron and Professor Anderson), he There is no danger of boredom.However, he was still very happy when the TV came back one day.He has started to show symptoms of depression.This time, he made up his mind to choose carefully what to watch.

Indira showed up with the quaint curio with a huge smile on her face. "Frank, we've found something you must see. We think it will help you adjust. Anyway, we're sure you'll like it." Poole had known for a long time that such comments were almost synonymous with guaranteed boredom, and he had prepared himself for the worst, but once the show started, it hooked him and brought him back, like few other things. the old days.He immediately recognized one of the most famous voices of the year and remembered that he had seen the show. "This is the city of Atlanta, December 31, 2000 A.D.  …

"This is CNN, in five minutes, with unknown dangers and hopes, the new millennium is approaching... "But before trying to explore the future, let's look back 1,000 years and ask ourselves: 'If someone who lived in 1000 AD, magically spanned 10 centuries, could they have imagined and even understood our world? ?' "Nearly all the technology we take for granted was invented towards the end of this millennium, and much of it, in the last 200 years. The steam engine, electricity, telephone, radio, television, film, aviation, Electronics... and, in just a generation, nuclear power and space travel, what would the great minds of the past have thought of this? If Archimedes, Leonardo Da Vinci suddenly fell into our world, would they still be able to Stay sane?

"We couldn't help but think that if we were sent to the world after 1000 years, we should adapt better. Of course, because the more important scientific inventions have already appeared. Even if there will be major technological progress, But will there be devices that elude us as much as pocket calculators or video cameras eluded Newton? "Perhaps our age is indeed different from all previous ages. Telecommunications technology, the conquest of the atmosphere and space, and audio-visual recording technology (to preserve the sound and images of the past that cannot be returned), all have produced even the most Civilizations unimaginable even by wild fantasies. Equally important, are Copernicus, Newton, Darwin and Einstein, who have greatly changed our thinking mode and outlook on the universe, allowing us to compete with the best Compared with the ancestors, it is also like a new species.

"And 1,000 years later, will our descendants look at us with sympathy as we look at our ignorant, superstitious, and tortured ancestors? We believe that even some questions that our ancestors didn't know how to ask, we will We already know the answer. But what surprises will the third millennium bring us? "Okay, it's time..." A big bell rang to represent midnight, and soon, the last wave of vibration gradually returned to silence... "That's the end... Goodbye, good and bad 20th century..." The picture was broken into countless fragments, and a new broadcaster, speaking in a modern accent that Poole could easily understand, immediately brought Poole back to reality.

"Now, in the first few minutes of 3001, we can answer the age-old question... "Of course, if we just saw that these people who lived in 2001, if they lived in our century, they shouldn't be completely lost like the people who lived in 1001 in their time. Many of our technological achievements, Already within their expectations. It is true that they have already envisioned satellite cities and colonies on the moon and planets. They may also be a little disappointed because we have not yet lived forever and probes have only reached the nearest few stars. ..." Indira suddenly turned off the TV.

"Frank, I'll see the rest later, you're a bit tired. But I hope this helps you adjust." "Thanks, Indira, I'll look at it tomorrow. But it proves a point." "Which point?" "Thank goodness I didn't run from 1001 to 2001. That would be a big leap forward, I don't believe anyone can adjust to it. I still know electricity at least, and I wouldn't be scared if a painting suddenly spoke to me half dead." Poole told himself that he hoped the confidence wasn't too great.It has been said that highly developed technology is indistinguishable from magic.In this new world, will I encounter magic?Is there any way to face it?