‘Internet Age’ Has Increased Accessibility but Also Accelerated Life’s Pace, Researcher Says

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'Internet Age' has increased accessibility but also accelerated life's pace, researcher says:

The myriad ways in which technology has fueled the ever-accelerating pace of life in the 21st century was the topic of a virtual presentation by The Ohio State University Center for Historical Research.

In the presentation, "Pace in the Internet Age," Stephen Kern, Humanities Distinguished Professor in the Department of History, outlined the pros and cons of having 24-hour access to a seemingly limitless supply of information at one's fingertips.

One upside is that technological advancements enable people of all socioeconomic backgrounds to prepare for life-altering circumstances such as weather emergencies, Kern said.

"The ability to predict the future increases by one day in terms of predicting a hurricane every decade using computer models," Kern said. "In 1920, they looked at almanacks, which was just superstition. You knew when it was raining when your head was wet. They didn't have this knowledge. We have this knowledge (now), and anyone has this knowledge. You know what's going to happen - a hurricane's coming in three days."

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