A Virtual Future? #1

Our lives. Our Earth. Our Future.

The constant waves of tension that appear with the online, virtual and sometimes deluding worlds created by our hands can reveal a sign of the future. Online messaging devices such as Skype, Viber and MSN have taken the world by storm, and completely eradicating the mainstream use of the postal service. Posting a letter has become something of the past in society. It was reported that in the UK alone, the amount of letters sent annually around the world had reached the lowest point in over 15 years. 

Its a sign that our lives are changing, probably faster than what we actually realize.

In the common day situation, once somebody has announced to their peers that they will be posting a letter to a relative or a friend, it immediately brings the thought of importance. Sending something hand-written is normally saved for celebration, it is a sign of care and respect towards the recipient because the time was taken to write instead of type as per ordinary.

Little do we realize, the more this sort of reaction occurs, the larger the push for a dominant virtual future where the online world becomes even more accessible and addictive due to its easiness to use. However, the main question can be asked in how we should take action to this. Do we embrace it fully and completely destroy physical ways of communication such as the postal service, or do we continue to try balancing it out.

Looking back at the decline in letters sent worldwide in the UK, ideas were brought up about modernizing the service of post around the world. Even though no strategy was in place for this, it is personally obvious the use of emails and online material will be the inevitable future. It may happen next year, or in 50 years, but eventually the use of physical communication could become obsolete. What will this lead to? Unemployment and social depletion may be possible answers.

The main message here is that our future is in our own hands. The use of the Postal Service as an example is because of its obvious nature and popularity. If we continue to socialise on the internet as our main form of communication it may cause problems in the world with jobs as many areas become obsolete. Balance is the most important part and also control. Do we as humans have the ability to control our own future, or will we let the past mistakes made take over?

More on this later.