“It isn't all over; everything has not been invented; the human adventure is just beginning.” -Gene Roddenberry
How much would you pay for an old pickup? Take a close look at the picture and imagine plunking down 140,000 U.S. dollars for a 1958 Chevrolet Cameo pickup truck. What if I told you it only had 1.3 miles on the odometer? That's correct, less than two miles and sat inside a building for basically fifty-five years.
Sure, it has a little bit of dust on it and the windows might need to be cleaned, but would you turn down an opportunity to own a small piece of history. Most times we only get to read about these types of things in books and old text books. It is living proof of what mankind has been able to build with the prevailing technology of their time. It might be easy to say "big deal" given what we know and have today.
But go back to the 1950's and think about those things we did not yet have.
- Cordless phones, Mobile phones, Cell phones or Home computers
- ATM's and ATM cards, you had to go to the bank or write a check
- Zip codes, believe it or not not until 1963
- VCR's, DVD's, CD's, MP3 players, iTunes or renting movies
- Cable TV, Satellite TV, even color TV was in its infancy
- Flight to the moon and the space shuttle
Now think about all the great things human innovation did come up with in the 1950s.
- First electric power from U.S. reactor,
- Introduction of Coast-to-coast TV
- Automation of the auto industry begins
- Proposed structure of DNA announced
- Solar batteries unveiled
- First supersonic flight by a military aircraft
- Vertical take-off and landing of jet aircraft
- All transistor radios introduced
- Discovery of cold fusion
- First U.S. satellites
- Stereo record technology developed
So when you look at an old 1958 Chevrolet Cameo pick up truck, with dirty windows and fading paint, think of the human innovation that went into building it. Then consider the issues we face today and know that human innovation still exists. We can solve and change the world with the dreams and innovation that exists in each of us.
We can constantly improve the world we live in. We can.
Stay inspired my friends!
