Nearly 115 years ago, a brown-skinned lawyer whose name was yet to resonate around the world, captured something of the possibility of an online existence, though 'online' and 'offline' were far removed from the vocabulary of the time.
"It has been stated that, as men progress, they shall be able to travel in airships and reach any part of the world in a few hours. Men will not need the use of their hands and feet. They will press a button and they will have their clothing by their side. They will press another button, and they will have their newspaper. A third, and a motor-car will be waiting for them. They will have a variety of delicately dished up food. Everything will be done by machinery"
The lawyer in question was MK Gandhi and the text a tract, which many dismissed as the work of a lunatic, called Hind Swaraj (1909).
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This came in the context of the technological progress that had partly fuelled the dominance of the West and the largely prevailing idea at that time that technology had no limits.
This was also on the back of the first sustained, powered flight that was demonstrated by the Wright brothers in December 1903. So Gandhi's reference to long haul flights in the passage above is understandable.
But who would have imagined that Gandhi had foreseen the app economy that has become the centerstage of our lives in recent times:
- #amazon , #flipkart and the likes for clothing at the press of a button
- #socialmedia media and digital version of all established news media
- #uber , #ola and the likes for motor-car at doorsteps at the press of a button
- #swiggy , #zomato and the likes for delicately dished up food
Wondering why he missed out #ottplatform. Yet, pretty impressive prediction!
Looking for new business ideas? How about digging into Gandhi's writings?
#business #technology #past #future #gandhi
Reference and credit: Prof. Vinay Lal in Open Magazine, Jan 2023 issue