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Fast Cars and Freedom
Rob Long — who makes his living thinking about new ways to make people watch TV shows — had great post yesterday on the disruption going on in the television world. Specifically, on how Netflix, the mother of all disruptors, is facing disruption from overseas expansion.
Television viewers are empowered now. Where once we had to schedule our time around the shows we wanted to watch, television now fits into our schedules. DVRs and on-demand streaming options are now the order of the day. My young sons look at the days when I had to get up on Saturday morning (and only on Saturday morning) to watch cartoons the way I once looked at the days when dairy products were delivered door-to-door.
We are entering an new age of personal empowerment. If I want to order something from Amazon, it usually shows up on my doorstep within two days through my Amazon Prime membership. If I need a lift, I call Lfyt or Uber. If I want to know if the hotel I’m staying in is dicey, I have Trip Advisor (and if it turns out that hotel is not right for me, AirBnB is able to provide an alternative place to rest for the the night).
Like I said, empowerment.
Americans understand the idea of personal empowerment. It’s in our DNA, which is why Americans are leading today’s tech revolution. We’re used to going where we want, when we want, without having to rely on the whims of public transit. And rather than hope that there will be a cop around when we really need one, we’re accustomed to being in charge of our own security.
The blue-state model of top-down, structured bureaucracy is dying, and there’s a new world out there, where people have the will and the ability to make their lives better in ways we can’t imagine.
Let’s make it happen.
Published in Culture, General, Technology
Well mine is not an M but it is still scary (60 in less than 5 sec)
Here is the key, we get all this in cars and they are more reliable. They last way longer both in time and miles driven, they have luxury standards that even the nicest cars tricked out with the best package in the 90’s did not, and get this they are more fuel efficient despite all the environmental features when you compare models using the same HP and weight. Also they are tuned better. My V4 186hp 2014 Accord has almost the same amount of lower end torque in the first three gears as my 2004 V6 220 Mazda did. Granted Ford really has never made a great V6 engine so that was part of the problem.
It is the same with Audio equipment, for years many Audiophiles swore by great old analog technology. Now the new digital stuff is so much cheaper and better anyone who actually compares the equipment based on what they hear. So pretty much we don’t have any of those guys left. Well made new stuff at an affordable price is so much better than some of the best mid level stuff from 30 year ago.
Indeed. Which is why, just for fun, we own a poor-man’s Ferrari: the Pininfarina-styled, Aurelio Lampredi Twin-Cam-powered Fiat Spider. Out of the factory in 1981 it had only 102hp, and undoubtedly it has lost a few ponies since then. But it weighs practically nothing, and the unpowered steering and the five-speed gearbox provide plenty of (I don’t know the Italian word, so German will have to suffice) fahrvergnügen.
I like hotels.com, because they often list AirBnB-style privately-owned homes-for-rent alongside listings for hotel rooms in the same search.
The booking process for these listings isn’t as convenient as with AirBnB, but that’s a fair trade-off if you’re a smart enough person to be capable of calling the homeowner and talking through the transaction.
The last time I was in Toronto the hotel rooms were all over C$200-C$300 a night, but I found an awesome luxury condo for rent at C$90 per night. Winning!