I don’t have much time to make this post right now, so perhaps I’ll return to it later and flesh out some thoughts. For now:

The subject(s) Jon and I blogged about recently have been floating around in the back of my head since then. Instead of repeating myself, check out those posts for details. Then, I made a connection with the mainstream media’s latest hoopla. It really hit me when I read an article (that I can’t find online sadly) in The Hamilton Spectator, by Jeff Mahoney. He speculated about how the ever-increasing cost of personal transportation might be a catalyst for societal changes like less commuting, less Costco-like places in power plazas located out in the boonies, and more local small businesses cropping up to cater to the growing number of walkers and bikers. Needless to say, being discouraged from driving is a convenient effect in regard to global warming. You might not be much of an environmentalist, but the desire to save money might have you being more Green anyhow.

Here is the bottom line:

If our futuristic communication technology has an effect on us, emotionally and socially, that is parallel to that of our long-standing physical mobility, then could our expanded knowledge/community replace receding physical mobility?

In other words, can our instinct to explore and be independently mobile in a physical world be quelled, if only a little bit, by expanded knowledge and communication faculties?

I think this is a pretty interesting question. I’m fairly tired while writing this, so hopefully it makes sense. I may be taking things to an extreme by suggesting “replacement” – I think we’re a long way from a world where there won’t be any desire to go from place to place, by bus or train or what have you. Still, I was stricken by how conveniently one kind of “reach” is just coming along as the other (might be) starting to fade away.

Your thoughts, readers?