Evolution

Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” seems to be qualified in the world of communications.

Take for example the idea of combining the radio and the telephone. This started a cultural upheaval that would eventually change the way one said “hello” to another. The radio, by itself, has now been dwarfed by the television. The telephone has evolved into something that’s now a detachable part of your pocket. These end products of technological evolution are cheaper, more effective, and have been adopted by billions worldwide. And yet the radio, as alternative entertainment in cars and cheap restos, still exists. The telephone is still largely considered a standard in any household. Instead of dying out, these devices have found their niche and have refused to take the plunge into that technological abyss where the sundial, the phonograph, the cassette tape, and the betamax, among many others, are seen recounting the good ole’ days.

I suspect that the same phenomenon is about to occur after iPads, Androids, Kindles, and Google TV’s make their world debut and finally become the reigning standard in today’s markets. They won’t kill off extant industries but these new technologies will force their older counterparts to innovate or find their niche believers who will refuse to be swayed by the rising tides of evolution. These old-timers - which may come in the form of paperbacks, broadsheets, ordinary cellphones, and regular TV programming - will, without doubt, find their Alamo. Though many may opt to stay within these unchanging walls, most will probably follow the bandwagon, relishing and even anticipating the wave of change. I guess in this world of hi-speed advancements in communications, Darwin’s dictum can be modified, viz.: “survival of the fit, profits for the fittest.