A look at the evolution of the last 200 years

Some months ago I read, that humans developed in the last 200 years more than the 1000 years before.

That made me reflect and I want to share my conclusions with you. For this analysis I separated the time since 1800 in periods and analized the main characteristics of each of them.

The first period begins in the first industrial revolution and extends between 1800 and 1920. I called it the period of the invents. The invention of the first steam locomotive or the photography are just some examples of it. Patriarchy predominated in family live. Business organizations were rudimentary and structurated around the owner, who was the one who provided the capital. Capital decided not only the direction of the business but also provided the force. The epicenter of this period was Europe. But it was in the east coast of USA where two of the invents took place, that impulsed the change to the next period: the invention of electricity and the assembly line.

The next period extends between 1920 and 1980. I called it the period of technique. The industralization made possible to satisfy the needs of a developing world and technique was the decisive factor for the development and production of durable products. The end of patriarchy changed families. The evolution of the companies required the introduction of different areas. The epicenter of this period was the east coast of USA.

The spread and usage of personal computer and internet led to the next period, which extends between 1980 and 2010. I called it the period of knowledge. Computers made possible simulation and specialization. Not only products were optimized but also the business organisations and processes. The epicenter continued to move westward to the west coast of USA.

The current period began in 2010. It was mainly impulsed by the smartphone and the evolution of batteries. I called it the period of technology. Technology is everywhere, making different fields to converge. As information is easily accesible, skills are the decisive factor. Organisations develop around interdisciplinary groups, which provide speed. The epicenter continues its movement to the west: Asia is increasingly taking a more relevant role. As you probably noticed, the duration of the periods halved each time, which means, that this period ends next year.

The next period will be the period of artificial intelligence. AI will change our lives in a major way. AI will take a very important part in organisations, increasing the creativity and productivity of the interdisciplinary groups and leading to high speed. The world in 2033 will be probably very different from the one we know.

If you have reached this point, I hope you have enjoyed the journey through time.

PS: Thank you very much DALL-E. You create images much better than me.