In the last 12 days, I have experienced intensively the life of a global wanderer, clocking about 10,000 miles, 4 different countries, 3 time zones and a yet again a new stack of air miles.
All this made me think of one word: Distance. Physical distance, to be perfectly accurate. It seems the only true barrier left in today’s world.
The world is evermore a global village. From Hong Kong to London, via Paris or Geneva, the same consumerism, the same brands, same vibes are present. The same mega trends are emerging, creating an almost universal framework with different coloring from North to South, East to West.
The world is now hyper connected. From one city to another, networks are being created, ecosystems are blossoming, as are innovation, art, and entrepreneurship.
Speed is everywhere. An idea can instantaneously be sent to the other end of the world, or even everywhere at the same time.
There is a voracious appetite for new and now and fast, or even faster. These are our new masters. They conquer every part of our life.
So what is left to conquer? What barrier is still to fall? Physical distance.
No matter how you look at it, it still takes 13 hours to fly from Hong Kong to London. It is a 2.5 hours ride from Paris to London, to close a deal or be reunited with a loved one, you have to factor that in. It’s an absolute truth…or an absolute tyranny.
So what if the next and only remaining(?) real technological revolution was about transportation? How could we bring physical distance down to its knees once and for all, and embrace a limitless world?
Faster and cleaner planes? Where are you on that journey, Airbus, Boeing and others?
Faster and cleaner trains? Where are the next versions of the bullet train?
Or shall we dream a little harder and try to defeat matter, space and time? A blink of an eye, and magically you are where you want to be…how easy it would be to manage, follow-up, solve problems, avoid conflicts…but also to keep in touch and share precious moments with friends and family.
Wishful thinking on a Friday night in the Eurostar… or wait…could it also be hell?