We have seen the beginning of the first industrial revolution from the late 18th century and today, this age of Artificial intelligence and wireless communication is being called the 4th industrial revolution so let’s wonder how are we proceeding to be the central consumers of it. 

The 18th century saw the first Industrial revolution being unfolded in Britain which kickstarted the road to industrial growth in the world. This revolution reached every corner of the globe with the colonization. We saw machines being built for everyday work, the labour class suffering increased levels of pollution and the numerous Charles Dickens novels written around the scenario. London became the global market centre.

The second revolution gave us speed and mass destruction with new forms of energy like oil and gas, which brought the lives on wheels with Henry Ford in 1912 inventing Cars and it ended just before the world war I began. The thirds industrial revolution started during the cold war, countries invented and mass produced nuclear weapons in the name of peace. There was a global rise in electronics and telecommunication made its entry. Currently, we are said to be living in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and with technology developing every second, it is bound to be revolting. 

We see every kind to shocking piece of technological development in the news every day. Its happening all around us. Industries in itself can be replaced by 3D printers. Robots have been replacing manpower in factories for at least a decade now. This obviously creates a whole in employment. But most factories (who can afford) are choosing to work with robots than human labour. 

We are on a whole other plane of communication right now. The internet, quite possibly the most revolutionary development humankind has ever seen, is at its peak (which seems endless) and it is everywhere. We are living and breathing signal waves and radiation. Messages are around us. We are always surrounded by them, whether it's your notifications going off or someone else’. 

We are in the age of nanotechnology. Everything is smaller for convenience and faster than it was yesterday. The world is being digitalised. The letters which used to be in your pockets are now on your phone, in your pocket. Information is now immediate. Authentic or not, you have all the information about anything in the world just in your palms and surprisingly it doesn’t freak us out. We are becoming accustomed to these technological advances just as fast as they were developing. 

We have several challenges in front of us. The globe is getting warmer and warmer. The ice caps and melting, natural disasters are more frequent given climate change. Between all the advances we are making, we also have to look after the natural resources. This earth is borrowed and not our property. W have to respect it and stop exploiting the natural resources. The water bodies are polluted and full of plastics which is choking and killing the marine species.

Oil refineries are responsible for many oil spills in large water bodies. The water level is rising. We are running out of minerals and fuel. There have been huge movements about promoting and switching to renewable sources of energy but the policies have to be followed accordingly. On a personal level, many people are choosing to follow the minimalist lifestyle.

Developing is worth it as long as the earth doesn't have to suffer at its cost. Let’s move forward, for the better but not by neglecting the environment.