Globalisation and 'nearness'.
Space and time are inseperable. In scientific understanding this is estabalished, in our human understanding it is something that lies not far beneath the surface. Whether we are aware of the time/space relationship or not, it defines our lives.
The long term trend of human technological development has provided us with ever increasing mobility for ourselves, and our ‘things’. ‘Things’ being material goods, food, water, energy. But also meaning information, data, media and ideas.
This is most obvious in the more developed areas of the world but to a lesser degree nearly all inhabitants on the globe will have felt the effects communication and transport advances around the globe. And if it hasn’t had an impact on your world then it will.
Illustration 1: Travel times in America in 1830 and 1857. During the introduction of a public railway network.
- Graham S and Marvin S (2001). Splintering Urbanism. Routledge, London.