Technological progressMany people worry that we no longer have time for the important things in life, such as relationships and thinking about ourselves and our place in the universe. This may be true 1 but I think that in broad terms this argument is fl awed. In my great-grandparents’ time technology was slower than it is at present. Most people travelled to work on foot or by public transport and may perhaps have had more time to think about things when they were travelling. They did not have the distractions of television, the Internet or all the other technological marvels which compete for our attention today. 2 , they probably spent more time together in conversation.3 , I doubt if their relationships or the quality of their lives were really better. 4 , they had to work much longer hours, both in their jobs and in routine household tasks, because labour-saving technological devices did not exist. 5 , they did not have the fi nancial resources or the technology to enjoy their leisure time like we do now. While they were perhaps not so stressed, 6 , they could not learn, travel and relate to people from all over the world with the ease that we do.7 , I do not agree that we have less time for the important things in life. 8 , I believe we have far greater opportunities to take advantage of the enormous variety of good things life has to offer.