You're missing the authors point, heck you're even reinstating it yourself: > Cars, though still totally recognizable as cars, are much safer than they were. A

You're missing the authors point, heck you're even reinstating it yourself: > Cars, though still totally recognizable as cars, are much safer than they were. Airplane flights are both cheaper and safer. > Certain diseases have been eradicated. That's what he's saying. We've mostly (massively) refined existing technology instead of revolutionized it: vaccines, airplanes and cars are all pre-1950 technology. Not sure if I agree, but it feels like you haven't even read the article.