Modern Americans are probably more comfortable than the people of any other place or time in history with the notion that common ways of doing things can be quickly and dramatically improved upon.

The main reason is that within their own lifetimes, they have seen the small, simple improvements of the technological revolution eliminate billions of hours of stress and drudgery from their lives. When given the chance to reflect, they can cite from experience the effects of automated electronic bill payments, GPS-equipped smartphones, email, e-books and travel-planning websites. These aren’t just great toys; they mean that the days of getting lost on the way to the bookstore, or letting the travel agent’s bill fall through the cracks by accident, or forgetting an appointment, are things they no longer need to worry about.