This picture of a bullet train in Taiwan from a New York Times article reminds me of the paradox of technological advances which results in a gridlock between convenience and cost of getting that convenience.
The article covers the bi-polar issues of the pros of this newly launched bullet train for the Taiwanese people because it connects 94% of the Taiwanese population, offering a much needed alternative to the clogged highways and the pollution and environmental damage that results from it.
But on the other hand there is the issue of the huge cost tab involved - an enormous $15 billion or $650 for every man, woman and child in Taiwan. Makes us question about the huge cost of procuring a safe and environmentally sound infrastructure.
Another very interesting point the article points to is the hodgepodge produced by the commercial disputes this enormous project went through since its inception in the 1980s: French and German train drivers who are allowed to speak only English with Taiwanese traffic controllers while operating Japanese bullet trains on tracks originally designed by British and French engineers. Is this the true conundrum of rampant globalization?
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