It’s been a rather unsettling year for us all, what with the continued COVID-19 pandemic; the rise of far-right ideologies and threats to democracy in the United States, the United Kingdom and other nations; and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It sometimes feels like decades have passed since the pandemic first instilled widespread fear, since the recent political upheavals spiked, and since the war began. Yet it’s been only a few years for the first two scenarios, and less than a year for the third. Time becomes meaningless when lives and liberties are on the line
On the other hand, even those dire situations have had their positive perspectives. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people have shown admirable strength and resiliency in repelling and undermining the invading armies of Vladimir Putin. Thanks to the efforts of some remarkable physicians and researchers, life-saving vaccines have helped to alleviate the deadly effects of the coronavirus outbreak. And those who perpetrated the failed insurrection of Jan. 6, 2020, are being brought to justice.
Here at RFID Journal, we bid farewell earlier this year to founder and editor Mark Roberti, who retired after 20 years in the industry to spend more time with his family (see The Wind of Change). That was a bittersweet development for everyone on our team, and we miss Mark’s guiding hand, even though we’re all very happy for him. But on the brighter side, our Brazilian editor Edson Perin received well-deserved accolades for his considerable contributions to the RFID industry (see Brazilian RFID Journal Editor Wins AIM Award). So there’s cause to celebrate.
A disheartening level of economic, political and societal uncertainty stands in the way of continued progress and prosperity, a lot of it fear-based. But it’s not all bad news for the RFID industry. Deployments are on the rise, the global chip shortage has a predicted end in sight, and a growing number of retailers, manufacturers, hospitals, airlines and other users have deployed RFID, Near Field Communication and Internet of Things solutions to survive and thrive in the radically altered world in which we’ve all found ourselves.
Things change. It’s the nature of existence, and while that basic truth can be understandably scary for a lot of people, it’s important to consider the simple yet profound wisdom of English historian Thomas Fuller, who said, “All things are difficult before they are easy.” That may seem an obvious and unnecessary observation at first glance, but there’s a lot to unpack there when you think about Fuller’s point.
Decades ago, undertaking a large-scale RFID deployment seemed like a daunting and prohibitively expensive prospect, one that many companies feared and avoided. Researching and implementing RFID was difficult at that time. But now it’s relatively easy. These days, thanks to RFID Journal’s website and events, the spotlight that the RFID Journal Awards shine on innovation, the advancements and progress on the part of the RFID industry as a whole, and the shifting tide of the media and public perception, a vast number of companies and organizations large and small have embraced the technology. They now enjoy the benefits it provides, and they’re far better able to navigate their way through adversity as a result.
What’s the lesson to take away from all this? No matter how bleak things might seem—as a society, as a nation, as a species, as a world, and as an industry—better times are ahead. It may be difficult to believe that with all that’s been going on in recent years, but I’ve found it to be true… and I’m a pessimist by nature, so that says something.
Like the good people of Ukraine, the human race is a resilient survivor. So is the RFID industry. Like those who developed the vaccines, mankind has an endless capacity for finding unique solutions to seemingly unsolvable dilemmas. So does the RFID industry. And although some bad people may try to take away liberties, rights and freedoms, walls tend historically to be only temporary obstacles that are inevitably toppled. And, yeah, that’s also true for the RFID industry, albeit to a less dramatic extent.
As we head into 2023, it’s important to try to remain optimistic—not only about this industry, but about the world beyond mere business considerations. We may not always live up to our potential as a species, but humanity is capable of amazing feats. Have confidence that we will continue to prove this true. Happy holidays to you and yours from the entire RFID Journal team. Here’s to a brighter year ahead.
Rich Handley has been the managing editor of RFID Journal since 2005. Outside the RFID world, Rich has authored, edited or contributed to numerous books about pop culture. You can contact Rich via email.