Ministry of Veterans Affairs of the People’s Republic of China

　　Navigation software can speed us up, but we can also find wonders in the "slow life"; navigation software can allow us to travel far, but we should not give up our sense of the nearby environment

　　Walking on the street, opening the phone to browse the navigation interface to confirm the destination; coming to an unfamiliar place, clicking on the navigation to explore in place, hoping to find the east, west, north and south… Nowadays, navigation software has been integrated into daily life, playing an increasingly prominent role in optimizing traffic operation and saving commuting time.

　　Objectively speaking, navigation software is the product of technological progress. For a long time in history, finding the way was a practical need faced by people. To avoid getting lost, the ancients relied on well-made markers, or unfolded simple maps, or asked strangers for directions. The verse "Ask where the restaurant is, and the shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village" vividly depicts the scene of asking for directions. In reality, whether it is marking or asking for directions, it is difficult to match the accuracy, convenience and experience of mobile phone navigation.

　　Today, with the help of navigation software, finding the way is no longer a problem. In 2020, our country built the Beidou-3 global satellite navigation system to provide services to the world. In space, the Beidou navigation satellite operates day and night, providing location information services to countless end points. On the ground, whether driving, cycling or walking, people open the mobile phone navigation software and follow the prompts to reach their destination. With the development of the economy and the deepening of urbanization, the popularization of navigation technology helps people reach the place they want to go more quickly and effectively, and also makes mobile China more vibrant.

　　However, there are also scientific studies showing that over-reliance on navigation software may cause the brain to reduce its interaction with the surrounding environment. Not only that, but navigation not only provides us with location information, but also affects our route choices at all times, shaping our cognition of space and time. For example, the destination search function allows us to automatically pop up options without looking for a specific location on the map; the route recommendation function, so that we no longer need to choose a route based on experience. In a sense, navigation software does allow us to cross a specific space in the least time, improving the efficiency of space-time conversion, but it may also make us miss the scenery along the way.

　　In the fast-paced modern society, the importance of efficiency is self-evident. But while pursuing speed, how to perceive the environment more richly and better understand the relationship between ourselves and the wider world is also a topic of "on the road". In the past, Xie Liang, the old man, volunteered to guide others for 16 years, which made many new visitors to Beijing feel the warmth of the city; now, with a mobile phone in hand, many people do not want or need to ask for directions. Once, the buildings, streets and flowers and trees of the city were deeply embedded in our memory when we knew the way; now, the route that some people remember best is the section from the subway station to the bus station. To a certain extent, focusing only on the connections and numbers in the navigation software can easily make people ignore the natural, historical, and cultural elements in the environment, as well as the fireworks, human touch, and beautiful scenery around them, thus losing the fun of "people on the journey" in a hurry.

　　Today, navigation software has become a necessity for many people’s lives. It is worth thinking about how to better integrate technology into our lives. Navigation software can make us faster, but we can also find wonders in the "slow life"; navigation software can allow us to travel far, but we should not give up the feeling of the nearby environment. Keep a heart of discovery, and maybe you will find that the convenience of navigation software and the beauty of the city have always been there.

　　"People’s Daily" (April 19, 2022, edition 05)