I was typing in an address on my GPS navigation this morning. I basically had but two choices: the fastest route or the shortest one. What a shame it’s only those two, I thought. All a GPS does is show you the most efficient en effective way between points A and B. Only, efficiently and effectively doing what exactly? Getting you there? And where is there? Your next meeting? Your next task on the endless list of obligations? Obligations towards what or who?

A GPS system is all about the destination, never about the journey. In fact, a GPS car navigation system regards the journey as an evil necessity. We should get it over with in the least possible time, proving to ourselves and others what reliable and punctual people we are. Or is it neurotically predictable and slavishly obedient to a pre-recorded voice?

What if there was a GPS system that isn’t about the destination, but about the journey? What option would you choose?

1)    The random route: You haven’t got a clue where you are going or how long it is going to take. All your GPS voice tells you is “pack your sleeping back”, “bring 25 $, €, £ or whatever. This in itself might tell you something about where you’re going to end up.
2)    The silent route: taking you along the most silent roads and making you stop at the most peaceful places.
3)    The funny route: taking you past funny road sings, buildings,  people, billboards and the lot.
4)    The challenge route: presenting you with difficulties, quizzes, questions and challenges as you try to finish your journey.
5)    The 5 stops route: Your car will stop 5 times at seemingly random places. You are supposed to get out and discover what it is you should do there before you’re able to go further.
6)    The doorbell route: Your car will stop in front of a random house. You are supposed to get out, ring the doorbell and start a conversation that should take at least 15 minutes.
7)    The foolishness route: You will be lead to people and places where you are invited to do something foolish. Of course the GPS already knows your personal profile which makes it choose your foolishness route quite intelligently.
8)    The breakdown route 1: Your car will break down at one point. You are supposed to get help and return the favour in a way that makes sense to the person that helped you.
9)    The 50 km per hour or 30 miles per hour route: Pretty self-explanatory. This will force you to slow down, which is the whole point of course.
10)     The anywhere but there route: You type in your destination. Depending on your profile, the place you seek to go to, your mood, the time of day, the season etc., etc., your GPS will guide you to a much better place than your final destination. First you will have to go there before you’re able to move on.
11)     The digest route: this will take you past/to the must see roads and places between where you are and where you want to go.
12)     The ancient route: taking you to your destination using the roads and means people used 200 years ago.
13)     The youthful route: taking you past places and people you had forgotten about, but were of significance during your childhood.
14)     The palatable route: taking you from one tasteful to the next delicious restaurant or kitchen, taking into account your finances, preferred taste, yet to discover recipes, etc.
15)     The playground route: taking you from playground to ferris wheel to basketball court to…
16)     The amusement park route: pretty clear, no?
17)     The book route: taking you past libraries, exotic bookstores, etc.
18)     The old friends route: never mind you forgot their address. The GPS system knows where they live and will take you to them whenever you type in a destination that is within an acceptable distance. Which raises the question: what is an acceptable distance in this case?
19)     The repentance route: taking you past these people you need forgiveness from. Would you dare?
20)     The route around the world: You had better packed your bags for this one.
21)     The forgotten things route: taking you past places and people where you forgot your scarf, to pay, your cell phone, to say thank you…
22)     The tree route: taking you past all the different kinds of trees in your vicinity. You’d be amazed I’m sure.
23)     The crying route: taking you to a safe and tranquil place where you can cry your heart out and feel relieved before moving on.
24)     The generation route: taking you past the changing, different generations of ideas, projects, stories, people and places.
25)    The way would you ever want to leave this place route: On your way to wherever it is you’re going, you will be guided to a place that you probably never want to leave again, ever.
26)    The lonely route: taking you past people that deserve a visit, regardless whether you’re a perfect stranger or not. Variations to this route, could be: the ill and elderly route, the homeless route…
27)     The carved route: taking you past the poetry people carved in trees, declaring their love and reminding you of your own past and present loved ones.
28)     The candy route: taking you to those places that still sell the candy you used to love as a child.
29)     The course of life: a trip down memory lane, taking you past all the significant places in your life. The bench of your first kiss, the delivery room of your first child, the piano you gave your first recital on, the field you scored your first goal or touchdown…
30)    The wasted route: taking you past legal and illegal waste dumps, reminding us to take responsibility for our environment. Why not bring a garbage bag or two?
31)     The victim route: taking you past places where someone lost his/her life in traffic. Your GPS will tell you his/her story, giving the nameless statistic a name and a face. Reminding us how precious life is.
32)     The letter route: seen from above you are drawing letters while driving. At the end of the journey you will have a set of letters, revealing a word that is of special meaning to you that very day or time in your life.
33)    The meet and greet route: when selecting this option you will be guided to a place where others who have chosen the same option will be guided towards as well. You will arrive at the same time and be invited to get to know eachother.
34)     The chocolate route: no explanation required
35)     The scores route: scores you need to settle, people you need to confront with whatever is on you liver…choose the scores route.
36)     The back in time route: this takes you back to the time and place where you now have the option to do things differently or exactly the same. It’s up to you.
37)     The scented route: making your journey an olfactory orgy.
38)    The Elvis route: which doesn’t necessary takes you past Elvis related places, but past the place that are of significance to your idol.
39)     The wisdom route: takes you to those people who know things you definitely need to hear!
40)    The birthday route 1: never forget another birthday. You will be taken to him/her anyway on that day.
41)    The birthday route 2: never come empty handed to the birthday party of route 40. This option will take you to the perfect present.
42)     The dead end route: taking you from one dead end to the next. You would probably agree that those would be places you would normally never come.
43)     The funeral route: steering you towards a funeral nearby. Reminding you how short life is and practicing our ability to comfort people, to share grieve and just be there for each other.
44)     The hello route: on seemingly random spots along your route, your window will go down, allowing you to great people. Which you should do if you want to be able to continue your journey.       
45)     The hug route: the system will stop at those people and places that desperately need a hug.
46)     The sing along route: You need to be singing like you never sang before if you want your GPS to get you where you need to go.
47)     The breakdown route 2: Not your own car will break down, but someone else’s just did. You will be guided over there and will be able to offer assistance.
48)    The life lessons route: Something will happen on this route. Something that will wake you up, confront you, present you with a long awaited insight.
49)     The true love route: you will be guided to your true love. Mind you, this could have you end up at your ex, or an already married person…are you sure you want to know?
50)    The laughter route: this route will have you in stitches. You will hurt all over before you arrive.

Honestly, wouldn’t you want to trade your current GPS for this one? I know, it doesn’t safe you time or may be the most wanted time management gadget. But consider this: our preoccupation with not wasting time…isn’t that the biggest waste of time of all, every now and then?

This concludes my dauntless daydream today. ;-)

Take care,
Karl

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