Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Tales of Future Past
Dr. Heywood Floyd phones home.
The Future: it was going to be large. Now that we're half a decade into the twenty-first century, it's interesting to look out at the world and ask, just where is this future? Fifty years ago or more, people seemed to have the impression that we were on the cusp of revolutionary transformation. Fifty years later, it still seems that way. Aside from personal computers, the Web (which may seem like it's always been with us, but of course has only been around for about ten years), digital photography, the smartphone, and the undermining of the republic, things still look pretty much the same.
In light of this, it's fun to look back on the predictions of the last century, to see how they - the people of the past - saw us - the people of today. It seems that for the most part they thought we would be just like them - only happier. Well, perhaps we are like them . . . but still looking for the happier part.
In the future, you may do your shopping from home.
21st century housecleaning chores will be a breeze.
From Tales of Future Past, via Picturephoning. See also FutureWire.
