Ever notice that the future never quite turned out the way we expected it in the movies? Remember glimpses of the years to come in the second Back to the Future movie or even the old Star Trek predictions about the early 21st century? Even literature like H.G. Well’s Time Machine tried to foretell the future, so why were they so off?
I still remember teachers and adults telling me in preschool that I’d be driving flying cars when I grew up. Of course all those Nostradamus-esk end of the world predictions thankfully never came true either. So maybe it’s a good thing we humans can’t see into the days to come.
What films or books do you remember from growing up that set your imagination going about the future? Did you envision a different world from what we see today? Or perhaps in a lot of unexpected ways the future turned out more incredible than we could have imagined?
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ReplyDeleteHi Mark..I remember H.G Well's Time Machine only, no other book comes to mind where imagining the future is concerned.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark: you always raise good points and have me thinking now. I remember Time Machine. To me Star Trek was quite fascinating but I never thought of it as real. I can vaguely recall a TV series where humans became small and were injected into the blood stream to fix something. I feel like a dullard. : )
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm just glad Logan's Run never came to pass!
ReplyDeleteThat picture of Michael J. Fox just made me smile because I've been watching the triology while I exercise this week. And I was thinking exactly the same thing as I watched that future that is just 4 years from now.
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of Heinlein when I was growing up, and he influenced my expectations quite a bit. But I'm glad we don't really having flying cars. Trying to control them would just be nuts.
I feel like we are living in the future. True that we don't have flying cars, but those seem impractical and difficult to learn anyway. Technology has gone farther then most imaginations. All we have left to do it travel at the speed of light. :)
ReplyDeleteI never had any specific expectations for my future society, but I am amazed at all the things we can do now that I hadn't dreamed of then.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm living an episode of Star Trek every time I get on my iphone. Now all I need is one of those transporters so I can travel to all the places I want to go.
ReplyDeleteFlying cars...I'm still waiting on that one, but I am crazy attached to technology in a way I didn't think I would be before.
ReplyDelete2001 is one book I've read showing that contrast. Arthur C. Clarke wrote about people traveling through space and exploring other moons and planets--instead, we're pulling back on the space program. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for Time Machine and my chance to hop back in time. And I'm with Eagle on being bumbed about the space program. :)
ReplyDeleteDamnation Alley. Although it more set my imagination going in a direction of Crap. It better not turn out like that. :)
ReplyDeleteMmm, what did I believe in as a kid that hasn't happened yet? Err, I'm technically still a kid. However, my generation believes we'll make a computer smarter than us in our lifetimes. I really hope it doesn't happen. If it does, we're all doomed.
ReplyDeleteI was frightened as a kid that 1984 would come to pass. We're heading that way ...
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, the ones that come to mind are all ones that predict the end of the world in some way, shape or form. I watched Twelve Monkeys the other day and things hit the fan in the late 90's in that one.
ReplyDeleteLove Back to the Future, of course! But, yes, pretty far off. By now, according to various shows and books, we should be flying around, wearing weird metallic clothing, zapping tiny packages to form a full meal, etc. Fun stuff.
At the same time, it seems like many things from movies and books have become reality. Likely because of those very shows and books. Cell phones like communicators in Star Trek, for instance.
I'm glad the world hasn't ended, though.
Definitely Back to the Future, and The Jetsons :D You know what's fun though - the things that HAVE happened. Getting on my computer or phone and talking with someone face to face, just like they did on the Jetsons. And people do have cars and houses that talk to them, park for them, tell them when they are out of milk :) Just since I was a kid we have so much COOL technology...it's mind boggling to think what we will have when my children have kids.
ReplyDeleteRachna – Time machine is a good one:)
ReplyDeleteLittleJeans – No need to feel like a dullard. In fact that last story sounds interesting, although I don’t know what it’s from (shrug).
Alex – Lol, agreed:) Gotta luv Logan’s Run.
Donna – Heinlein is def great, and his books are amazing. Probably good about the flying car thing though, I guess;)
J.A. – True, in many ways we are living in the future. We could have guessed half the things that have transpired?
Miranda – True that:)
L.G. – I totally wish we had those transporters, think of how awesome that would be! iPhone’s not bad either I suppose;)
Kelley – I still would go for flying cars myself, but that’s only because I really like _Back to the Future_;)
Eagle – Gosh, I totally forgot 2001! Sad about the space program though:(
Laila – Indeed. Maybe we need a time machine to fix the space program.
Peggy – Hmm, I’m not familiar with that one.
McKenzie – Well, I don’t fear computers because I work in the tech industry. Truthfully, without people even the smartest computer has no common sense:)
Sarah – Fortunately 1984 is far in the past;) But yes, Orwell always provides a pertinent message for future generations.
Shannon – Very glad the world hasn’t ended! Cell phones are a much better substitute for the end of days I think;)
Michelle – Wow, totally forgot about the Jetsons. Good point. We do certainly use machines more…just need a robot maid now;)