The future isn’t what it used to be

[Bookworm]

Michael Rogers
Columnist
Some predictions about the future remain forever etched in history: Lord Kelvin’s 1895 declaration that “Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible” or Digital Equipment Corp. head Ken Olson’s 1977 statement that “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” But far more predictions and visions of the future are forgotten long before the future actually happens.

Not, however, in the world of two brothers, Eric and Jonathan Dregni, whose excellent new book “Follies of Science: 20th Century Visions of Our Fantastic Future” (Speck Press, $19) is a lavish visual compendium of art work, advertisements, cartoons, magazine covers and government documents, all depicting just how wonderful, or occasionally terrifying, the future will be. Virtually all of the visions, of course, are also dead wrong.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15208980/


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[scherzo]

A memorable 2001 IBM commercial featured Avery Brooks (of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fame) complaining “It is the year 2000, but where are the flying cars? I was promised flying cars. I don’t see any flying cars. Why? Why? Why?” Complaints of the non-existence of flying cars have since become nearly idiomatic as expressions of disappointment in the failure of the present to measure up to the glory of past predictions.


where are the flying cars?



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[Karma]

“It is the year 2000, but where are the flying cars? I was promised flying cars. I don’t see any flying cars. Why? Why? Why?”

Truly. High technology isn't what it used to be (It's being focused on trying to use water and corn for gas instead of gravity defiance). I STILL haven't seen a flying car in sight!


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[Clueless]

we should all be driving hover cars right now. yep.

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[Stasi]

I own and drive a hover car.

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[Red Squirrel]

I don't care so much about flying cars, since people have trouble driving in a 2D road system, I would not want to see it in a 3D road system. Though having more space to work with could perhaps help from a safety standpoint.

What I'm really disappointed is that we are STILL running on dirty fossil fuels and destroying the planet in the process, and its just a money thing. There are so many alternatives out there but they get rejected/patented to avoid their mainstream to protect the money hungry oil industry.

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[Clueless]

I own and drive a hover car.

lies. if you did i would have stolen it already. lol

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[Stasi]

I own and drive a hover car.

lies. if you did i would have stolen it already. lol

Yeah, as if.... You don't even know where I live.

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[Clueless]

the chipmunks tell me everything

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[flowergirlajg]

I watched a movie called "Back to the Future Part III" and Marty and Doc go to the year 1996, and there are hoverboards and robots and cyborgs and hovercars, and not nike, but NIKEY shoes, and....
DANCING BANNANAS!! DANCE DANCE DANCE!!
well not dancing bannanas, but I laughed my head off; it's the year 2007, we STILL don't have that stuff!! lol

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