Shouldn't we have robot maids by now? Shouldn't I get to work via spaceship? Or at least a hovercraft? Not that long ago, most Americans thought we'd be living in the space-age by 2010. Indeed, Blade Runner is set in 2018 and the sci-fi show UFO was set in 1980. Land of the Giants was supposed to take place in 1983 and let's not forget Space:1999. Well, it's 2010 - where's my robot maid and all the effing space ships?
The Jetsons originally aired in 1962..... who'd have guessed that 48 years later we'd still be traveling by the same ol' internal combustion engine (with a few more whistles and bells) rather than jet packs and space cruisers? What a disappointment. Here's my list of empty promises brought to us via science fiction:
- Star Trek doors
- Jet packs
- Food in a pill
- Cryogenics
- Colonies on the Moon and Mars
- Robots to do our bidding
- Computers that can talk to you
- Laser guns
- Teleportation and Time Travel
- Dazzling sci-fi duds
I don't think anyone predicted the level to which we as a planet have all become interconnected to each other and to information. On my little hand-held Android I can send photos to someone on the other side of the world, get my GPS location, watch a movie, listen to any song ever recorded, read a book, etc. It's mind boggling when you stop and think about it.
So, although I'm disappointed I can't travel to work via posh hovercraft, I am blown away by how far we've come in terms of communication. And what's really strange is that I remember being blown away by technology in 1983 with those crappy little computers that could barely do anything.
This begs the question: Will I look back in 2033 and marvel at how I could possibly be impressed by the iPad and the Internet? It's an interesting thought.
