What People in the Past Thought the Future Would Look Like

Summary

The video explores past predictions about the future and how close they came to reality. From hover technology and moving homes envisioned in the 60s to the rise of VR and streaming services in the 80s, it showcases how some ideas were surprisingly accurate while others didn't quite pan out. The video reflects on how the technological advancements of the past shaped today's world, offering a fun look at the predictions of yesteryear and pondering what the future might hold for 2100.

Takeaways

• 😀 Predictions from the 1960s often envisioned hover cars, hover bikes, and futuristic transportation methods, but the reality of the 2020s still heavily relies on traditional vehicles with wheels.
• 😀 Arthur C. Clarke's vision of 'untethered homes' suggested houses would move to different locations, similar to mobile homes, allowing for flexibility in living spaces. This idea echoes in the modern Tiny Home movement.
• 😀 Clarke’s concept of migrating homes in response to weather, like geese, was a futuristic idea, though not fully realized. However, the Tiny Home trend has allowed for similar mobility in living spaces.
• 😀 Architect James Wines predicted high-rise homes in 1981, with neighborhoods designed like Jenga towers, which reimagined suburban life. A modern counterpart is the Bosco Verticale in Milan, which blends green architecture with urban living.
• 😀 The Bosco Verticale building in Milan is a modern, self-sufficient green design that uses renewable energy, solar panels, and filtered water waste, offering an innovative example of sustainable living.
• 😀 Predictions from the 1980s, like injections for younger skin, funny animations sent via email, fiber optics connecting computers, and on-demand streaming, were eerily accurate by 2013.
• 😀 The 1980s also envisioned Virtual Reality (VR) as a frontier technology, initially used by NASA for immersive training. Despite early limitations, VR has become mainstream for gaming and entertainment today.
• 😀 The early VR technology was hindered by heavy headsets, slow computers, and ineffective touch-feedback systems, making the experiences often frustrating and leading to motion sickness.
• 😀 NASA’s VR technology was originally designed for space training, but its modern use has diverged into consumer entertainment, illustrating a shift in its application from practical use to recreational.
• 😀 The predictions of the past were filled with optimism about futuristic technologies, many of which have either been realized in different forms or remain aspirational.
• 😀 Looking forward to 2100, the script encourages viewers to consider their own predictions, offering a fun invitation to reflect on future possibilities and technological advancements.

Q & A

What was the major difference between the predictions of the 1960s and the reality of the 2020s regarding transportation?

The 1960s predicted a future with hovering cars, bikes, and skateboards, but in the 2020s, we still rely heavily on traditional road vehicles with wheels, highlighting a gap between the anticipated and actual technological advancements in transportation.

What were Arthur C. Clarke's predictions for the future of homes?

Arthur C. Clarke predicted that in the future, homes would be 'untethered,' meaning they could move to different locations. These homes would be self-sufficient, with their own power and water supply, and communities would use them to migrate with the seasons.

How do modern Tiny Homes relate to Arthur C. Clarke's vision of moving homes?

Modern Tiny Homes align with Clarke's vision by prioritizing mobility. People today choose to downsize their living spaces for the ability to move their homes to different locations, reflecting Clarke's idea of mobile, flexible living.

How did James Wines envision future housing compared to a real-life example?

James Wines envisioned high-rise, open-plan homes in a Jenga-like arrangement, replacing traditional suburban neighborhoods. A real-life example that reflects his design is the Bosco Verticale in Milan, which incorporates green architecture and renewable energy.

What is the Bosco Verticale, and how does it relate to James Wines' vision?

The Bosco Verticale is a real-life building in Milan that operates as a self-sufficient vertical forest, using renewable energy, solar panels, and filtered water waste. While it isn't made up of individual homes, it represents a modern, green spin on the open-plan high-rise concept imagined by James Wines.

Which 1980s predictions about technology were remarkably accurate by 2013?

In the 1980s, predictions about technology included injections for younger-looking skin, animated GIFs sent via email, global fiber optic internet, and on-demand streaming of music and movies, all of which came to fruition by 2013.

Why did Virtual Reality (VR) fail to meet expectations in the 1980s?

In the 1980s, VR technology failed due to limitations like heavy headsets, slow computers, and ineffective touch-feedback systems. The technology was not advanced enough to provide the immersive experiences that were initially envisioned.

What advancements have made VR more successful in the present day?

Modern VR technology has become much more successful due to significant advancements in computer processing power, faster and lighter headsets, and improved motion-tracking systems. These developments allow for realistic and immersive experiences, such as VR gaming and training for astronauts.

What did NASA originally hope to achieve with VR, and how has its usage changed?

NASA originally aimed to use VR for astronaut training, creating highly detailed simulations of space missions. However, VR is now widely used for entertainment and escapism, such as gaming and virtual tourism, rather than the highly specialized applications NASA envisioned.

How does the script compare past predictions about the future to the reality of the 21st century?

The script compares the high hopes of past predictions, such as hover vehicles and mobile homes, with the reality of today, where many technologies have either been delayed or evolved into something different. Some predictions, like streaming services and the use of VR, have been spot on, while others, like flying cars, remain elusive.