Earlier today, we linked you to The Economist’s predictions for 2008. Then we stumbled upon this: Ladies Home Journal issued in 1901 far more audacious predictions for what the world will look like in 2001. It turns out that many guesses were pretty close to the mark, if not spot on. Here are a few examples:
- Man will see around the world. Persons and things of all kinds will be brought within focus of cameras connected electrically with screens at opposite ends of circuits, thousands of miles at a span.
- Photographs will be telegraphed from any distance. If there be a battle in China a hundred years hence snapshots of its most striking events will be published in the newspapers an hour later. [Tiananmen Square come to mind?]
- Automobiles will be cheaper than horses are to-day. … A one pound motor … will do the work of a pair of horses or more.
(Source Daily Dish)
Anyone care to predict what the world will look like in 2107? Post your predictions in the comments.
In my book futurists can best be described as a bravely opinionted bunch. The Conversations Network recently launched a new Media Conversations channel. Early posts have a definite futurist slant, discussing the future of Web 2.0, new media et cetera in podcast and video form.