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Wednesday 13 April 2011

Days of Future Past

A look at today from the year 1900, from the Ladies Home Journal. Click to make readable.


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6 comments:

  1. ZimbelSaturday, April 16, 2011 12:07:00 am

    The Aërial War-Ships and Forts on Wheels section reminds me of Girl Genius.

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  2. athelSaturday, April 16, 2011 1:13:00 am

    An interesting mixture of accurate predictions with complete fantasy and wishful thinking. On the whole I think John Elfreth Watkins Jr. did better than many similar prophets. Interesting too that these are the predictions (made by a man) that readers of the Ladies Home Journal were expected to find interesting.

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  3. Chris PhoenixSaturday, April 16, 2011 7:59:00 pm

    I'm astonished at how accurate a lot of these predictions are. Central heating and cooling; full-color pictures transmitted worldwide; cooking factories making pre-packaged meals. This is really worth reading in full.

    I was amused, though, to see two prophecies that (in hindsight) obviously cancel each other.

    "Children will ride in automobile sleighs in winter. Automobiles will have been substituted for every horse vehicle now known."

    And, the very next prediction...

    "A man or woman unable to walk ten miles at a stretch will be regarded as a weakling."

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  4. Anonymous WomanSunday, April 17, 2011 4:01:00 am

    i love stuff like this.

    But 'How Children will be Taught' was oddly depressing to read.

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  5. 2dogsSunday, April 17, 2011 4:33:00 am

    It appears that:

    1. The predictions as to improved technological capability have been understated; and,

    2. Predictions as to their impact have been overstated.

    As such, I think Watkins was a good technologist but a lousy economist. I think there is a lesson there for today's prophets.

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  6. Nicole JadeSunday, April 17, 2011 11:53:00 am

    I can't wait for peas the size of beets. Not.

    ReplyDelete

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