|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2009 8:41:47 GMT
"It will be years --not in my time-- before a woman will become Prime Minister." --Margaret Thatcher, October 26th, 1969. “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” --Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943. “That virus [HIV] is a pussycat.” --Dr. Peter Duesberg, molecular-biology professor at U.C. Berkeley, 1988 “A rocket will never be able to leave the Earth’s atmosphere.” --New York Times, 1936 “Rail travel at high speed is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia.” --Dr Dionysys Larder (1793-1859) "There will never be a bigger plane built." --A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin engine plane that holds ten people. "Ours has been the first [expedition], and doubtless to be the last, to visit this profitless locality." ---- Lt. Joseph Ives, after visiting the Grand Canyon in 1861 "If excessive smoking actually plays a role in the production of lung cancer, it seems to be a minor one." --W.C. Heuper, National Cancer Institute, 1954
|
|
|
Post by auntieannie on Apr 12, 2009 15:38:55 GMT
ha ha ha ...
|
|
|
Post by lola on Apr 13, 2009 2:47:06 GMT
That's great. And those people were the big shot experts.
|
|
|
Post by BigIain on Apr 18, 2009 21:02:50 GMT
I knew that you were all going to say that...
Also the bloke who chose not to sign the Beatles to his label stating that Guitar groups were just a short passing fad or suchlike!
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Apr 18, 2009 21:05:28 GMT
Hindsight is a wonderful think to make us feel superior or smug, eh ?
Think about what we have now, or a recent new invention, and try to guess how it's going to evolve adapt or improve in say, 50 or so years time. Not so easy ....
|
|
|
Post by Jazz on Apr 19, 2009 12:56:37 GMT
Thinking about how something will evolve in 50 years is now (almost) impossible, even 5 or 10 years is a challenge. Given the exponential rate at which everything is moving, I think the wisest course is to enhance our powers of adaptability so that we can handle whatever will happen. I think care should be taken of the emotional part of adaptation, noticeably lacking in the last 25 years. Too much, too soon can lead to frustration, fear and confusion. Then, stagnation or stupid decisions. There is an obvious difference in adapting to the new information between young and old. Those who are now between 12 and 30 seem to to learn in a totally different way than those over 30.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Apr 19, 2009 15:35:36 GMT
We should have a go at predicting the future of Shopping. Since the advent of the internet we all know that shopping has changed radically - but what's the future? Will all those shopping malls be empty or will humankind feel the need just to walk around in the company of their fellows even if only window shopping and drinking expensive cappucinos?
Even now a lot of stores on industrial estates are practically empty - I'm thinking of Comet in particular and Homebase.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2009 15:43:37 GMT
My own conviction is that soon people will stay in their own domicile -- to work, to live, to eat, to shop -- and hardly ever go out anymore. Everything will be delivered, electronically or through the front door. Delivery people will be the ruling caste, the only ones with knowledge of the outside world.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Apr 19, 2009 15:45:33 GMT
You could be right. People might only meet via the internet and have pissups occasionally.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Apr 19, 2009 16:01:02 GMT
My own conviction is that soon people will stay in their own domicile -- to work, to live, to eat, to shop -- and hardly ever go out anymore. Everything will be delivered, electronically or through the front door. Humanity will consist of flabby blobs of protoplasm, dependent upon their transportation devices, internet connections and food delivery systems. Kind of like the future world of Wall E... Sad isn't it?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2009 16:03:20 GMT
Exactly.
|
|
|
Post by Jazz on Apr 19, 2009 16:10:23 GMT
My own conviction is that soon people will stay in their own domicile -- to work, to live, to eat, to shop -- and hardly ever go out anymore. Everything will be delivered, electronically or through the front door. Delivery people will be the ruling caste, the only ones with knowledge of the outside world. A horrible vision. But, I hope not. I think it could happen for a little while, but then people will wake up to what they have chosen to give away and return to a more communal and human society.
|
|
|
Post by auntieannie on Apr 19, 2009 16:10:48 GMT
I think it might be much more violent than that and much more difficult. I think "shopping" might not be a leisure activity anymore.
But then I am good at worrying.
|
|
|
Post by Jazz on Apr 19, 2009 16:20:55 GMT
I think it might be much more violent than that and much more difficult.... I agree. It is much easier to be violent, at whatever level, when you are not physically with another person. Also, if the delivery people become 'the ruling caste', this will not happen without a fight. What happens to everyone in all the other jobs, professions? I doubt that they will 'go gently into that good night'. K's scenario is very possible, given how many people shop online as opposed to 5 years ago, as one small example. All of the 'checks and balances' of what used to be 'normal' dialogues (re: Conrad and Heart of Darkness) are out the window when the only communication is via computer. The question is then, how do you handle this almost complete lack of restraint?
|
|
|
Post by bazfaz on Apr 19, 2009 16:32:20 GMT
At the age of 10 at school we were asked to imagne what life would be like in the future. One of the things I wrote was that in the future people would just swallow a pill to get all the nourishment they needed and have a bowl of porridge to feel full.
|
|
|
Post by auntieannie on Apr 19, 2009 16:32:31 GMT
Jazz, I agree with what you say, although I was initially thinking more of violent chaos once the current system breaks down, when oil becomes totally unavailable. I think there will be groups who will try to steal food from those who grow it, etc.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2009 16:43:02 GMT
Just imagine what the 'have-nots' will do when cash is eliminated and all wealth is electronic. I can't imagine that robberies will just stop. Something else will replace them -- but what?
|
|
|
Post by Jazz on Apr 19, 2009 16:57:39 GMT
... although I was initially thinking more of violent chaos once the current system breaks down, when oil becomes totally unavailable. I think there will be groups who will try to steal food from those who grow it, etc. Yes. Not only food but water. The lack of oil may finally force innovation, needed yesterday. I think this violent chaos isn't far away. The number of people in countries that are in desperate of food and water need is growing by the moment, far outstripping the populations of the wealthy G8 who were in control in the 20th century. Not only are they more populated, but their tech abilities are excellent, again, growing by the moment...the sheer numbers are overwhelming. This newly accessible information may well make many countries such as India, China, North Korea, Iran etc. wonder...why them and not us? If/when the current system breaks down, we need to be prepared. This means awareness and acting on this awareness. (not like turning a blind eye to the oil crisis of the last 30 years as one example).
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Apr 19, 2009 17:33:54 GMT
I think the cashless society isn't far away. This would mean that authorities would know exactly how we spend our money and be able to force us to modify our habits. Even now I don't possess store 'loyalty cards' because they show exactly what we buy. I notice that when I shop at Sainsburys the cashier will click an electronic button if I haven't brought a bag with me. I am then on record as not being 'green' enough. Control has started in small ways now growing to encompass all our habits. It's frightening.
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Apr 20, 2009 12:41:54 GMT
How the friggin' hell did Joseph Conrad get in here, the boring drone ?
|
|
|
Post by Jazz on Apr 20, 2009 13:31:49 GMT
;D...the boring drone got in because I quoted him. We studied Heart of Darkness in depth (!) in my final year of high school and I was never capable of reading another of his books.
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Apr 20, 2009 19:08:42 GMT
Well, push him out again. I studied Victory at school. I'm still bitter about it after 24 years !
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2009 19:42:22 GMT
Actually, I quite like Joseph Conrad, but I didn't have him crammed down my throat either.
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Apr 20, 2009 19:47:37 GMT
I'd like him too, if it wasn't for his unexciting writing style, laborious plotting, and unimaginably dull characterisation.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2009 20:04:26 GMT
I don't know exactly why, but at some point of my life, the dullness of classical literature suddenly clicked in my brain. So not only did I learn to appreciate Joseph Conrad but I also found that I liked Thomas Hardy.
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Apr 20, 2009 20:07:04 GMT
Never really read much Hardy, to be fair. Although I think he wrote a short story I really liked. Or maybe it was Trollope ?
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Apr 20, 2009 20:10:01 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Jazz on Apr 20, 2009 20:18:07 GMT
The horror, the horror...
I enjoy classical literature, certainly Hardy. However, appreciation of Conrad still eludes me. I attempted to read Lord Jim a few years ago, but couldn't get through it. The month that we spent on Heart of Darkness wore out my tired mind. But I did find the concept of 'what happens to a man when the checks and balances of civilzation are gradually removed,' to be totally fascinating. Obviously, I've never forgotten.
|
|
|
Post by lola on Apr 21, 2009 2:02:51 GMT
Classic literature should be withheld from the young until they're old enough to appreciate it.
|
|
|
Post by hwinpp on Apr 21, 2009 2:14:15 GMT
HoD is the only one I read completely. In fact I read it 3 times. Couldn't finish Victory and Lord Jim and never attempted anything else.
|
|