Rant: The Future

3.14.08

I saw some pictures of inventions and ideas for the future the other day and it started me thinking. Where are all those great things we were supposed to have by now that we all saw as we were growing up?

I remembered the Land of Tomorrow and rides talking about the future at Disneyworld and Epcot Center I saw when I was a kid. The future that was “supposed to be” we saw back then is our present day and we haven't as yet achieved those great inventions we were all anticipating.

Tell me, where are all those flying cars, where our our robot helpers, and where are those colonies we were supposed to have on our neighboring planets as well as the moon? Instead, we have high fuel prices, high food prices, most of our world population is struggling to get by, and our cars aren't even efficient much less able to leave the ground (unless you drive the General Lee).

I guess we should look on the bright side, there have been some advancements in the last 20 years. Computers have gotten smarter and smaller. There is a free wireless internet in the ether that is continuing to spread and hopefully will span the United States and perhaps the world in years to come. I'm typing on a 2 pound 7 inch laptop that doesn't even fit on my lap because it's too small! Appliances have become smarter too, phones now can go online, hold music and video, become an alarm clock that gets automatically set to your current time zone when you travel, not to mention it makes and recieves calls! That's pretty cool.

What about around the house? We've had advances to more efficient flourescent bulbs (if only people would use them), we have washing machines, dishwashers, and toilets that use less water to do what they gotta to do, even windows and insulation have gotten better to save everyone money and keep us all warm by conserving energy and heat on cold days and reflect heat when hot in the summertime.

If we just take a look around, I guess there have been a lot of advances. Technology never stands still, that's for sure. I still wouldn't mind having a flying car and a robot to do my dishes though.

What inventions are you still waiting for?