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> 51 years later ... still waiting for the future to arrive. I feel this acutely too. The trajectory we've been on feels a lot more Bladerunner than it does St
by bartread 6y ago
> 51 years later ... still waiting for the future to arrive.
I feel this acutely too. The trajectory we've been on feels a lot more Bladerunner than it does Star Trek[0] and it's honestly somewhat disappointing. All that promise, and possibly all that hubris, come to naught.
We have to acknowledge the impact the Cold War had and, perhaps, with it winding down as the 80s wore on the impetus was no longer there. Nobody wanted to spend the money on these grand developments and great explorations any more.
Yes, we've sent probes to many parts of the solar system but, whilst much better than not going at all, in no way is this comparable to going ourselves (it's much easier and safer, for one thing).
It is weird though, because the drive towards flight and, ultimately, space exploration predates the Cold War, kicking off big time back in the Victorian era, so it's unclear why the end of the Cold War also marked the end of that era of advancement. I don't think it had to be inevitable. Our dreams didn't have to become smaller; nobody forced us to become less.
(Of course I realise Mars is a much tougher proposition than the moon, but we haven't even really bothered to try, which is what frustrates me.)
[0] Don't worry: I realise Star Trek is ridiculous.
- claudeganon 6y agoNot to be pedantic, but Star Trek predicted that America would experience an extreme period of inequality and social decay in the 21st century, only finding its way out of its selfish, destructive ideology after being ravaged by nuclear war. Seems pretty accurate to me (minus the whole genetic engineering war interregnum, but who knows, it’s only 2020...) https://www.startrek.com/news/ds9s-take-on-homelessness-is-all-too-real https://www.startrek.com/news/ds9s-take-on-homelessness-is-a...
- abcd9090 6y agogrt
- remarkEon 6y agoNot sure why this is being downvoted, it's accurate. As far as predictions of the future go (or the past, as it were), Star Trek (DS9 in particular) got a lot of stuff right. Though I think Star Trek had Irish Unification happening in 2020 so we're already a bit behind.
- rgblambda 6y agoStar Trek predicted 2024 for Irish Unification.
- 35fbe7d3d5b9 6y agohttps://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Irish_Unification_of_2024 https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Irish_Unification_of_20... Tiocfaidh ár lá indeed. Amusing that a date picked in 1990 could end up accurate when you consider shifting religious demographics in Northern Ireland and the potential impact of Britain leaving the EU.