I found this crazy article from the Dec 1900 issue of The Ladies’ Home Journal linked from someone’s site yesterday. The magazine was listing its predictions for the next century. How’d they do?
There will be no C, X, or Q
They were quite extremely incorrect on this one.
No mosquitoes nor flies
Still got ‘em.
Ready-cooked meals will be bought
This did happen. Hopefully it will diminish in the 21st century.
There will be no street cars in our large cities
What they describe sounds a lot like the subway/metro/underground, though I don’t know for sure as I can count on my ears the number of times I’ve been to a “Large City.”
Photographs will be telegraphed
More or less right. If you replace the telegraph part with flickr.
Automobiles will be cheaper than horses
No.
Everybody will walk ten miles
“Gymnastics will begin in the nursery where toys and games will be designed to strengthen the muscles. Exercise will be compulsory in schools.”
LOL.
To England in two days
We did come through on that one. In fact, I think it takes less than two days now.
There will be Air-Ships
The Final Fantasy geek in the back of my head wishes this would have happened, but no. I guess airplanes are a decent substitute.
There will be no wild animals
We’re getting there.
A University Education will be free to every man and woman
Not even close.
Store purchases by tube
Sounds an awful lot like amazon, especially if you think of the internet as a series of tubes.
Strawberries as large as apples
We’re getting there, though this may not be a good thing. I’ve seen some mean looking strawberries.
Few drugs will be swallowed
Nope. We still pop pills.
