We'll live underwater and in the clouds.
August 16, 2012 7:35 PM   Subscribe

Around 1900 a number of French artists were asked to illustrate commemorative postcards with their predictions of what life would look like in the year 2000. Many of them thought we'd have personal flying vehicles. The idea that we'd live underwater and travel by whale bus featured prominently. Predictions that various types of manual labour would be automated were common (although, interestingly, it was assumed that you'd still need a maid to operate your automated cleaning robot). If living underwater wasn't science fiction-y enough, the artists also predicted Mad Max-style car battles and a Steampunk Internet. (via kottke)
posted by asnider (9 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: It appears as though this is a well-covered topic at this point. -- restless_nomad



 
Sure, you've got to expect some out there stuff for 100-years-in-the-future guessing, but some of these are just dumb. Why would you want to play croquet underwater? OR GO FISHING FOR SEAGULLS? Early 20th century French artists be crazy.
posted by axiom at 7:44 PM on August 16, 2012


You'd expect it because it is FUCKING AWESOME.

I MUST HAVE A WHALE BUS!
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 7:45 PM on August 16, 2012


Le double.
posted by barnacles at 7:46 PM on August 16, 2012


La triple
posted by briank at 7:48 PM on August 16, 2012


I think this was posted before, but then I didn't see how ironic many of these really are. The barber image at the top for example, the smug limpness of the customer and the contrived complexity of the machine. It reminds me of Wall-E.
posted by deo rei at 7:49 PM on August 16, 2012


The lines drawn across the field between poles in this one seem familiar.
posted by wobh at 7:54 PM on August 16, 2012


Le quadruple, but it looks like all three are missing some of the pictures included in this set. No whale bus, for instance.
posted by zamboni at 8:00 PM on August 16, 2012


They didn't predict the quadruple post!
posted by cashman at 8:01 PM on August 16, 2012


Le Le Le Le neil degrasse tyson bill nye found this gem look at this little guy does anyone else am i the only one portal half-life gaben pokemon
posted by WhitenoisE at 8:05 PM on August 16, 2012


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