topic 1 - retrofuturism?

This week's lecture was about retrofuturism and about looking forward. For various reasons, a lot of what people imagined just never has come about (humans colonizing other planets, for example), but some ideas about arts, entertainment, architecture, social structures, technology, housing, vehicles, the workplace, and so on have come about (though often not quite like folks sixty years ago imagined; the classic space station of 2001: A Space Odyssey is not a reality, but the Mir Space Station is still orbiting the earth with its U.S./Soviet astronaut/cosmonaut crews).

With that in mind, here is this week's task--become a futurist.

Think about one thing in one of these areas that currently exists. Imagine what it might be like by the start of the next century--2100. Describe a possible day in the workplace, or describe a day playing whatever will replace video games, or describe attending one sporting event, or describe a sporting event in the 22nd century, or describe one kind of transportation in 2100, or describe what some aspect of the home will be like, or describe a visit to a medical center (will that actually all be done at home?).

Yes, of course, you do not actually know any more than the people in 1955 knew what 2000 would be like, but based on trends you see now, imagine what one facet of the future might be like, and write a short, creative narrative/description along with your explanation of why you think this might be the case.

If you can base your thinking on concrete examples from now; that's even better. Using sources or at least linking to articles showing current trends and future projections will earn you more points.

If you can add pictures (of now or even projections), that's even better still; you will likely get more points.

A note on the kinds of replies you might want to put up this week: if you can think of (detailed) ways that someone else's "vision/idea" might be modified (might occur in a slightly different way), and if you can back it up with reasons (perhaps looking at trends in a field or with a technology over time), then add to that other student's vision with your reply. If you think that some other development in whatever area is being discussed (environment, medicine, government structures, social interaction, etc), or if you think that the "vision/idea" might move in a different direction, explain what that is and what you base your idea on.