The future is now(?)

A passing thought I had a few days ago while in the city:

Usually when we think of "the future" we would think sci-fi. Very much like Star Wars we would think flying cars, spaceships, other worlds and fantastic and amazing technology. However as I learn to me more mindful and thoughtful, I've been looking around recently and thinking: "isn't the world we live in now quite futuristic?"

We might it notice as we're used to it (I was born into it!) but if you really think about it, we do live in quite a futuristic world! Think of things like planes, trains and then imagine someone from let's say the 15th century and how they would react to that. Think of cars, particularly things like electric cars that are beginning to make an appearance!

Technology has exploded in the last 15 years or so too. Think how far things like tablets and phones have come in just 10 years; Nokia Block to iPhone 6 ;p

Think of the cures and medicine that we have access to! Diseases such as smallpox that killed thousands of thousands barely exist any more!

Even think of things like TVsand General apparatus like ovens and things and how much they've been improved over the years! Even look at cities like New York or London; are they not quite futuristic

As a child I always wanted to live in a sci-do world like Star Wars; looking around me, I realise I might already be in one! What are your thoughts?

It is true that our present is rather "futuristic" technologically. Think of the original series of Star Trek. They had transporters, phasers, and warp drives, but the idea of a smart phone like what we have FAR surpasses the technology of their communicators.

I'm also a huge sci-fi fan, but I don't think I'll consider the present to be "futuristic" until we stop squabbling amongst ourselves and start looking to the stars: more efficient space travel, intergalactic survey teams, colonies on other planets/moons...

As it is, we're still kind of stuck up our own butts. We've made great advances yes, but they're all so insular. We can't even share them with everyone on our world, heck, even with others in our own countries.

I'll believe the future is now when we start cooperating as a planet and working together to conquer the stars

Leah Starspectre wrote: As it is, we're still kind of stuck up our own butts.

This might be the best thing I've read all day :laugh:

assuming that humanity continues to survive for any significant length of time, we are also living in the ancient past

That's a really really good point! Essentially the whole idea of past and future is objective of looked at from that point of view!