Well....I think "Looper" is a sorta dystopian future too. It looks as if the world economy collapse and innovation has stopped at a certain year, hence the reason why the people drove cars from 2012 despite being at least 50 or so years in the future.
A true pessimist also sees Star Trek as a dystopian future. Seriously, the Federation is actually a totalitarian (the government controls all resources), fascist (the military/Starfleet is the government), communist (no money and no private property) government with a class system (because is it me, or do members of Starfleet get a lot more perks than private citizens?). They just have good PR because they have lofty ideals about "equality". So, yeah, an optimist would see that things are about as good as they're going to get, and the only way they could get better is with cooler stuff.
Let's see compared to 100, 200, 300 years ago... worldwide higher mean and median: standard of living, life expectancy, literacy rate, plus an increased access to democracy and similar freedoms. Nope, no dystopian future here.
I'm still waiting for Moral America and for L.A. to break off with an earthquake a president predicted. 2013 is almost over now and it's not happened yet...
I'm still waiting for The United States and the USSR to settle disputes over territory with giant gladatorial mecha. It's waaaaaay past 1999 and it's not happened yet...
(Kudos if you get the reference. It's kinda obscure.)
I've checked, according to Moore's Law, a $1,000 computer sold in about 2020 will be as powerful as the human brain. So I'm thinking that if the future is going to look like anything we've seen, it'll be Megaman Battle Network.
So, basically he's saying "Looper" is the most accurate portrayal of the future.
ReplyDeleteHa. I thought the exact same thing.
DeleteWell....I think "Looper" is a sorta dystopian future too. It looks as if the world economy collapse and innovation has stopped at a certain year, hence the reason why the people drove cars from 2012 despite being at least 50 or so years in the future.
DeleteYou're overthinking it, Eric. Detroit ran out of ideas, just like Hollywood.
DeleteWhy was he discusing movies? Didn't he have a javelin or hammer?
ReplyDeleteSo... he's an optimist, then.
ReplyDeleteOptimism would be seeing Star Trek as the future. He's just not a pessimist.
DeleteA true pessimist also sees Star Trek as a dystopian future. Seriously, the Federation is actually a totalitarian (the government controls all resources), fascist (the military/Starfleet is the government), communist (no money and no private property) government with a class system (because is it me, or do members of Starfleet get a lot more perks than private citizens?). They just have good PR because they have lofty ideals about "equality".
DeleteSo, yeah, an optimist would see that things are about as good as they're going to get, and the only way they could get better is with cooler stuff.
You mean we're not already living in a dystopian future?
ReplyDeleteLet's see compared to 100, 200, 300 years ago... worldwide higher mean and median: standard of living, life expectancy, literacy rate, plus an increased access to democracy and similar freedoms. Nope, no dystopian future here.
DeleteI'm still waiting for Moral America and for L.A. to break off with an earthquake a president predicted. 2013 is almost over now and it's not happened yet...
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for The United States and the USSR to settle disputes over territory with giant gladatorial mecha. It's waaaaaay past 1999 and it's not happened yet...
Delete(Kudos if you get the reference. It's kinda obscure.)
"We're having real meat!"
DeleteI'm pretty sure any science fiction fan who entered a video rental store in the 80s has seen it.
I've checked, according to Moore's Law, a $1,000 computer sold in about 2020 will be as powerful as the human brain. So I'm thinking that if the future is going to look like anything we've seen, it'll be Megaman Battle Network.
ReplyDelete