# Lost Futures **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123 "2007-10-18T01:26:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/21 "2007-10-18T04:10:31Z")
Depending how far off the rails you want to go, [End of Days](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_Days_%281999_film%29) is set mostly in 1999. [Strange Days](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Days_%28film%29) is set in December 1999. There are probably enough Y2K-related things to make up a programming block. OTTOMH there’s that episode of Family Guy. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/22 "2007-10-18T04:21:59Z")
Several websites are good for this. > **[retrofuture.com](https://www.afternic.com/forsale/retrofuture.com?utm_source=TDFS&utm_medium=sn_affiliate_click&utm_campaign=TDFS_GoDaddy_DLS&traffic_type=TDFS&traffic_id=GoDaddy_DLS)** > > Forsale Lander [http://davidszondy.com/future/futurepast.htm](http://davidszondy.com/future/futurepast.htm) > **[Paleo-Future](http://paleo-future.blogspot.com/)** > > A look into the future that never was A number of books as well: [Future Perfect, by Jim Heimann](http://www.amazon.com/Future-Perfect-Icons-Jim-Heimann/dp/3822815667/ref=sr_1_1/002-5625761-1946464?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192680562&sr=1-1) [Yesterday’s Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future, by Joseph J. Corn and Brian Horrigan](http://www.amazon.com/Yesterdays-Tomorrows-Visions-American-Future/dp/0801853990/ref=pd_sim_b_shvl_title_1/002-5625761-1946464) [Follies of Science: 20th Century Visions of Our Fantastic Future, by Eric Dregni and Jonathan Dregni](http://www.amazon.com/Follies-Science-Century-Visions-Fantastic/dp/1933108096/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/002-5625761-1946464) [Where’s My Jetpack?: A Guide to the Amazing Science Fiction Future that Never Arrived, by Daniel H. Wilson](http://www.amazon.com/Wheres-My-Jetpack-Amazing-Science/dp/1596911360/ref=pd_sim_b_shvl_title_1/002-5625761-1946464) [Where’s My Space Age!, by Sean Topham](http://www.amazon.com/Wheres-Space-Age-Sean-Topham/dp/3791328441/ref=pd_sim_b_shvl_title_9/002-5625761-1946464) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/23 "2007-10-18T04:26:53Z")
Jerry Pournelle’s CoDominium series had the United States and the Soviet Union forming an alliance in 2000 and taking over the world. This was quickly followed by interstellar exploration using the Alderson stardrive, which was invented in 2004. The start of the future history in Poul Anderson’s Psychotechnic League series was a nuclear war in 1958. (A gutsy move for a series of stories that were written in the fifties.) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/24 "2007-10-18T04:57:06Z")
The [Bolo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_%28tank%29) military sci fi series timeline had the first Bolos being constructed in 1989 ( Mark 1 ) and 1995 ( Mark II ) by the Bolo division of General Motors. No Bolos and no Bolo Division are apparent. The Eric John Stark stories by Leigh Brackett had a hero raised in the life bearing equator of the non-rotating incorrect version of Mercury. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/25 "2007-10-18T05:01:38Z")
Any novel, movie or TV show that presumed that the Soviet Union/ Eastern Bloc (named or implied) was pretty much a viable alternate form of technological civilization (if abhorrent to democratic sensibilites), and that the basic structure of totalitarianism would endure indefinitely. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/26 "2007-10-18T05:03:56Z")
Also: various SF short stories that took the 50s and 60s auto/freeway culture and extended it into a world of 400 mph jet cars traveling on intercontinental expressways. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/27 "2007-10-18T06:25:06Z")
The original and the revised edition of Stephen King’s THE STAND One set late '70s-early '80s, the latter set in the 1990s. “Andrew MacDonald”/William Pierce’s THE TURNER DIARIES Thank God for both those futures being missed! When was OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK set? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/28 "2007-10-18T06:56:44Z")
For some popular, subtle, and feminine futures… [Audrey Niffenegger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Time_Traveler's_Wife) touches me. Many past futures and dates to memorialize some years from now. Quite relevant, no matter what time. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/29 "2007-10-18T07:02:24Z")
> [@](#): > > When was OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK set? Varley was always coy with specific settings (especially as he used a mostly static society) but he did set the year of the Invasion as 2050. So we still have a little ways to go yet. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/30 "2007-10-18T07:02:51Z")
[Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looking_Backward) ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/31 "2007-10-18T08:20:58Z")
New Line Cinema has a 2008 release date on the movie version of Niffenegger’s, [The Time Traveler’s Wife](http://imdb.com/title/tt0452694/). Perhaps if you contacted New Line they might be interested in contributing a “panel member” or some kind of promotional dealy or scoop for your con?? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/32 "2007-10-18T08:34:37Z")
[QUOTE=Jonathan Chance] Most of Heinlein’s Future History was set in the 20th Century. Remember… and Nehemiah Scudder should have been preaching in the deep south. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but he’s talking science fiction, not reality TV! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/33 "2007-10-18T12:05:58Z")
\*\*Phantom Planet \*\* was set in 1980. I’m not sure exactly when **Moon Zero Two** was set, but it’s using Apollo-era technology in a “future” setting. So it implies the 80’s or 90’s as the venue. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/34 "2007-10-18T12:32:22Z")
Heilein’s **The Door into Summer** was written in the fifties, starts in the seventies and ends in 2000, and differs quite a bit from the reality. Our robots are still more primitive, we lack antigravity, no zombie drugs, and history in general is different. And of course we still don’t have suspended animation now, much less in the 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/35 "2007-10-18T12:49:18Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] Heilein’s **The Door into Summer** was written in the fifties, starts in the seventies and ends in 2000, and differs quite a bit from the reality. Our robots are still more primitive, we lack antigravity, no zombie drugs, and history in general is different. And of course we still don’t have suspended animation now, much less in the 70’s. [/QUOTE] And the robots were built using vacuum tubes! The transistor hadn’t been invented yet, or the microchip. I hope you have a decade by decade display of death rays. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/36 "2007-10-18T13:29:59Z")
I think I’ll have to have a panel(or two) dedicated just to Heinlein’s Future History. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/37 "2007-10-18T14:06:00Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] [Wild Palms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Palms) takes place in the far-flung future year 2007. We haven’t _quite_ lost 2007 yet but I somehow don’t imagine we’re going to see seamless VR in the next 10 weeks. [/QUOTE] Ha! I loved that mini-series. Why am I not wearing a tie on the outside of my collar? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/38 "2007-10-18T14:37:24Z")
How about future visions from the past? Edward Bellamy’s **Looking Backward** (which I see has already been mentioned) , Jules Verne’s **Paris in the 20th Century** and “Diary of an American Journalist”, several of H.G. Wellls’ stories (he wrote other predictions of the future besides The Time Machine) Fredric Brown’s **The Lights in the Sky are Stars** is set at the end of the 20th century, each chapter named after a year. And its hero is a retired astronaut (!) And you need to show **2010** and remind people that we only have a couple of years to get our asses in gear. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/39 "2007-10-18T14:56:46Z")
I must not have been paying attention when SkyNet triggered a global thermonuclear war on August 29, 1997, virtually destroying humanity. At least it did according to _Terminator 2: Judgment Day_. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123/40 "2007-10-18T15:08:57Z")
A few of Phil Dick’s books should qualify. I think _Time out of Joint_ is set in 1997. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-futures/423123.md?page=3)