# Things we know about the future based on fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825 "2015-01-03T02:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [January 16, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/81 "2015-01-16T15:59:43Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > All cloth, such as blankets and clothes and even table napkins, will be shiny and metallic and/or covered in glitter. > > The most fashionable clothing styles will include rings circling the body, hovering with no visible means of attachment. And all hats include antennae. -which is disturbingly plausible. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/82 "2015-01-16T20:53:09Z")
All forms of written/printed information is on transparent material, or “clear paper”. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/83 "2015-01-17T00:01:26Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Neckties, however, are a thing of the distant past. In the **far** future. In the [near future](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/askville/1695487_7015903_mywrite/backtofuture_ii.jpg), however . . . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/84 "2015-01-17T00:03:15Z")
David Szondy’s [Tales of Future Past](http://www.davidszondy.com/futurepast.htm) website would be highly appropriate here, but something seems to have gone wrong with it. 😕 ---
**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:** [January 17, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/85 "2015-01-17T00:29:10Z")
The [Atomic Rockets](http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/index.php) (Project Rho) site also has a lot of retro stuff, especially old pulp-SF magazine illustrations from the Space Opera days. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/86 "2015-01-17T00:55:56Z")
People will be having tons and tons of free sex, or none at all. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/87 "2015-01-17T15:08:34Z")
A lesson from Skinamax films: if you are female and you need to raise some money, whether it’s a quarter of a million dollars or just a couple of hundred bucks, getting your friends together and putting on a bikini carwash over the weekend will do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/88 "2015-01-17T15:28:57Z")
Another gem from Skinamax: in the far distant future there will be surprisingly large numbers of alien humanoid societies composed only of women. Women who will be at first threatened when they visit Earth and rediscover men, but then DELIGHTED when the men introduce them to heterosexual intercourse. ---
**Author:** ![EPoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f6c823/32.png) [@EPoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EPoch)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/89 "2015-01-20T23:35:19Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > What are things we “know” about the future, because virtually all science fiction agrees? > > Examples: > > In the future, > > - everything is white. > > - everything that isn’t white is very dark, and looks just like a boiler room. Along with everyone, or at least most people, being white and those who aren’t will be in the background and are expendable while most of the important jobs or roles go to White people. There are others that are aliens but with cultures coincidently like either noble savages or other stereotypical cultures. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/90 "2015-01-20T23:56:45Z")
> [@EPoch](#): > > …while most of the important jobs or roles go to White people. So, more or less like today, eh?😛 ---
**Author:** ![thyrza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@thyrza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thyrza)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/91 "2015-02-23T10:19:19Z")
I know this is not in reference to a **book** but there were **scripts** that these rules evolved from… I used to make costumes for Stargate SG-1 and was told in no uncertain terms that 1. There is no top stitching in space. 2. Lace up shoes are never to be used for aliens …although the entirety of the rest of their costume may be laced up. 3. There is some sort of wrist problem with most aliens that require them to have leather wrist guards (usually laced up) ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/92 "2015-02-23T17:00:11Z")
If we go by Norman Spinrad’s _Bug Jack Barron_, all the blacks in the US will be exiled to Mississippi. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/93 "2015-02-23T20:08:09Z")
Camping headlamps will have been inexplicably replaced by flashlights that you hold in one hand, so that when you beam down into a dark place you only have one hand free. Guns that have absolutely no recoil whatsoever will still be treated like pistols, firing one burst not very accurately, rather than just pointing a beam and sweeping it back and forth, like a flashlight. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/94 "2015-02-23T20:45:37Z")
Humanity’s last desperate hope will be young, good-looking and kinda stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/95 "2015-02-23T21:25:41Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > All craft will also permanently maintain time units and orientation based on Earth (hours, minutes, UTC.) Unless there’s an opportunity to tell the puny humans they have 30 of their Earth seconds to live. > [@DinoR](#): > > Computer systems designed by different races at different levels of technology will overwhelmingly be compatible. But only if the Earth computers are made by Apple and run System 9. Hmmm. System 9 From Outer Space. It might just work. > [@ftg](#): > > It’s nice to see that a lot of others think along the same lines regarding futuristic clothing. Apparently knits are going to be very popular. _Reflective_ knits! > [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Everyone will dress in full-body S&M leather fetish outfits. _Reflective_ full-body S&M leather fetish outfits. Jeez, people! > [@Barking Dog](#): > > All cloth, such as blankets and clothes and even table napkins, will be shiny and metallic and/or covered in glitter. _Now_ we’re cooking with plasma! Except, of course, no one cooks. Everyone will eat small, polygonal, bright chunks of primary-coloured bricks. Not reflective so no one eats your earrings. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/96 "2015-02-24T02:01:04Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Camping headlamps will have been inexplicably replaced by flashlights that you hold in one hand, so that when you beam down into a dark place you only have one hand free. > > Guns that have absolutely no recoil whatsoever will still be treated like pistols, firing one burst not very accurately, rather than just pointing a beam and sweeping it back and forth, like a flashlight. Forget lights, I’d guess that within fifty years if not sooner multispectrum, low-light vision augmentation glasses will be as ubiquitous as sunglasses are now. As for beam weapons, it’s actually more plausible that they’ll fire in bursts, to conserve power and to keep from overheating. As it is machine guns can burn out their barrel if you try to use them as a bullet hose. ---
**Author:** ![EPoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f6c823/32.png) [@EPoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EPoch)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825/97 "2015-02-25T01:02:54Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Humanity’s last desperate hope will be young, good-looking and kinda stupid. Just like anime, **every** freaking time (not every time, but you know what I mean.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-we-know-about-the-future-based-on-fiction/708825.md?page=4)