Hmmm…interesting question. Thinking about what was OK 100 years ago but is considered obscene or vulgar today, I’d have to think we were more agrarian back then, so dressing in shabby clothing and tracking cow hit in the house was more accepted back in those days. These days, the more urbanized societies stress cleanliness. 100 years from now, any sort of contact with the outside world might be considered backward if nothing else. It’ll be more “normal” to stay inside and conduct all your affairs without having to leave your dwelling.
Also 100 years ago contempt for foreigners was generally accepted, whereas these days it’s getting more and more frowned upon. 100 years from now enough civilizations will have eroded away their identities to the point where there’s a global concept of the mainstream rather than regional. Therefore, it will be considered contemptible to hang on to your cultural identities.
Or as Rent Boy said in Trainspotting, a thousand years from now there won’t be any men, there won’t be any women, we’ll all be wankers.
Maybe in 100 years it will be considered obscene to presume to dictate to others what they should and shouldn’t do to their bodies or in their bedrooms.
I’m actually interested in what happens to popular music. Will I consider my kids’ music “noise?” I mean, I listen to Industrial music – how much “noisier” could it possibly get?
But I digress.
Other Future Obscenties:
Setting foot inside a nature preserve.
Extermination of pests.
Hunting of animals for sport (including fishing).
Homeopathic medicine.
Fur (but not Furries, who will be protected from discrimination).
Cutting down trees.
Movies based on crappy television series.
Movies based on or remade from other movies.
Mov
I think that society right now is in its “liberal” phase. Soon, we will begin swinging back towards a more traditional or restricted view on life. Looking at history, many societies experience this. I think we will revert back to the “no ankles for women, taking off a tie is undressing for men” sort of ideals. As far as religious and racial equality goes, I don’t think many, if any, advances will be made (unfortunately)
I think the part that will be so remarkable is if Fiat is still in business! The other “little problem” is nothin’ compared to this giant suspension of disbelief!
Disclaimer: I love Fiat! I own and drive a Fiat! Thats why it is so hard to post this!
Fagjunk Theology: Not just for sodomite propagandists anymore.
Fritz Leiber wrote a story where faces became considered a “private part” and no one would appear in public without a mask. I’d say unlikely, but with areas like the breasts and feet being considered obscene depending on public opinion, who knows.
I predict that nicotine will eventually be outlawed and a century from now, most people will be ignorant of the fact that tobacco was ever legal. Nicotine will have the same reputation in a hundred years that cocaine and opium have today (both substances having been legal widely used a hundred years ago).
I wouldn’t be surprised to see animal rights increased to the point where meat, fur, leather, and recreational hunting all become taboo. Ironically these taboos will cause the animal population to decline.
I also think there could be a swing in the current censorship patterns in the media. Sex might be generally tolerated, while violence might become the forbidden subject. Full frontal nudity and simulated sex would be seen on TV and actual sex would become standard in movies. Meanwhile, a current episode of CSI could never be broadcast and a movie like Pulp Fiction would have an X rating.
I would pay good money to see both of those movies! If you could get Kung-fu Vampire Hooker Bunny Spies Go to Happyland that would be even better! The camp value alone would be worth it!
Back on topic. I think extremist religions will be seen as obscene. Hell, I think that trend has already started with the likes of Fred Phelps’s brand of “religion.” However, in 100 years I think it will apply as easily to far left as well as far right.
People have mentioned this, I think, but smoking may. It’s already illegal to smoke in restaurants, which was formerly a rather commonplace thing. Perhaps in another 100 years, it won’t simply be unhealthy, but also “eww, gross!”
And it would be rather funny if some random part of the body became obscene. If I’m still alive in another 10 decades (hey, it could happen, third world kids have organs that need harvesting), I’d love to go out and flaunt that body part. You know, taunting the natives.
