What were you wrong and right about - predicting future trends in fashion, music, etc.?

Maybe the 49th. Texas will be 50th.

I can’t say I have ever tried to predict these things. But if you asked me too, I would say:

  1. Fashion trends for many years have been to cheaply copy what is expensive or popular and make something similar, often of almost disposable quality, only meant to be worn a few times. With more concern for environmentalism and stores with huge inventories I think there will be something if a return to quality.

  2. Fashion people seem to have indulged in wishful thinking when they say most men will once again prefer ties and formal clothing, and a crazier palette of colours (other than white, brown and black). I think the second part is true.

  3. Music has been progressively democratized by making everything available at once, slow sales of physical media and the effect of the Internet on niche subcultures (which now everyone knows about). These trends will continue until the copyright people decide to lose their cool in a decade or two, and try to greatly restrict what is available online.

Back when ATM cards were starting their proliferation, and Interac got their toehold here in Canada, I was paying for delivered pizza and I mentioned to the driver the banks should make a cellular debit machine.

When Apple released the first iPad, I predicted that it would fail miserably within a year or two. I said it was trying to fill a niche that does not exists. You can’t fit it in your pocket, so what are you going to do, carry it around in a briefcase?

I had a very similar reaction to the first iPads & other tablets - but they are here to stay; I was quite wrong about that

I have a kindle or my phone for books. I could have a free Kindle Fire, but don’t know what the heck I would do with it. It was my mothers. Too me it would just be something else that I need to keep charged.