# Would people in the 50s be disappointed in "the future"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 1, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588 "2009-12-01T15:23:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/21 "2009-12-01T19:50:02Z")
I was a kid in the 1950s, and I’d be very intrigued by life in 2009. Especially the ubiquity of computers, and all the things I can do on my Mac. And wow, CDs and iPods and HD TVs you can hang on a wall! I’d also be very excited about the kind of work I do. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/22 "2009-12-01T20:12:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The problem with flying cars is and has always been one of nomenclature, not technology. We already had a perfectly good word for a flying car: It’s an “airplane”. So really, the complaint that “we don’t have flying cars” really means “not everyone has a pilot’s license”. Which sounds a lot less reasonable, when you put it that way. No it isn’t. When I think flying car, I think of a flying device that I can park in my garage (or on my roof), and can use to commute to work, or the supermarket, etc, and park in a lot full of other flying cars. Something that can hover, move straight up & down, takes up little space, can use in a residential area, etc. Not something that I’d have to drive to an airport to use, then land at another airport, then use some other land-bound transport to get to my final destination. [These are flying cars](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJhlD6q71YA). ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/23 "2009-12-01T20:44:13Z")
Well, I want to know where the moving sidewalks are, huh? When I was in grade school in the late 50s our class saw an exhibit of our city with a model indicating all moving sidewalks. Except at a couple of random airports, they don’t exist. I want to know what happened, huh? Where are they? 🙂 Seriously, I’m surprised at some of the things that happened. My mother always used to tell me that her father said the things in Buck Rogers would come true. Yeah, we went to outer space all right. Cellphones (like Dick Tracey which someone mentioned), personal computers. Back then we didn’t even know what a computer was, let alone dream we would have our own and it would be small enough to carry around. THE computer back then was something called UNIVAC which took up an entire office building floor. People typed on a typewriter with carbon paper if they wanted copies. Even Caller ID. A simple thing now but back then we would have killed to have a way of knowing who was calling before we answered. Amazing stuff to a grade schooler in the 50s, that’s for sure… ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/24 "2009-12-01T20:49:19Z")
> [@luv2draw](#): > > Well, I want to know where the moving sidewalks are, huh? When I was in grade school in the late 50s our class saw an exhibit of our city with a model indicating all moving sidewalks. Except at a couple of random airports, they don’t exist. I want to know what happened, huh? Where are they? :)… Why bother with moving sidewalks when everyone drives everywhere? 😛 Americans are fat enough as is. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/25 "2009-12-01T20:49:21Z")
> [@luv2draw](#): > > People typed on a typewriter with carbon paper if they wanted copies. Yes, back in 1959 even photocopiers were uncommon. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/26 "2009-12-01T21:57:19Z")
> [@luv2draw](#): > > Well, I want to know where the moving sidewalks are, huh? We have a moving sidewalk at Ballys Park Place, connecting our Casino to our Bus Terminal. I think women and minorities would be happy with the progression of civil rights . ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/27 "2009-12-01T22:09:41Z")
> [@luv2draw](#): > > Well, I want to know where the moving sidewalks are, huh? Asimov talked about moving sidewalks where, starting on one side, the speed of each sidewalk got progressively faster until, on the far side you were moving 60mph relative to the ground. Now that would be cool. ---
**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:** [December 1, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/28 "2009-12-01T22:18:21Z")
Moving sidewalks wasn’t a 50s thing – it started out early on (the 20s?) and hit its stride with Heinlein’s “The Roads Must Roll” and Asimov’s _The Caves of Steel_. It always sounded to me like a grotesquely energy-intensive undertaking, and I never understood why it was thought to be such a great idea. (Especially after Heinlein so graphically pointed out its possible outcomes. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/29 "2009-12-01T22:37:29Z")
I think the thing that would shock the 50’s people would be the cost of a cup of coffee and a gallon of gas. They’d probably go into a right tizzy over the cost of it all. The day to day little things would probably be harder for them to wrap their brains around. I think I would enjoy seeing a 50’s guy see a Victoria Secret’s catalog. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/30 "2009-12-01T23:01:23Z")
I was born in '38 and the electronic technology just thrills my boggled my mind. Even applications of electronic technology like Wikipedia and Google are still fascinating. I could care less about space exploration (Which, along with warfare probably game us the technology mentioned in the paragraph above.). I am very, very disappointed with politics and religion. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/31 "2009-12-02T00:03:40Z")
Would people from [two weeks ago](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=539965) be disappointed in “the future”? ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/32 "2009-12-02T01:03:09Z")
Well, they’d certainly be wondering where in the heck the Roman Empire went. Obligatory MST3K link [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcWJnLYRiic](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcWJnLYRiic) ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/33 "2009-12-02T01:11:24Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > I think the social changes would be most astounding. I remember seeing some video from the mid-60s that was pretty accurate in predicting online shopping and e-mail: but for the shopping stuff, all that was relegated to the little woman at home while Fred MacMurray hung up his fedora in the office winning bread for the family. But the little lady sure can look forward to some labor saving devices in the Kitchen Of The Future! Sounds like the vintage General Motors short film [Design for Dreaming](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9nHxwzw-2o) (Now with free MST3K commentary 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/34 "2009-12-02T04:20:43Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > I think the thing that would shock the 50’s people would be the cost of a cup of coffee and a gallon of gas. Holy crap, dude. I just came back from a business trip in Europe. I paid $4.50 euro for a cup of coffee (a true coffee Americano, and excellent by the way). That’s $7 for a cup of coffee to you and me, by the way. I hope my European counterparts make their money in euro rather than dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/35 "2009-12-02T04:28:15Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Who foresaw CGI? _Flashman_ author George MacDonald Fraser, of all strange people: he even correctly foretold that it would fuel the rebirth of the historical epic. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/36 "2009-12-02T14:48:34Z")
As for moving sidewalks, HG Wells had them in _The Sleeper Awakes_, and that was 1910. I think anyone so inclined to have an opinion on it would have been disappointed in the space program. The fact that it’s yielded amazing satellite technology and advanced mapping and thousands-of-channels TV is impressive, but doesn’t seem quite that “sexy”? Hamster — (obviously) didn’t see the previous thread. Guess great minds think alioke 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/37 "2009-12-02T15:00:20Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > While it’s true that flying cars have yet to get past the prototype stage, it is possible to have a flying motorcycle. Galactica 1980 was not a documentary 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/38 "2009-12-02T15:57:04Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > Galactica 1980 was not a documentary 😃 [Nothing that fancy](http://www.ultralightflying.com/archives/flite.html), yet. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/39 "2009-12-02T16:37:15Z")
I think my dad is still living in 1959. He shuns most technology of a vintage of less than about 40 years, except cable television and microwave ovens\*. The things he won’t or refuses to use include: - Dishwasher - Cordless telephone - Cellular telephone - Debit card - ATM - Internet and computers - FM radio - DVD player (will no longer rent videos since VHS tapes were taken off the slelves of the local Blockbuster) - CD player (bought a late-model used car, wondered why it didn’t have a cassette tape player.) - Digital camera One thing about the 1950s vision of the future: it was thought that EVERYBODY would embrace all the technology that was available at their disposal. I can’t imagine they’d envision the old-timer that didn’t want a flying car, but just wanted to drive on the ground in a four-wheeled relic; someone who wanted a home-cooked meal instead of food pills; or who thought the metallic unitards everybody was supposed to wear were kind of tacky. - Yes, SDMB pedants, I know cable television and microwave ovens have been around more than 40 years, but they were extremely uncommon. ---
**Author:** ![truthbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@truthbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthbot)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588/40 "2009-12-02T17:56:55Z")
I was born in 1957. I really had hoped for a cure for the common cold, an end to hunger; and a cure for cancer. I was naive, I’m still a-waiting. I’m still astonished that there are hungry people on this planet, when we grow enough food to feed everyone. Political boundries are a bitch, aren’t they? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-people-in-the-50s-be-disappointed-in-the-future/519588.md?page=3)