What first jaded your view of the future? - Bilge

T Tiki-bot Member Joined: Jun 24, 2002 Posts: 1345	T Tiki-bot Posted posted on Mon, Apr 18, 2005 12:09 PM I'm not sure I ever gave up on it completely (I think my artwork reflects my own cautious optimism, but is probably more "lost future nostalgic" than anything), but the big upswing in my skepticism was probably when Reagan got elected. The age of true space exploration was over and the cost-cutting of everything (except weapons) began. Shortly after that I went to college to study industrial design. That was my big awakening to the world of consumerism, manufacturing and product cycles. I then saw the world and the aspirations of its people in a whole new light: If the economy wasn't constantly growing and the people not spending, then the nation was failing. Sadly, this seems to be the dominant economic model much of the world is in the process of adopting, and it doesn't leave much room for non-profitable dreamers. It also didn't help that the shuttle blew up then, too. But I'm so glad I have my great memories of reading Starlog and Future magazines, staying up all night building my own spaceship models and making movies with them, falling in love with every Chesley Bonestell and Bob McCall painting and firmly believing that one day, I too would be jet-packing home to our giant floating city over the ocean. There's a song by Aimee Mann that captures much of the dashed hopes of futurism: Fifty Years after the Fair Fifty years after the fair The picture I have is so clear Underneath the clouds in the air Rose the Trylon and the Perisphere And that for me was the finest of scenes That perfect world across the river in Queens Fifty years after the fair I drink from a different cup But it does no good to compare ’cause nothing ever measures up I guess just for a second we thought That all good things would rise to the top But how beautiful it was - ’tomorrow’ We’ll never have a day of sorrow We got through the ’30’s, but our belts were tight We conceived of a future with no hope in sight We’ve got decades ahead of us to get it right I swear - fifty years after the fair Fifty years after the fair I live in tomorrow town Even on a wing and a prayer The future never came around It hurts to even think of those days The damage we do By the hopes that we raise But how beautiful it was - ’tomorrow’ We’ll never have a day of sorrow We got through the ’30’s, but our belts were tight We conceived of a future with no hope in sight We’ve got decades ahead of us to get it right I swear - fifty years after the fair

I'm not sure I ever gave up on it completely (I think my artwork reflects my own cautious optimism, but is probably more "lost future nostalgic" than anything), but the big upswing in my skepticism was probably when Reagan got elected. The age of true space exploration was over and the cost-cutting of everything (except weapons) began.

Shortly after that I went to college to study industrial design. That was my big awakening to the world of consumerism, manufacturing and product cycles. I then saw the world and the aspirations of its people in a whole new light: If the economy wasn't constantly growing and the people not spending, then the nation was failing. Sadly, this seems to be the dominant economic model much of the world is in the process of adopting, and it doesn't leave much room for non-profitable dreamers. It also didn't help that the shuttle blew up then, too.

But I'm so glad I have my great memories of reading Starlog and Future magazines, staying up all night building my own spaceship models and making movies with them, falling in love with every Chesley Bonestell and Bob McCall painting and firmly believing that one day, I too would be jet-packing home to our giant floating city over the ocean.

There's a song by Aimee Mann that captures much of the dashed hopes of futurism:

Fifty Years after the Fair

Fifty years after the fair
The picture I have is so clear
Underneath the clouds in the air
Rose the Trylon and the Perisphere
And that for me was the finest of scenes
That perfect world across the river in Queens

Fifty years after the fair
I drink from a different cup
But it does no good to compare
’cause nothing ever measures up
I guess just for a second we thought
That all good things would rise to the top

But how beautiful it was - ’tomorrow’
We’ll never have a day of sorrow
We got through the ’30’s, but our belts were tight
We conceived of a future with no hope in sight
We’ve got decades ahead of us to get it right
I swear - fifty years after the fair

Fifty years after the fair
I live in tomorrow town
Even on a wing and a prayer
The future never came around
It hurts to even think of those days
The damage we do
By the hopes that we raise

Post #153569 by Tiki-bot on Mon, Apr 18, 2005 12:09 PM