As we arrive at the end of another decade it feels rather nostalgic to look back over the last ten years and see the events that unfolded. In the 1950s and 60s society prided itself on its technological advances; we marveled in wonder at the future. Tomorrowland. This future promised a Lunar outpost, an Antarctic Weather forecasting center, Underseas exploration and Underseas vacationing, Desert irrigation and most of all the City of the Future. A time when we were all to be wired and connected.

Much of that fruit of the future has already come to bare; with only fourteen-years left before those predictions were supposed to have been based, during the 1964 Futurama II attraction in the New York Worlds Fair.

The most common argument is that “We dont have flying cars, yet.” Of course not. Lets be honest flying cars attracted our attention and pulled us in. Many people have never let that dream go, much like space tourism. But like space tourism, the evolution of our society has changed our demand for the dynamically new technology. True, many people in modern time have toyed with the idea of creating a “Flying Car” but the ultimate irony is that… we grew up.

Children of the 60s saw the future that was to be and tried to make it come true, a future filled with amazing gadgets that would solve any of that times problems; but it wasnt our future. Modernization of communication has revolutionized the way we eat, sleep and breathe, in a way no one could have ever imagined. While our parents and grandparents dreamed of meals in pill form and hotels on the Moon, we see bettering of life through technology. Not as a means to an end. Consider the Magic Highway USA from the 1958 Disneyland TV show.

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Speed, Safety and Comfort will be the key notes to tomorrows Highways. The increased speed of tomorrows automobile will demand that tomorrows Highway signs be larger and more simple to read. Better visibility will be featured in new Highway designs. As day turns to night, electric eyes automatically illuminate the way ahead. Radiant Heat will keep the Highway surfaces dry from Rain, Ice and Snow. It will be our magic carpet, for new hopes, new dreams and a better way of life for the future.

Its impossible to pass judgment on an entire generation. At no point did any past generation commit an offense in regards to society. It’s not like sexism and segregation were really of parents and grandparents fault. Our environment has changed. Perhaps that more than anything is the reason for the decrease in adaptability. If you never considered a video game console as a legitimate piece of technology, its hard to learn to use it. Much like the radio around the turn of the century and the television decades later.

The greatest bit of irony of course is that to IS the Tomorrowland, they were waiting for and dreaming of. To us its somewhere we desperately want to leave. An uneasy government, economy is pieces and America’s work force weakened, instead of being worried about what piece of advancement would bring more happiness into our lives, perhaps we should have shown a little concern to the society around us. I feel sorry for my nieces… for the children of OUR future. Perhaps they’ll find that our Tomorrowland is nothing what it should be.