20+ Evocative Images Reveal How Past Generations Imagined The Future

By Amanda Froelich Truth Theory

Decades before nearly everyone had a laptop, the primary modality of communication was a cell phone, and people received the majority of their news via social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, certain individuals speculated how the world would run in the future. Thanks to a series of postcards produced in the late 19th and early 20th century, we now have a clue as to what they imagined.

From fantastical machines which “download” information into eager students’ minds to winged-inventions which would allow firefighters to fly and douse flames, most imaginings remain outlandish. However, some — such as a farmer using machines to grow his crops and flying warships — are pretty spot on.

The collection which follows is both intriguing and humorous. Keep scrolling to see how previous generations imagined the future:

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