The 1950s were a different world than today, but to some, the future world was clear.
"Here is my prophecy: In its final development, the telephone will be carried about by the individual, perhaps as we carry a watch today," said Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company director Mark R. Sullivan in 1953.
Remember how we had to be in front of the TV at the exact time the show was broadcast? Well, RCA's David Sarnoff knew that wouldn't last. In 1959, he predicted a television recorder and TV sets as thin as a picture frame. Right on both.
In 1958, a comic strip by Arthur Radebaugh ("Closer Than We Think!") predicted robot warehouses. In 2023, that's exactly what is happening throughout the world, led by mammoth retailer Amazon.
Before that, in 1948, Dr. Cleo Burnett predicted that we would one day put a radio on the wrist and by 1960, Bell Labs was predicted that TV could be on a watch. Both predictions have more or less come true with smart phones and smart watches.
In 1959, Parade magazine worried that the future would be so automated that people would struggle with boredom, as even cars would drive themselves. Given the kids' current fixation on devices, boredom isn't the problem — but the self-driving car is here.
Allyson Good curates senior living, health, and family content. She is formerly the Managing Editor of Active Life, a print newspaper published in 2016-2017 for seniors, choosing practical articles on health, money, safety, and everyday living for older readers. She is also an avid gardener and offers up Garden Hints and Tips on a regular basis.
