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A vision of transportation of the future - vintage 1952

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A vision of transportation of the future - vintage 1952

Old 02-04-19, 07:38 AM
  #1  
Hoopdriver
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A vision of transportation of the future - vintage 1952

Could still happen!



Cover art by Edward Emshwiller
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Old 02-04-19, 07:52 AM
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...or we'll have autonomous e-bike ride-sharing.

(But very cool find none the less!)
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Old 02-04-19, 08:37 AM
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Here is the context:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Space_Merchants

Note that the woman is smoking a cigarette.

The image does not represent a positive version of the future. Quite the opposite.

Last edited by indyfabz; 02-04-19 at 08:43 AM.
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Old 02-04-19, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
Note that the woman is smoking a cigarette.

The image does not represent a positive version of the future. Quite the opposite.
so what. beautiful woman smoking a cigarette. personally can't stand 'em, but if you got 'em...
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Old 02-04-19, 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
snip

The image does not represent a positive version of the future. Quite the opposite.
Indeed not. The aerodynamics of that thing are incredibly bad.
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Old 02-04-19, 10:07 PM
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I bet chiropractors would make a killing in that version of the future, what will all those people bent over their bikes all day. In that society, it appears as if the odds are much higher of ending up some dog-faced man w/room temp IQ pedaling a taxi bike, than being one of the spoiled rich people riding inside. Looks like Karl Marx's version of The Jetsons.
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Old 02-04-19, 10:34 PM
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Eisenhower progressive tax rate if not cut could have made that happen....and if his MIC warning was Heeded.
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Old 02-05-19, 06:26 AM
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Originally Posted by spelger
so what. beautiful woman smoking a cigarette. personally can't stand 'em, but if you got 'em...
If you read the link I posted summarizing the novel you will notice that it mentions a future where corporations get people hooked on addictive substances.
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Old 02-05-19, 07:36 AM
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You can read the story here:
Gravity Planet

It was published as a serial, so here are the other issues: More Issues

Jeff
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Old 02-05-19, 07:42 AM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
Here is the context:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Space_Merchants

Note that the woman is smoking a cigarette.

The image does not represent a positive version of the future. Quite the opposite.
The plot description eerily parallels our current state...multinational corporations rule the world and governments exist only to protect these corporations. Prescient indeed.
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Old 02-05-19, 07:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Hoopdriver
Could still happen!



Cover art by Edward Emshwiller
“Uptopia?” Dystopia?

Last edited by eja_ bottecchia; 02-05-19 at 08:11 AM.
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Old 02-05-19, 07:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Tanstaafl
You can read the story here:
Gravity Planet
Thanks!
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Old 02-05-19, 08:06 AM
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Originally Posted by eja_ bottecchia


The plot description eerily parallels our current state...multinational corporations rule the world and governments exist only to protect these corporations. Prescient indeed.
Yep.
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Old 02-05-19, 08:10 AM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
If you read the link I posted summarizing the novel you will notice that it mentions a future where corporations get people hooked on addictive substances.

Sugar? Nicotine? Bikes?
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Old 02-05-19, 08:25 AM
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Water shortages? Narcotic coffee? Pedal-powered Cadillacs? Connies? Rockets to Venus? Sales meetings? What a dark vision of the future, I had to stop reading. But I did skip to the last page where you find out that Soylent Green is made from bicycle seats.
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Old 02-05-19, 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by rollagain
Indeed not. The aerodynamics of that thing are incredibly bad.
Why, except for the open door-holes and belly?
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Old 02-05-19, 09:04 AM
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TO be fair, that isn't too incredibly different from the pedal-cabs that are popping up in cities...
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Old 02-05-19, 11:08 AM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
Note that the woman is smoking a cigarette.

The image does not represent a positive version of the future. Quite the opposite.
That picture was drawn in 1952. Back then, just about everyone smoked. They had cigarette commercials on TV. Doctors smoked, in their offices, and maybe even in the operating room. I agree it's not a good view of the future, but just recognize the era it was drawn in.
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Old 02-05-19, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by eja_ bottecchia
The plot description eerily parallels our current state...multinational corporations rule the world and governments exist only to protect these corporations. Prescient indeed.
Only I'm guessing the story was supposed to be about a dystopia, not reality.
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Old 02-05-19, 11:19 AM
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The 50's? Where are the flying cars we were supposed to have by now?
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Old 02-05-19, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Milton Keynes
That picture was drawn in 1952. Back then, just about everyone smoked. They had cigarette commercials on TV. Doctors smoked, in their offices, and maybe even in the operating room. I agree it's not a good view of the future, but just recognize the era it was drawn in.
I know that. I am old enough to remember ashtrays in elevators. But again...Part of the book plot involves corporations getting people hooked on addictive substances. I think the inclusion of a cigarette is a reference to that.
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Old 02-05-19, 01:27 PM
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The "Connies" (commies?) are trying to persuade people from drinking or smoking, but the Metropolitan Corporate Police apparently shoot them on sight. This reads like a really preachy Star Trek episode.



"Alcohol made from GRAIN!?"
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Old 02-05-19, 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Lemond1985
"Alcohol made from GRAIN!?"
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Old 02-05-19, 03:15 PM
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Originally Posted by eja_ bottecchia


“Uptopia?” Dystopia?
A lot of people apparently miss that "utopia" was coined for satirical uses. It means "nowhere".
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Old 02-05-19, 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Lemond1985
I bet chiropractors would make a killing in that version of the future, what will all those people bent over their bikes all day. In that society, it appears as if the odds are much higher of ending up some dog-faced man w/room temp IQ pedaling a taxi bike, than being one of the spoiled rich people riding inside. Looks like Karl Marx's version of The Jetsons.
Those are the joys of Paradise as proselytized on the LCF list.
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