Four-hour working day, telepathy and bald women: how 2023 was imagined 100 years ago (9 photos)

A hundred years ago, fantasies about 2023 were mostly whimsical and naive. Futurologists imagined bald women with black teeth, telepathy as the main mode of communication, a four-hour working day and other nonsense.





Historian Paul Fairey of the Canadian University of Calgary collected newspaper clippings from various "experts" in 1923 with their forecasts for 2023 Predictions range from outright crazy to amazing accurate (like a smart watch). Funny reading.

Four-hour work day and no hard work (hooray!)



In 1923, such a familiar thing as an eight-hour worker The day was seen as such a considerable achievement and very progressive. First the movement for it originated in the 16th century in Spain, but the idea was clearly formulated only in 1817, when the English Entrepreneur Robert Owen coined the slogan "8/8/8": "Eight o'clock is work. Eight hours is rest. Eight hours sleep. Legal recognition received an eight-hour working day even later: in 1848 in Australia and a little later, in 1866, in the USA (and even then only in some states). The first country in the world to adopt an eight-hour day constitutional level, became Mexico, in February 1917.





In general, in 1923 it seemed that the reduction of the working day - the most that neither is the main direction of the development of civilization. Futurologists have predicted that by 2023 we will all be work "no more than four hours a day, and all thanks to the work electricity." There is more than enough electricity in our life, but reductions the working day is something not to be seen.

Average life expectancy will be 200-300 years



Another prediction that seemed logical. IN At the beginning of the 20th century, people began to live noticeably longer, and it seemed that this there is no limit thanks to the magic of technology. At the end of the 19th century life expectancy was only 33 years. Today around the world gets to 80 years old. It would seem - live up to 300, who's stopping you!

Women will be bald, and men will wear luxurious curls



According to one anthropologist from 1923, men in 2023 year will be completely curly, with powerful hair (obviously, the problem baldness has long been defeated). But women will shave their heads and specially blacken teeth. Luckily this hasn't happened yet! Anthropologist echoes another specialist - a historian who believes that in our time beauty pageants will disappear. They simply disappear as unnecessary, because everyone will be fabulously beautiful, choose the most attractive will be is simply impossible. Apparently, both specialists went too far with extrapolation.

Radio will replace fuel



A certain Glen Curtis, authoritative in matters of aeronautics, claims that radio will replace combustible fuel by 2023. Air ships will move along clear routes, nudged radio waves. We are damn far from this prediction, but it came true (and even in excess!) is different: a hundred years ago, futurologists predicted that in our time it will be possible to fly from Chicago to Hamburg in 18 hours. Now this flight will take only 9 hours. And 18 hours is the longest long non-stop commercial flight from New York to Singapore.

Newspapers will be gone. Nobody will read



In 1923, radio was already actively developing. Back in 1909 Charles Herrold built the first radio station (it exists San Francisco is still called KCBS to this day). station entertained listeners with all sweet chatter and music. In general, it is not surprising that a hundred years ago it seemed that the printed word would soon sink into oblivion. Someone even predicted that in 2023 newspapers had already died out for 50 years, and people will only listen to sweet talk and music. In general, this futurist predicted the emergence of podcasts.

Wireless distribution of information. "Mental telepathy"



One hundred years ago Professor A.M. Lowe predicted that our world will be wireless. True, he assumed that the information would be transmitted hThrough sprayed water charged with electricity. And information will be different: both written and audio.

Accordingly, "War 2023" will also become "wireless". In addition, the professor claims that in 2023 people will have the ability to communicate using "mental telepathy". This ability even embryos in the womb will have what Professor Lowe calls "a very useful method of communication."

The advent of smart watches



Another futurist predicted that every person will have "watch-sized radiotelephone" through which anyone can record and send messages, watch movies and order delivery anything thousands of miles away (and it will be delivered to you within a day!). From this follows another prediction: mail and good old letters like phenomenon will cease to exist.