Having enjoyed reading about "Toward The Year 2018", written 50 years ago, I'm minded to do something similar myself.
Last time I tried making any predictions for the year ahead was 2016, when I looked at how badly I'd predicted the previous year, then had some stabs at the next one.
Then I forgot I'd done it, and didn't bother with any predictions for 2017 at all. So, let's have a look at my Jan 2016 predictions, and see how they panned out, given two years to do so. Then we'll make some fresh goes.
In Jan 2016 I wrote Ten Things I Would Like To See In 2016:
1 - Donald Trump gets excommunicated by the Republican Party so has to stand as an independent and loses humiliatingly.
- WRONG. So so wrong.
2 - Jeremy Corbyn becomes increasingly popular, winning byelection after byelection and the support of the entire country.
- ALMOST RIGHT. Took till 2017's snap election, but sort of happened.
3 - Steven Moffat passes on the role of Doctor Who showrunner, amicably, and carries on writing new episodes.
- HALF RIGHT. Whether he writes new stories, we have to see.
4 - Drones get strictly regulated following a fatal accident (due, probably, to someone doing something like this).
- NOT YET
5 - ISIS become unpopular among their supporters and just, kind of, fizzle out.
- NOT QUITE YET, but the process could be starting (lots of articles from 2015 through 2017 suggest they're losing popularity, yet they linger)
6 - BBC Four runs out of 1970s pop groups to make documentaries about.
- WRONG. The spring 2018 season is full of them.
7 - Eastenders goes a whole year with no-one dying.
- VERY WRONG. Two years later, the undertakers have been doing a roaring trade. 8 deaths in 2016, 4 in 2017.
8 - Marvel superhero movies go all unpopular and plans are announced not to make any more (for a while).
- WRONG, though this could still lie ahead.
9 - There won't be a referendum or general election of any sort in the UK.
- TOTALLY WRONG. Brexit in 16, snap election in 17.
10 - Fingers crossed 2016 will be less terroristy than 2015, and we're all happy and bright by the end of it.
- SORT OF RIGHT. In 2016 it was celebrities who died in abundance, the UK had the death of Jo Cox but no major incidents. Sadly 2017 made up for that with Manchester Arena, Westminster Bridge, Borough Market and other attempts.
And so to Ten Things That Could Happen in 2018 For Better Or Worse:
The Republicans do well in the mid-terms, strengthening Trump's power
Theresa May clings to power and even wins a byelection
The new Doctor Who sees its best ratings successes of the decade
Strictly contestants include Steph off of BBC Breakfast and a former Doctor Who
Brexit gets softer as the year progresses, and its deadline gets moved
Flying car goes on the market
Netflix suffers major financial blow and cuts lots of programmes
Price of litre of petrol goes up (from £1.20 to £1.30)
Average house price falls (from £225K to £215K)
Old TV show revivals: Rainbow, El Dorado, Catweazle, Quatermass
Let's see shall we? Here's to a sunny and bright 2018
Predictions for 2010
PS: This is an interesting set of predictions, following on from a thing I posted yesterday "Toward 2018" a book written 50 years ago. What none of them predict is the really big unpredictables, inevitably. The 1968 book still talked about technologies that would affect the press & newspapers, never guessing that paper communication would become a thing of the past. Similarly this set includes "TV becomes extinct", which may well be the case, but the devil is in the detail.
It's always healthy to look at the things nobody predicted, from the last 10 - 50 years. Feminism, LGBT, race and human rights awareness would be the biggest advances I've seen. And smartphones and, in particular, the way we use them. Who could have predicted we would share our thoughts, photos, location etc, in an Orwellian thought police way? Well, I suppose Orwell did, but you know what I mean.
Anyhoo, it'll be fun to look back on these predictions, like seeing a 50 year old Tomorrows World, and laughing. Let us see.
PS: This is an interesting set of predictions, following on from a thing I posted yesterday "Toward 2018" a book written 50 years ago. What none of them predict is the really big unpredictables, inevitably. The 1968 book still talked about technologies that would affect the press & newspapers, never guessing that paper communication would become a thing of the past. Similarly this set includes "TV becomes extinct", which may well be the case, but the devil is in the detail.
It's always healthy to look at the things nobody predicted, from the last 10 - 50 years. Feminism, LGBT, race and human rights awareness would be the biggest advances I've seen. And smartphones and, in particular, the way we use them. Who could have predicted we would share our thoughts, photos, location etc, in an Orwellian thought police way? Well, I suppose Orwell did, but you know what I mean.
Anyhoo, it'll be fun to look back on these predictions, like seeing a 50 year old Tomorrows World, and laughing. Let us see.
Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries & art centres. email for details. Facebook, Twitter. Promo video here.
The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre return with a brand new show in 2018. Stay tuned.
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