So... 2019. The year Blade Runner was set in. A dystopian view of the future, to be sure, but... it's now the present, not the future. Yes 2019 is here and compared to Blade Runner things aren't that bad? Although we don't have off world colonies or flying cars. But we're also in a place where climate change is ignored and ignorance is celebrated in America. So are we in a worse dystopia than Blade Runner? For all the environmental destruction and bleak living conditions, the 2019 of Blade Runner is a lot more advanced. So let's take a look at what Blade Runner predicted- as well as a few other dystopian futures.
Off world colonies
Flying cars
Replicants
Or androids, sentient robots, whatever. I mean this could be a mixed bag, obviously, but I thought we'd be a little farther along. Now whether we should be making artificial people or not...
Custom made eyes
Here's a nice look at LA in 2019... courtesy of Blade Runner!
On the plus side there are some things it's good not to have.
Skynet.
Here Kyle Reese helpfully explains.
Or even more ridiculously, at least New York City isn't a prison.
So maybe it's a good thing 2019 isn't like Blade Runner. What do you think?
.... noooo! I didn't realise BR used 2019 like that! I want my flying cars! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI never liked the Blade Runner film so I don't remember anything about the film. As a kid we all thought flying cars were in our future but it isn't looking likely! I like the idea of all murderes, rapists and paedophiles being put on guarded islands away from decent people! And if Escape from New York was real, at least Trump would have his bloody wall!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I totally forgot Blade Runner was set in 2019! I kind of want a flying car, though! Still need to watch the sequel, I heard it was good.
ReplyDeleteThis post is so cool! It's startling to think we've reached the year that Bladerunner was set in. And I never noticed the light saber umbrellas before, lol.
ReplyDeleteI have only seen the second Bladerunner. It is very difficult to find the first one to watch! Our library has it but the quality of the DVD is terrible. Not sure why. Anyway, I don't like the idea of replicants. I feel like as a society we already don't interact with humans very much, so adding robots when just cause more social problems.
ReplyDeleteWe may not have replicants but the self-learning chatbots and other AI seem far scarier to me. I'm kind of glad we don't live in a Blade Runner 2019, though. Thanks for reminding me to watch this movie again!
ReplyDeleteThis is so funny! I've never seen Blade Runner so I didn't know it was set in 2019. We are the future! Seriously though, things are a bit dystopian-like, but I'm glad we aren't to that point!
ReplyDelete"But we're also in a place where climate change is ignored and ignorance is celebrated in America." Thank you so much for saying it Greg! Yes I think reality is in many way ten times worse than fiction!
ReplyDeleteOooh I so love this post Greg! But you know often the fiction becomes reality so maybe it did not happen yet but that does not mean it won't. LOL Sophie @bewareofthereader
ReplyDeleteI could do without the space colonies and NYC as a prison... but I’m totally waiting on my flying car. *taps foot imaptiently*
ReplyDeleteI want my flying car already. lol
ReplyDeleteI'm still wondering "where's the future?" - we were all promised flying cars and jetpacks!
ReplyDeleteI just want my robot maid like The Jetsons promised :) I remember as a kid seeing a copy of 1984 in my mom's pile of books and wondering about that book about the future. It is funny how fast time really moves.
ReplyDeleteYou say things aren't that bad in comparison to Blade Runner and you are right... but they also didn't have to deal with Donald Trump, I'm questioning whether we'd be better with replicants, or the Terminator world of the machines rising up. It's debatable which would be worse some days. I do love looking at how older films viewed the world as being in the future and then seeing that date pass and be left questioning why we don't have flying cars.
ReplyDeleteI love Blade Runner. It's one of my favorite movies/stories. I based my Hikoboshi Series off Blade Runner. :) Anyway, I keep looking at the robots we're currently making and I know it'll be another 30-50 years before we see the kind of momentum for things like Replicants. It's in our future though!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we're not living in a Blade Runner world. Although a flying car would be kind of cool. :)
ReplyDeleteLove this post! It's always crazy to compare what books/movies thought we'd be doing or having. I think they had too much faith in us, haha. Things could definitely be worse (looking at the bad side of Blade Runner), but they could definitely be better (looking at... you know, the present state of some things in our country). Great post!
ReplyDeleteHaha, just like when we reached 2015 and I was like, WHERE ARE THE HOVERBOARDS!
ReplyDelete~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
Flying cars is such a bad idea, I mean just no. There would be mayhem if not controlled.
ReplyDeleteLove this post :) Though I'm glad we don't live in any of these worlds. Flying cars would scare the crap out of me.
ReplyDeleteWe are getting close to hands free driving, not sure it is a good thing though.
ReplyDeleteI mean, are we SURE New York City isn't a prison? 😂 Like okay we don't have cyborg wars or whatever, but at least those would be fighting *for* something, right? (Like, surviving the cyborgs?) Instead we just have a bullshit human dumpster fire who is trying to... Idk, kill other humans just because he can? And because he's a psycho? And it isn't even entertaining, like a REAL dystopian world, it's just SAD that half of the country (nay, the world) are complete asshats. Bring on Skynet I guess.
ReplyDeleteDude, don't tempt fate, there's an entire 360 days left to go! ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm really bummed that I don't have a flying car yet, lol.
ReplyDeleteI mean, I wish 2019 Harrison Ford still looked like Blade Runner Harrison Ford, so that's a big bummer 😂 All in all, I think we're better off, but we've got a whole 11 1/2 months to catch up, so I should just run and knock on some wood real quick!
ReplyDeleteThat wasn't too long ago when this movie was made so it's weird how advanced we thought we would be. Or disappointing - depends how you at it.
ReplyDeleteAs you said - things aren't as bad as they predicted but you think we would have evolved a bit more on race and other things. Not backslid.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I love the way you've been getting a tad political on your blog lately. One good thing is this whole government fiasco has shined a light on where there need to be more checks and balances. 👍✨
ReplyDeleteMy favorite futuristic movie dystopian world is in The Fifth Element. ♥
Slightly disappointing that we don't have flying cars yet, but overall the real 2019 is not so bad.
ReplyDeletehaha, I love the past's idea of the future so much.
ReplyDeleteMy hubby loves BR, I am not crazy about it. They keep promising flying cars and still nothing. Maybe someday.
ReplyDeleteMary
Are you *sure* we're not in a dystopia? Lol. It is really funny to see what people thought the future would be like compared to what is actually is now that we're living in it. I'm ok with not having androids tbh. It's bad enough people have those Alexa things in their homes. That's so creepy to me! But seriously, you'd think we'd have flying cars since that was like the biggest future prediction lol.
ReplyDeleteI just realized yesterday that this year is the same year Blade Runner was set... Wow!
ReplyDeleteIts so weird to think that all the futuristic movies from when I was young are reaching their movie dates
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love dystopias (to read) but I'm not sure I would want to live in one. I'd enjoy the flying cars and technology but so many dystopias are bad places to be stuck in. Also, I haven't seen Blade Runner but it's on my list of movies to watch :) Fantastic discussion!
ReplyDeleteMegan | Ginger Mom & Company
Now that it's post-2020, we have our dystopia! At least we have the apocalypse going for us. That's good. :)
ReplyDeleteGreg, would you be open to reviewing a historical book? Or a dystopian thriller? Links provided, but I am happy to send you copies if you like.
I am an independent author who just wants to bring good entertainment to the world. My latest project is Tom Buchanan, Misunderstood. More about that in a bit.
I like your site. Reedsy says that you are open to historical fiction, so I explored a bit. Some of the historical novels that you reviewed that intrigued me, including Tunnel Through Time, by Lester del Rey and Princess of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien, all of which took me back to childhood, of course. Your background, and your features for Tales from Northern Michigan, are all very impressive. You are certainly dedicated!
Regarding Tom Buchanan, Thus, I would love for you to review it. Here is a description:
If you remember Gatsby, everyone hates the hulking brute, Tom. Only, that’s wrong. You see, Tom’s not a rude, ignorant, filthy rich drunk who is cheating on his wife. Tom is…
Misunderstood.
Loaded with dancing, fights, songs, jokes, slang, speakeasies, parties, bombs, and 1920s-style crime, Tom Buchanan a glass of bootleg liquor topped off with romance, scandal, and Roaring Twenties fun.
I’ve always loved the 1920s. I read Gatsby ten times. I’ve read related novels, and three biographies of Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald. I even love Twenties-style music!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaLtiSmRbf0&list=OLAK5uy_nfcoVrRoobuc1jJuE98p67ALRrNgHpxMk
In 2019, I wrote this novel for fun. And then, imagine my surprise when a friend told me on Jan. 1 that The Great Gatsby was now in the public domain! I had no idea. I honestly was just making myself happy, and then went onto other projects. A little about me:
I am a lifelong teacher of four different subjects (English, math, social studies, and business). I’ve dedicated my life to over 3,000 students at UMKC (20 years), Rockhurst University (3 years), and Olathe North High School (13 years), and others. My mom was a librarian; I love to read.
Greg, I would love for you to work with me. My book already has a few positive reviews. It’s available on amazon. I will also send you a copy.
I appreciate your consideration!
Sincerely,
Tim Wuebker
https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Buchanan-Misunderstood-Tim-Wuebker/dp/B08WP79TYB/ref=sr_1_2?crid=45G9YOR2AZEE&dchild=1&keywords=tom+buchanan&qid=1613735322&s=books&sprefix=tom+buchanan%2Caps%2C204&sr=1-2
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PS5SW9W/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2