I want that wonder back

[WDWHound]

I use a very unusual picture for my windows desktop. Its a Picture of Tomorrowland (Florida version) in the mid 70s. It was taken at dusk, so there is a pale blue glow to the strong, eleagant white structures and spires that used to make up Tomorrowland. Its a beautiful picture. It reminds me of what Tomorrowland once was, a place to dream of the future.

Disney's view of the furture was what originally made me fall in love with the Disney parks. That wonderful, hopeful view of the future which they presented called to me. The hope that progress would make our lives better. Remember the House of Future Living at the end of Space Mountian? The wonderful worlds that were presented in Horizons? How about the original comunicore with its visions of the future of communications? Do remember the fun? The gee wiz effect of looking into a future that was so cool? Remember?

Where did it all go? These days we seem to either concentrate on thrills or teaching how to solve serious problems with technology. Innoventions trys to show us the future, but only really shows us products that are already here or will be here very soon. Don't get me wrong, these are all good things, but what happened to that joyous speculation of a future that is still well beyond our reach, but can be seen through the eyes of imagination?

The future used to inspire a sense of awe and wonder, but then we became too used to rapid progress and we became jaded. Perhaps there is nothing for it, but I miss that sense of wonder. I still love Tomorrowland, but its not the same. What I would give to once again ride through a House of Future Living and experience the fun and excitement of seeing a world where everyone parks a flying car in their driveway.

 

[nativetxn]

You're right some of the wonder is gone. Probably, as you said, because we've become so accustomed to rapid technological progress and change. The fact that you're older now might have something to do with it, too.

Katholyn

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by nativetxn
The fact that you're older now might have something to do with it, too.

Katholyn

Perhaps. There was a time when computers were magic to me, but (sadly) learning how they worked did away with a lot of that. I agree that losing some wonder comes with growing older. Still, as recently as 7 years ago, Horizons was my favorite ride at WDW, so I haven't lost all of my sense wonder for the furture. It just seem likes its no longer a popular point of view.

Sorry if I'm rambling. Don't mind me, I'm just in a kind of melancholy mood this evening.

 

[oldkicker]

I miss that wonder too.

We seemed to be rolling along on the crest of a wave that began its ascent nearly 90 years ago. The first Great War brought the blunt, brutal onslaught of technology as a tool of death. Fast behind that onslaught we developed, through necessity, other technologies to fix the wounded and maimed. We built systems to communicate better, to travel easier; the world shrank just a bit. We forgot about the war and celebrated in our burgeoning wealth and importance.

WW I led to WW II and the cycle of technology as as an integral part of the war machine racheted up again. The evil that man was capable of reached an unholy apex then too. Quick behind the development of the war machines, we developed bigger and better tools to serve the world in peace. And we, the free world, stood, as the war ended, as liberators, protectors and arbiters of the world and its issues.

We sparkled! We were flush with optimism. We were also in the catbird seat. I think that in the middle of all of that, we became a bit myopic. Maybe it was just naivete. But I think it brought an enormous sense of wonder about the future. It was about me, or you, it was about US! What we were capable of. There were no limits and it was only a matter of time and the proper resources before every threat to the human condition would be appeased. We knew it in our national fiber.

There were some hiccoughs along the way.

The 60's brought on a wave the recognized the growing commercialism and pointed to a sense of international arrogance that the U.S. held. It didn't last very long. That movement was soon co-opted and the peace sign became a symbol for selling Coca-Cola.

The aftermath of that is when I think things began turning a little sour. Commercialism began to reign supreme. Wonderful promises for the future were all well and good, as long as they could be made to turn a profit.

The tao of NOW has replaced the whistful looks forward.

Hound - you've, obviously, struck a chord here.

Then again, maybe it's just that I'm older and a bit crochety.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Don, have you thought about applying for a career as a Disney Imagineer? You would work wonderfully. Very nice.