The 21^st Century Isn’t What I Thought It Would Be

I still don’t have my own personal flight pack or a wrist communicator. And, no, a smartphone just isn’t the same.

When I was a child, the 21^st century I dreamed about was a mix of atompunk and steelpunk. A world of fast travel, automation, outlandish personal gadgets, regular and frequent space travel, and a lot of flashing lights and Bakelite knobs. A world without the capes, pirate boots, and silver bodysuits, thank you very much.

Obviously, that future didn’t come to pass. Instead … well, we are where and when we are.

Every so often, my mind sometimes drifts back to those childish dreams of what was then tomorrow. And I think Wasn’t the future wonderful?

— Scott Nesbitt