One major point that permeated the entire scenario that the futurologists got very wrong was the extreme individualism of its prophecies and the isolationism of the nuclear family. I assume no sociologists or social psychologists were consulted. Although they alluded to spending a couple of days a week in a regular school setting, it didn't show much contact with others or even the use of technology for interactive communication. I was struck by the fact that each family has their own huge computer that stores everything necessary for that family but there is no concept of anything like the internet (unless you count using your computer to control a camera at the store). The computer and family were just as modular and disconnected from anything around it as the individual cells of their home. It seems the family in the video had returned to some agrarian ideal of the nuclear family instead of the exponential increase in interpersonal (both virtual and actual) interaction we are actually experiencing today. In real life, the computer and the internet and the cell phone and most forms of technology are interactive and interconnected into a larger network.
Rick Dr. Rick Froman, Chair Division of Humanities and Social Sciences Professor of Psychology John Brown University 2000 W. University Siloam Springs, AR 72761 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (479) 524-7295 http://www.jbu.edu/academics/hss/faculty/rfroman.asp "Pete, it's a fool that looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart." - Ulysses Everett McGill -----Original Message----- From: Shearon, Tim [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 11:39 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] House of the Future All I wasn't terribly impressed that it got a few predictions correct. It also predictedd: Gull-winged jet cars; hexagonal modular houses that expand with your family (of course these folks apparently live on their own private beach and jet to golf in Pebble Beach or Mexico City this afternoon, depending on weather- it wasn't clear if they took the jet car); were colonizing Mars; he had a job "modifying the cell structure to make giant fruit"; had an electronic workbench (looked remarkably like a photographer's proof bench); a central home computer the size of an average home today with LOTS of toggle switches- but which, remarkably, self-monitored and replaced its own defective circuits (take THAT microsoft!); represented learning as a passive video watching experience (ok, so it correctly predicted Bush's educational policies- kidding! The kid watched tv while listening to his lecture-tape after flunking his quiz- I think they are basically predicting brains will become passive receivers of information); mom spends her time preparing meals in her state of the art kitchen (but her purchases go to "dad's computer" which has all the finances, bank accounts, etc- tre' sexist), disposable clothing (very eco-unfriendly); a closet that does its own laundry (for the non-disposable clothes); a maintenance free home; dad's home office has a separate keyboard and screen for every task, the home health center is a bed that you lie on for 15 seconds and it tells you your exercise regime for the day along with all medical data (including new infections or diseases- I have one of those on order- but it relays all your data daily to the medical center for review by your physician); etc., etc. I think any attempt that made as many predictions as this video would likely get a few things right- it is a well known ploy of prognosticators everywhere. I do think this would make a good example of that being one of the things psychics do to impress (coupled with confirmatory bias, heuristics, etc.). This made for a very pleasant diversion from my grading! Tim _______________________________ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Professor and Chair Department of Psychology The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID 83605 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] teaching: intro to neuropsychology; psychopharmacology; general; history and systems ---
