Oh no no. It goes deeper. Ok. So demolition man “predicted” a lot of things that it wasn’t alone in.
- tablet computers like the iPad
- “smart home” like Alexa, and “smart appliances.”
- Electric cars being the norm.
- self driving cars.
- video calls (face time) and remote conferencing (zoom, webex etc.)
- remote guided muse aim tours...
Lots of “little things” you might say aren’t so unique or hard to have predicted. Ok. Buuut....
Demolition man got some pretty specific ones.
- It predicted Arnold Schwarzenegger would become governor of California (true.)
> it also predicted he would be so popular that they repealed the “born citizen rule” and he became president. There has been growing talk over repealing that rule, and some people quite literally supporting the idea so Schwarzenegger could run for president. So- (partial true.)
- in the cryo prison scene- you can see one of the criminals- “Peterson, Scott.” In real life, Scott Peterson was arrested and convicted in the early 2000’s for the murder of his wife Laci and unborn child.
- Taco Bell will win the franchise wars- a prediction. “Every restaurant is Taco Bell!” (Partial true.) Taco Bell is part of a consortium and conglomerate that includes a major number of casual and fast food restaurants as well as distributors and vendors who provide food and drink to many restaurants.
It goes deeper and wider.
I mean- other things it predicted included:
- a future where there is virtually no middle class.
> the wealthy and comfortable are out of touch and isolate themselves from the poverty and “obscenity” of the poor.
> there is huge wealth disparity- people live in poverty and crime below ground, society knows there is a problem, knows where the problem is, and most people don’t care or are scared to face it unless those problems spill into their happy little lives.
> an obsession with 80’s and 90’s culture and objects by some, while others find the 80’s/90’s disgusting...(thin, as this usually happens to most past decades at some point...)
- virtual currency and a “wallet less society” (partial truth. We have these things, are moving in that direction, and cash is becoming the least common way to pay for most people in higher socioeconomic classes.)
- a heavy environmental focus with shaming those who aren’t onboard. No- they didn’t explicitly predict “bag bans” or anything- but they make it clear with the three seashells and other cues that this is a future where they have moved away from waste.
- the PC stuff is mentioned in the meme. And that one is also somewhat more an “honorable mention” as through the 80’s to the present sci fi and satire have poked at the “PC culture.” It is worth mentioning as symbolism that those who choose to speak freely and live in ways the mainstream and nearly fascistic progressive society of Demolition man sees as “backwards” , are forced to “live underground” and are pushed out of society and opportunities such as even keeping employment...
- on more of a joke note- Demolition man predicted Wesley Snipes would be a somewhat unhinged and violent criminal in the future. And well.... he’s not as bad as Simon Phoenix by a long shot... but it didn’t get that wrong.
If we wanted to get REALLY loose- we could give partial
Credit to demolition man for Covid. In their future- physical touch and touch bases greetings are taboo. Personal space seems to be a bigger deal in general- most spaces are open, the police station, everyone’s desks are very far apart, many cars are seen to hold only one or two people- and either in series or the cars are wider than normal. Many characters wear gloves to avoid touching their surroundings, several characters wear masks at different points. Conference rooms are empty and meetings seem to be held mostly remotely. Even sex is touch less and done with social distancing- and Huxley tells Spartan a progression of contagious diseases that came after aids but were held on the same magnitude socially. We are close of not past the point where Covid holds similar magnitude to the aids scare.
Final thought: probably the prediction it nailed most that applies to current events- was the films ending. An ending in which a man (beloved by many) was given power and wether you believe he was shaping the world for his own gains and goals, or for what he thought was best for everyone- he was a mad man who needed to- and was- removed from power. At that point- the two sides of societies extremes meet up. Not sure what to do next. One sides leader says that people should run naked in the streets and be as crude and reckless as they want. The other side wants a more conservative future. Spartan tells them, that if they work together and the reckless side calms down, and the conservative side loosens up, they’ll figure something out.
I think that reflects things right now pretty well. So I hope the next demolition prediction that can come true, is the one where the up tights and conservatives loosen up a little, and the “non pc” and “personal freedom” bunch and all that- chill out a little- and we then hopefully can start healing divisions created by a man who promised a better world but fell victim to his schemes and hubris and grudges and lies and graft- exposed to enough people to lose his grip on the majority- ad come together and figure out a way that maybe we can all have a home we want to live in.
- tablet computers like the iPad
- “smart home” like Alexa, and “smart appliances.”
- Electric cars being the norm.
- self driving cars.
- video calls (face time) and remote conferencing (zoom, webex etc.)
- remote guided muse aim tours...
Lots of “little things” you might say aren’t so unique or hard to have predicted. Ok. Buuut....
- It predicted Arnold Schwarzenegger would become governor of California (true.)
> it also predicted he would be so popular that they repealed the “born citizen rule” and he became president. There has been growing talk over repealing that rule, and some people quite literally supporting the idea so Schwarzenegger could run for president. So- (partial true.)
- in the cryo prison scene- you can see one of the criminals- “Peterson, Scott.” In real life, Scott Peterson was arrested and convicted in the early 2000’s for the murder of his wife Laci and unborn child.
- Taco Bell will win the franchise wars- a prediction. “Every restaurant is Taco Bell!” (Partial true.) Taco Bell is part of a consortium and conglomerate that includes a major number of casual and fast food restaurants as well as distributors and vendors who provide food and drink to many restaurants.
I mean- other things it predicted included:
- a future where there is virtually no middle class.
> the wealthy and comfortable are out of touch and isolate themselves from the poverty and “obscenity” of the poor.
> there is huge wealth disparity- people live in poverty and crime below ground, society knows there is a problem, knows where the problem is, and most people don’t care or are scared to face it unless those problems spill into their happy little lives.
> an obsession with 80’s and 90’s culture and objects by some, while others find the 80’s/90’s disgusting...(thin, as this usually happens to most past decades at some point...)
- a heavy environmental focus with shaming those who aren’t onboard. No- they didn’t explicitly predict “bag bans” or anything- but they make it clear with the three seashells and other cues that this is a future where they have moved away from waste.
- the PC stuff is mentioned in the meme. And that one is also somewhat more an “honorable mention” as through the 80’s to the present sci fi and satire have poked at the “PC culture.” It is worth mentioning as symbolism that those who choose to speak freely and live in ways the mainstream and nearly fascistic progressive society of Demolition man sees as “backwards” , are forced to “live underground” and are pushed out of society and opportunities such as even keeping employment...
Credit to demolition man for Covid. In their future- physical touch and touch bases greetings are taboo. Personal space seems to be a bigger deal in general- most spaces are open, the police station, everyone’s desks are very far apart, many cars are seen to hold only one or two people- and either in series or the cars are wider than normal. Many characters wear gloves to avoid touching their surroundings, several characters wear masks at different points. Conference rooms are empty and meetings seem to be held mostly remotely. Even sex is touch less and done with social distancing- and Huxley tells Spartan a progression of contagious diseases that came after aids but were held on the same magnitude socially. We are close of not past the point where Covid holds similar magnitude to the aids scare.