I’ve always loved the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. Not that I was there; I’m not THAT old. But its impact was quite fascinating, especially as it related to what people thought the World of tomorrow would look like.
When George Orwell wrote 1984 back in 1949, I imagine it seemed that 1984 would reflect a none too distant future for this New Society to take hold. Of course, a version of Newspeak has been around ever since the first euphemism was devised.
(I think the degree to which it took hold in that title decade was epitomized by the lyrics from Tracy Chapman’s 1987 Why?
Why, when there’s so many of us are there people still alone?
Why are the missiles called peacekeepers, when they’re aimed to kill?…
Love is hate, war is peace, no is yes,
We’re all free…but, somebody’s gonna have to answer, the time is coming soon.
Amidst all these questions and contradictions there’re some who seek the truth. )
Science fiction has long sought to reflect on the future, possibly most notably in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Prince’s 1999 may have seen out of reach in 1983, or maybe it was just the apocalyptic nature of the penultimate year of the 20th Century that was so attractive to the songwriter.
So when Paul McCartney wrote, when he was a teenager, “Will you still need me, will you still feed me,” I imagine it was with that time was so very, very far into the future.” I’m guessing that that he couldn’t envision his life nearly decades on, so he needed a somewhat campy, vaudevilian tune (perhaps the music of his father) to create an emotional distance from that far off time. (Ain’t that far off anymore.) And I’m sure others have noted the irony that in his 64th year, his second wife presumably doesn’t need him, won’t be around to feed him. As a Beatles fan, as a Paul fan, that makes me sad. Paul as supermarket tabloid fodder: “Paul to Heather, ‘Give me our baby!’ ” Heather’s sister to her defense. Sir Paul, who turned 64 yesterday (or “Yesterday” -appropriate lyrics there), deserves better.
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Johnny B with his birthday greetings, bottle of wine for Macca.
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Bloggers: ever see something that just BEGS for comment, and then just forget? Last week’s Supreme Court no-knock warrant ruling, which seemed terribly stupid and terribly dangerous, falls in that category. Fortunately, ME remembered.