The Discovery of the Future

Herbert George Wells (1866–1946) was a pioneer of science fiction and a visionary of the future, passing away on 13 August. Despite 79 years having passed since his death, he inspired large audiences with his writing more than a century ago and made powerful predictions in the fields of science and technology. Through his dystopian and utopian narratives, as well as his speculations about the future, we will explore the concept of “the future” in the human mind.

We refer to the era we live in as the “modern age”, but eras can only be named in hindsight. Consider this: since our childhood, humanity has achieved so much in just a few decades. Consequently, the names we give to these periods have changed significantly. First, it was the “age of technology”; then, as computers became more accessible and user-friendly, it was given a new name. As the internet spread through society, the name of the era changed once again. Given the rise of artificial intelligence, it is understandable that we might give this period a similar name. Throughout this evolution, from technological advancements to computers and from the internet to artificial intelligence, we continue to accept the most effective societal breakthroughs as contemporary.

We constantly make predictions about the future, not because we think they will change our lives fundamentally, but because they are based on general assumptions. We attempt to define an abstract concept using other abstract concepts. Statements such as, “at that time, this thing will be like this” are often vague. Moreover, if these predictions do not come true, it does not matter because we are not experts. However, if they do come true, the excitement of having predicted it revives our curiosity and makes us look to the future with greater interest.

Some of us express our ideas about the future through literature. Just as Herbert George Wells and his contemporaries were inspired by pioneering writers before them. They produced ideas that went beyond our daily predictions. This is where the true meaning of the phrase “forward-thinking” lies. While it is not a profession in the strict sense, some of these ideas have become reality, while others are often overlooked.

Writers utilise imagination as a powerful tool, combining it with scientific perspectives if they have an academic background. This approach prevents them from adopting entirely optimistic perspectives or indulging in rose-tinted fantasies. Even when creating utopias, they can foresee dystopian outcomes. I believe this is an extremely challenging process that enables writers to remain realistic, even in fiction.

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Emerging technologies always generate excitement. If they become simple enough to be used in everyday life, they can have a significant impact. Initially, at least, we quickly become accustomed to them. Humanity's ability to adapt to technological developments is considerable. We can predict that they will gradually become normal to us — perhaps we are already in the midst of this process.

When we think of the future, we often associate it with technology, but this is not the only factor. While scientific innovations shed light on the future, studies that do not gain popularity or change daily perceptions remain confined to the relevant scientific community. The most important factors shaping the future are therefore simple, suitable-for-daily-use technological products that trigger our desire to purchase them and are brought to market by producers who understand this.

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Let's go back to our childhood. How many times did we say “How advanced!” when we encountered or acquired a new technology? Countless times, I'm sure. The interesting thing is that, as technology has grown exponentially, we have become accustomed to this sense of amazement. It was an inevitable transformation.

On the other hand, let's think back to cartoons: robots, flying saucers and meals cooked in an instant. Music broke away from monotony, becoming filled with electronic sounds that seemed futuristic and giving rise to new styles. Music videos and films became computer-generated. Initially, they seemed primitive, but we didn’t care — we thought they were advanced and visionary, shaping the future. Now, they don't seem absurd, ridiculous or funny. We will probably enter the same cycle again soon, because we say the same thing about visual productions from just ten years ago.

In my opinion, the decades that shaped the future were the 1980s and 1990s. We also experienced a deep transformation at the beginning of the 2000s. Let us recall: Computers and the revolutionary internet quickly took hold of society. People all over the world started working on computers, obtaining certificates for computer skills and producing art with technological tools. We tried to adapt everything we had to these innovations. Visual and auditory works were examples of this. Moreover, we adopted contemporary terms from the future into our language, such as “virtual world”, “digital”, “data”, “forum”, “email”, “hack”, “avatar” and “cyber”. We eventually adopted these terms, thereby feeling contemporary.

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As our imaginative interpretations of the future became more extraordinary, they also began to take physical form. During the “space age” that coincided with the Cold War, we began creating continuous concept designs. While these designs are generally not functional, they provide a glimpse into the future. I think many of them are quite impressive. Whether or not this fuels contemporary art is unclear, but that is a separate topic of discussion.

On the other hand, when we consider technological advances in a literary context, some fascinating examples emerge. For instance, the time machine in H. G. Wells' “The Time Machine” (1895) is a well-known example of a concept that cannot yet be realised. However, the tablets and giant billboards in “When the Sleeper Wakes” (also published as “The Sleeper Awakes”, 1899), the moon voyage in “The First Men in the Moon” (1901), the laser technology and examples of biological warfare in “The War of the Worlds” (1898), and the ideas of genetic engineering, biotechnology and animal hybridisation in “The Island of Dr. Moreau” (1896) have either been realised or are still being developed.

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On the other hand, producers who prioritise profit or production over imagination and realism may have hindered the development of certain technologies. Take virtual reality headsets, for example. These are actually much older technology than you might think. Although they have been produced in various forms for decades, they have never achieved commercial success. The idea is compelling: film adaptations are intriguing, and the technology features in literary works. Occasional news reports also offer hope. Ultimately, however, they have remained a fleeting fad with limited validity. There are many potential reasons for this, including price, accessibility, side effects, bulky design, incompatibility with other technologies, and the fact that they are not a priority in the current technological landscape. So how do these producers, who believe they have discovered the future, assess this situation?

Clearly, the future is about making everything accessible to everyone. If someone, somewhere in the world, cannot use, access or even know about a technology, can we say that it belongs to the present or the future? Even in the most remote places, people had radios, and although televisions used to be expensive, people would gather together to watch them. Computers first entered schools, then homes, and hardware components circulated among children. Now, everyone has the potential to be a software developer. How many of us use or own virtual reality glasses?

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As we mentioned, people tend to make naive predictions about the future. However, I believe that the structures shaping the future are becoming more solution-oriented. In the past, people dreamed of flying cars. Even though cars already existed, people imagined improving upon them. We didn't think this way because 'it should be that way', but simply because the idea was exciting. The question, “What if it were that way?” prevailed.

I think we have lost this emotional approach or optimistically speaking, we are beginning to lose it. Of course, I'm not saying that technology is bad — that would be ridiculous. No matter who we are, life without technology would be difficult for all of us. However, when we look to the future, it seems that we are caught up in development driven by purpose rather than curiosity. This contributes to the system established by manufacturers, rather than the balanced approach to quality that I mentioned with regard to writers in the past. Nevertheless, we strive to keep up with new technologies. This can sometimes become a necessity because, whether we like it or not, technology “finds” us. Perhaps I am mistaken. Please feel free to contribute your comments.

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Wells and other visionaries were careful not to allow their fantasies to become excessive, regardless of whether the works in question were positive or negative. Even when they ventured into space or thousands of years into the future, their stories remained coherent and acceptable, yet transcended the spirit of the times. The main point, in my opinion, is this: Developments that feel futuristic can have a lasting impact on society and shape perceptions of the future when they become accessible to everyone.

In my opinion, the next stage is likely to be shaped by developments in robotics. Although the term “robot” was not in use during H. G. Wells' lifetime, his fascination with mechanical devices is evident in the various machines he describes in his works, including tanks as mechanical war machines, giant tripods armed for space invasion and a giant generator that he personifies. I agree with the predictions of both Wells and Asimov on this subject. In the near future, the “robot age” will generate activity and concern that goes beyond small vacuum cleaners on the ground.