According to the movie, on October 21, 2015, the human race will be travelling around on hoverboards or in flying cars. The movie Jaws 19 would be released and fax machines would rule. As outlandish as some of these "predictions" were, others were spot on or at the very least, possible. In Back to the Future's version of 2015, cars use alternative fuel, people have the ability to video chat and you can use thumbprints as keys, all of which have been developed in the 30 years since the film was released. Although many of us are rooting for the Blue Jays, it was the Cubs who were predicted to win the world series this year.
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| Source: Vox |
This date is becoming a phenomenon. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to today as the "Back to the Future Day" (https://www.facebook.com/October212015BTTF if anyone is interested in checking it out).
While October 21, 2015 doesn't resonate with me (I will admit I have not seen this movie), I look at all this hype and think about just how far we have come. At Lang Pioneer Village, it is our mission to preserve, promote and authentically recreate the rural history of Peterborough County. The Village is arranged in a way that represents a 19th-century hamlet. The original and reconstructed buildings from 1825 to 1900 are furnished with artifacts that were once owned and used by the individuals who first settled in the region. The staff members and volunteers who interpret these artifacts are dressed as they would have been in that time period and demonstrate the various chores and trades that were necessary to survive and make a living. It is our goal to make our visitors feels as if they are stepping back 200 years in time when they walk out into the historic village.
With all of today's modern conveniences, it's hard to imagine just how far we have come. No, we do not have flying cars or hoverboards as Back to the Future predicted we would (although the new Rollerboards are getting close), but the majority of us do not ride around in horse and buggy. Growing up with the Internet, I often wonder how I would have found out the answer to a seemingly simple question before I could "Google" the answer and I certainly wouldn't know that today was the so-called "Back to the Future Day" without the Internet. We have come a long way from the 1800s and even from 1985, when the things predicted to occur in 2015 seemed unreal or outlandish. I don't have any idea what will be created next but often wonder what my kids will have when they are adults!
On this "Back to the Future Day", try thinking about life 30 years ago, let alone 200 years ago. What do you have today that you couldn't live without? Your smart phone? The remote start on your vehicle on a day that is 30 below? What are your predictions for 30 years from now? If you need that gentle reminder on how far we have come, plan to visit us next summer (or for one of our fantastic holiday events this fall)...you might just be surprised!
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future
http://www.vox.com/2015/10/21/9581539/back-to-the-future-day-2015-predictions-hoax
