Most accurate depiction of future human civilization

In science fiction movies we often see cool depictions of the near future. In many cases, such as Blade Runner (pictured here below), the timeline's are unbelievably optimistic. In 1982 (when the film was made) did they really think we'd be so advanced by 2019?

Whether it be 2019, 2050, or some greater time period - we often see amazing space-age devices and an ultra-cool, chic Earth (at least for the rich guys - there's always an underclass). Minority Report, Gattaca or i-Robot immediately come to mind - three movies I like a lot.

Of course, there are some great post-apocalyptic type movies: Water World (just kidding), 12 Monkeys, Mad Max, etc.

  

However, I think I might have found a movie that is a better depiction of our future as humans on Earth than any other. So accurate, in fact, that it scares the pants off me. But before I tell you what it is, I want to tell you how I found out about it.

HUMANITY 500 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE

One morning I was having coffee with the guys at work and told them about my long-held theory about how people are getting dumber, and not smarter. I was reminded of it because there was a news bulletin about a family in the United States (I'd search it out but I'm currently sitting in an airport lounge and don't want to use the free wifi due to a virus I caught in Malaysia - but that's another story …). Anyway, this couple had just had their 19th child.

Now before I go on, I would like to state that in no way am I suggesting that this couple are Hillbilly's or anything else disparaging like that (maybe they are, maybe they aren't - you can search for it and make your own conclusions I suppose). I'm just saying, if you were to ask the average person on the street, I'm sure there is a fairly negative perception associated with a man named Jim Bob who has 19 children.

So ... I was telling my workmates my, admittedly, offensive, and not well-researched 'Trailer Trash Theory". You know, heaps of kids, even more television, not much education ...

... And how humanity was getting dumber.

Hmmm … don't you hate it when your idea has already been thought of - and made into a movie. And that movie explained my theory better than I ever could have.

The movie … no, really it should be called a documentary, is called ...

Now Idiocracy is not for all tastes - not everyone likes documentaries. Nor do they like staring cold, hard, reality square in the eye. Just like the nightly news, I wouldn't recommend viewing by children under 15 - the content is so mind blowing that it will freak them out. The same goes for those over 55.

But for those who aren't afraid of the truth, and don't mind being told it in a "Dumb and Dumber" or "Zoolander" kind of way - it might just be worth sitting down to on a Friday night with some microwave nachos and a Pepsi.

4 out of 5 Hamburgers from me.

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Journey into Stuff by Jeff Bilman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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