Literature has long been a means for artistic expression and intellectual exploration, a means for time travel, a ladder to reach spaces, the favorite universe of the imagination. Over the years, there have been numerous books that have been successful in predicting the future and have been able to imagine what the world would be like in a time travel. It is not an inexplicable power, what some neophytes might deduce, it is the power of freedom and unlimited expression in the artist's creation. Some notable examples of books that have predicted the future with incredible accuracy will be mentioned.
From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne (1865)
To call Verne a visionary is to understate the name. Reviewing this work in depth, published in 1865, Verne's ship was called Columbia after the lunar module that NASA used in 1969 when it first reached the moon. Three astronauts traveled on Verne's rocket as they did a century later: Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins. The writer's ship left Cape Town, just 100 kilometers from Cape Canaveral, where the NASA ship took off. But the most surprising thing was that the speed of Verne's trip was 38,720 kilometers per hour, when, in reality, the NASA rocket did so at 40,000 kilometers per hour.
The Sinking of the Titan by Morgan Robertson (1898)
This novel predicted the sinking of the Titanic, fourteen years before it happened, when in 1912 the ship sank, causing one of the most catastrophic ship accidents in all of history. Many remembered this short novel in which Robertson tells the story of an unsinkable super ship that ends up sinking in icy sea waters after colliding with an iceberg.
George Orwell's 1984 (1949)
1984 is one of the best-known books that has predicted the future with surprising accuracy. The story presents us with a totalitarian world in which the government controls all important aspects of people's lives, including information. Today, many countries use advanced technology to track their citizens, creating a sense of invasion of privacy similar to what Orwell imagined in his book.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)
Bradbury accurately predicted the impact mass media would have on society. In his book, the government promotes ignorance by burning books, while the population is distracted by contentless television programs. Nowadays, people are constantly exposed to low-quality information in the mass media. Although modern electronic communication devices do not play programs 24 hours a day like Fahrenheit 451, entertainment addiction is a reality that many people experience.
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (1962)
This science fiction book imagined a world in which Germany and Japan won World War II. Even though the book was written several decades ago, some of the themes have come true. Today, ultra-nationalism has re-emerged in parts of Europe, suggesting that the ideas of The Man in the High Castle are not completely misplaced.
The Circle by Dave Eggers (2013)
While The Circle was released just over a decade ago, the world it describes predicts a reality in which technology has become so ubiquitous that privacy has become virtually nonexistent. The book features a social media company that has complete control of information, putting the public in a vulnerable position. The idea that technology companies have achieved control over information feels truer today than ever, especially when we consider the impact that social media and search engines have on society.
Some of the books mentioned above have become classics, and although they were written years ago, they are still relevant today. The ability of writers like Verne, Robertson, Orwell, Bradbury, Dick and Eggers to capture, and foresee, the future is impressive, and some have even contributed to the way society has advanced over the years. Literature continues to be a valuable way to explore human concerns, and these books from the past show us that many of the ideas we have had about the future, no matter how crazy they may seem, can become the reality of the moment.
Oscar Arenas
Editor
