Archive

Browse old promises of new technologies

1840s

What if wars were just a communication problem and the telegraph could fix it?

1870s

The logic seemed simple: more connectivity = more connection.

1890s

Thanks to moving pictures, “books will soon be obsolete” – said Thomas Edison in 1913.

1900s

The world, finally on the same wavelength.

1910s

A machine for health, happiness, and fresh air.

1930s

A plane in every garage, any day now.

1940s

Television as a force for “understanding, tolerance and peace”.

1970s

“The computer will allow man to return to the Hellenic concept of leisure”.

1990s

Click here for global harmony, perfect markets, and no gatekeepers.

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Techno-Optimism Archive is continuously expanded with new technologies, clippings, and commentary.