It was 1962, man dreamed of the Moon and The Jetsons were on TV, who in Italy were called "i Pronipoti" due to familiarity with the cartoon "Gli Antenati", the famous Flintstones from the same producers Hanna & Barbera. That nice little family made us "see" the world of 100 years later, with its events set in 2062. Sixty years later, that imaginary future tells us a lot about the present we are living in and how our expectations about tomorrow are change.
The Great-Grandchildren: a journey into the future... from the past
Sixty years ago, the Jetsons animated series concluded its first and only season. Only one season! And they have become a myth, a small icon. Despite only 24 episodes broadcast between September 1962 and March 1963, this cartoon has achieved enormous influence in popular culture, with countless reruns, a reboot (which I don't remember well, honestly) in the mid-80s and even a feature film in 1990. As mentioned, while The Flintstones were set in the mythical Bedrock of the age of the pipetra, The Great-Nephews were projected into a (today) very near future: 2062. And how did they live then? Let me rephrase: how close are we to the scenarios foreseen in this cartoon? We see.
Technologies foreseen by the Jetsons
Among the imaginary technologies of the Great-Nephews we find flying cars, domestic robots, video calls, SmartWatch, food printers e space tourism. Amazing, right? Sure, some of these predictions seem really forward-looking, but there are also big blind spots. And no, I'm not talking about flying cars, eternal promises that after all already fly, after all they don't fly at all. What am I talking about, then? Of the society of the future. At least three aspects that the creators of the Jetsons got spectacularly wrong. Which?
- The role of women in the world of work;
- How much we will work;
- Where we will work.
And upon closer inspection we understand why. Ultimately the Jetsons, just like the Flintstones, revolve around the same “nuclear” family model in a mid-20th century industrialized society. Jane, the wife, is the head of a recycling company, but it doesn't seem to involve much work for her. Despite her role, for the most part we see her engaged in the "classic tasks" of the typical "housewife all cooking and TV". And how many hours do you work, then? George, the head of the family, works only two days a week, for an hour a day.
This reflects the optimism of the 60s that the gains made by workers in the first half of the 2000th century would continue into the second half, leading to a “leisure society” by the year 4. In reality we are still desperately struggling to start XNUMX-day work weeks, which despite the excellent results where applied still seem like a pipe dream.
Remote working in the Great-Grandchildren? But where.
Even though George only has to work two hours a week, he still has to go to the office. This may reflect the fact that the internet and personal computing revolution was yet to happen. Futurologists didn't begin to get excited about the prospects of remote work until the 70s. And so, dear George, off to clock out in 2062, like any Fantozzi.
Analyzing the Jetsons today offers us an interesting mirror to understand how our expectations about the future have changed. While “materialist” technological predictions about products and devices have come true, others, especially those related to the world of work and gender roles, seem downright reactionary.
The future of work: beyond the Jetsons
The future of where and how much we work will undoubtedly be shaped by technology. But our perceptions and expectations about what can be accomplished are just as important. The Great Grandchildren remind us that imagining the future is as much an exercise in creativity as it is a reflection on the present. George, Jane, their children Judy and Elroy, and even the dog Astro (and the robot maid) have a lot to tell us. Not about them, about ourselves.
While not a "serious" exercise in imagining future scenarios, they remain a fascinating cultural artefact that helps us appreciate our present and our expectations for the future. No hurry. As they say, “anytime in the next 5 minutes is fine.” :)
