When looking at the materials, I noticed a few different perspectives
regarding the "world of tomorrow". Overall, the recurring theme was
optimism. In the "Democracity" brochure, the tone took a more
practical standpoint, while the video "All's Fair at the Fair" was
slightly hesitant and impractical. The "Democracity" was built to
promote interdependence and a life of ease. While the brochure claimed that the
city was not a utopia, it really was. The planners thought of every detail, and
the city was designed to work like a well-oiled machine. It foreshadowed a lot
of technology we have today, such as underground and above-ground parking in
cities, fire extinguishers, central heating and air, and fireproofing cities.
In the Democracity, every citizen was interdependent on one another, and no one
was in competition with their neighbors. This city, from the layout to the
technologies within it, was revolutionary to the people of 1939. It's likely
that they never imagined a city with such a large scale and massive population.
The "All's Fair at the Fair" video was more impractical,
highlighting all of the cool things people would be able to do in the future.
Everything is run by machines and assembly lines. Throughout the video, we see
the evolution of a couple that rode in on a horse-and-carriage and left in a
roadster. They start out looking and not touching, but soon immerse themselves
in the wonders of the future. This process represents the hesitance that people
probably felt about the future. Their appearance and demeanor change along with
the technology, and they seem to be happy about it. There are times where they
must pay for the things that they do, which I think is a way of saying that the
future comes with a price. That price could be the loss of a simpler way of
life. However, the video ends on an optimistic note, with the couple speeding
away with their horse in the back seat. This is symbolic of moving forward, but
not completely disconnecting from old ideals.
There was a "science fiction" undertone is every part of the
World of Tomorrow, manifesting in the
modernistic architecture and city plans, as well as futuristic devices
like the "orange drink" machine and automated beauty salon.
Everything looks new and sparkly, as opposed to the dirt and grime of the
cities of the time. The faster rate of travel and the devices designed to make
life more enjoyable for the average person would have left a fair-goer excited
about the future. All of these technologies were science and engineering based,
which lends to the "science fiction" genre. Today, we have many of
the things that people in 1939 were speculating about, but we still try to
figure out what will come next. It is interesting to think that many of the
out-there theories about what the future would look like actually came true. I
think that this is the central motivator of science fiction in general, to
imagine new innovations and futuristic ways of life. We
are living in the world of tomorrow.
Its very interesting that you broke it all the way down by saying them paying for things they want to do has a deeper meaning and how the horse was in the backseat. Good Job!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I thought that little video was really interesting...so many details!
ReplyDeleteI think optimistic is a perfect word to describe the mentality of those who attended the worlds fair. Excited is another. The fair seemed to be a promise of a better future. Considering the times, this was a much needed change in how the world was viewed. I also enjoyed your insight into the subliminal message that "the future comes with a price". This is an important revelation because there is truth in the idea that all these promised conveniences will come with a price.
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