American Futurism in the Atomic Era

Futurism by Theme: Communication

            One of the main distinctive factors of futurism during the Cold War involves the strides made in communication. Public radio and the home television facilitated in the average citizen’s ability to receive news and other information. For a significant amount of time the television was lauded as a tool that would promote education and democracy. Yet, like most new technologies, the consumer base embraced it for alternate uses. By the 1950s and 1960s television technology was marketed as the technology of the future (see figure 41). Additionally, new marketing trends contributed to consumer habits and the idea of leisure time. Streamline design incorporated itself in the aesthetics of public and consumer communications technologies (see figure 37). Futurist imagery embraced the idea that communications technologies would expand and envisioned ideas such as video calling (see clip 05, “Century 21 Calling” promotional video from the Seattle World’s Fair, figure 39 and figure 40 depicting these technologies) and instant messaging long before it became a reality. Video calling technology was popularized through the 1964 World’s fair presentations, advertisements and popular media like the Jetsons (1962) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).



















 

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