Top 10 Books That Predicted the Future With Eerie Accuracy

[@CodexArgenteus]

I agree with Brave New World, but frankly I feel like our modern world is a mix of Brave New World AND 1984 because there really is a large surveillance state alongside our consumerist culture as portrayed by Huxley.

[@MikeS-um1nm]

CodexArgenteus I agree. Those are probably the two books that accurately predicted our current reality.

[@amandamsnyder87]

Yes thank you. Plus you cant say what you want to say. Wrong think is real. Wrong speak is real.

[@matonmongo]

Brave New World also predicted the advent of different worker 'castes', from the highly educated Alphas and Betas who mostly worked in STEM fields, to the 'Lower Caste' and semi-skilled Gammas and Deltas, on down to the Epsilons at the bottom, described as 'morons who can't read or write'. Which describes today's growing divisions of labor, and the resulting social tensions, and folks can decide for themselves which 'castes' most workers (including 'MAGA' types) might fit in.

[@pris0nergaming641]

I felt the biggest difference and the key difference which Orwell missed and Huxley nailed was/is the use of drugs/pharmaceuticals used to pacify the great unwashed.

[@matonmongo]

No fan of a 'surveillance state', but in a complex global culture, with a lotta 'asymmetrical warfare', increasing surveillance is bound to become the 'default' in even the most democratic places. So maybe the larger issue is, who gets to *_control_* all this 'data' (and what's their accountability, if any)?

[@IcePrincess751-kb9bq]

You should do a top 10 of all the Twilight Zone episodes that accurately portrays the future as well.Rod Serling was a brilliant man who always paid close attention to problems with many societal issues,that could ruin mankind if we continue to destroy our sense of humanity against each other.

[@slavesforging5361]

I second this!

[@jaxz2550]

Top ten - yes.. I agree! There is an episode where everyone is pigfaced and they think the normal face is ugly and should be operated on!

[@lilivonshtup3808]

Yes, and my #1 would be "The Monsters Are Out on Maple Street." It reflects our knee jerk fear and distrust of each other, and how it could destroy us.

[@doctorlolchicken7478]

One day our brave astronauts will be wiped out by a giant housewife wielding a broom.

[@jaygreen7415]

I'm convinced that the author of Stand On Zanzibar had a premonition of the future.

[@hassanalihusseini1717]

Time traveler?

[@TheWizardGamez]

Exactly, how did he guess Obami? Or should o say obama…

[@julieporter7805]

Come on, Obami? Obama? The man was psychic!

[@cmhenator]

Read “The Sheep Look Up” and “The Shockwave Rider” and it’ll be even more apparent he had access to the future in one way or another. But hope that “The Sheep Look Up” was intended as a warning and doesn’t come to pass…

[@saladin6233]

@@cmhenator Came here to say much the same thing, but to also add Jagged Orbit and The Stone That Never Came Down to your list

[@mr88cet]

One important problem with amazing predictions that turned out true is “which is cause and which is effect?” Some say that Arthur C.Clarke predicted the geosynchronous satellite, but it’s more accurate to say that he invented the concept. Many of the engineers who finally succeeded in creating one had read Clarke and were inspired by him. Similarly with rocket and submarine scientists reading Jules Verne.

[@skwervin1]

I read somewhere that sciencefiction writers are the dreamers and engineers make those dreams reality

[@klhaldane]

Also, did these authors predict the future, or did they create futures that turned out to coincidentally match our reality, and so made it onto this list? Take 100,000 books, some of them are going to have "amazing accurate" ideas. Put those in the list and ignore the huge majority.

[@Ludvigvanamadeus]

Rockets and submersible ships existed before Verne. The first military submarine was built in XVIIIth century and Congreve rockets were used widely in Napoleonic wars.

[@robertwalker-smith2739]

Fun fact: Clarke's imagined satellite would have been a space station with a human crew. Why? So they could replace burned-out vacuum tubes.

[@GimmeJimmy23]

I think that speaks to the interconnectedness of the world, and how we all influence each other, regardless of our particular niche. Very interesting!

[@Serai3]

Isaac Asimov pointed out that if what you say influences someone to act to make it real, it is no longer a prediction - it's a cause.

[@Dcraig1718]

True. Otherwise JFK predicted we would land on the moon.

[@TheNecropolis20]

Jules Verne Predicted that 100 years after 1869 we would land on the moon.

[@mjhopkins76]

I know that this is an old video, but I wanted to share a very troubling experience I had while in college concerning this matter. Our class was required to read George Orwell's 1984, as mentioned in #2. But, you see, I was there on scholarship, and couldn't afford the new release of it. So, I procured an older version of the novel, and read along with the class. Now, for those of you that are not familiar with the work, it is a story about the government censoring every aspect of life. Every single action you do is recorded, history is rewritten, and they even go so far as to change the language into what they call "double-speak." The main character is actually a worker at one of these "double-speak" facilities and has to change the words in books to make it appear that these words are how the work was originally written, thus changing history. I bring this very loose description of the story up for a reason. I was in a study group while reading the book, and I noticed something quite peculiar. While in a cafe, the main character is describing a man's characteristics. In my version of the book, he used the term "Niggardly lips" while in everyone else's version, it was "protuberous lips." Seems like a subtle change, and I surely do not agree with the racial slur... but that is not the point. That was not what the author had written. Which, was in fact the whole meaning of the book! So, after that, I started looking back at other literature, and I found it time and time again. Classical literature that has been changed, long after the author's death... or in some cases before, that go completely against the author's original meaning. Take the example of the missing chapter from the American version of A Clockwork Orange. Anthony Burgess was furious about that... and even more irate when Stanley Kubrick (who is British as well) based his movie on the American version! Therefore, I have made it a mission of mine to restore as many books to their original form as I possibly can. I do this in e-book fashion, but I try to use the original type font, language, illustrations, and even line format as the original author intended (for an example, think of the rat's tail from Alice in Wonderland.) It has been a long process, but I have completed about 20 books thus far. The Gutenberg Project is a great source, but it still requires a lot of research... the biography of the author, the illustrators, the type fonts, and even the common language of the time. For example, I am currently working on Haggard's King Solomon's Mines. The current version uses the word "Hello" quite often. I find this funny, because while the word technically existed at the time the book was written, it would not have been a word used by the author nor the main character. People think I am crazy for doing this... but consider this. In the Vatican, there is a lot of statues, many of which are nude. One pope decided that such statues where offensive, and had all of the genitals removed from all of the statues... many dating back hundreds of years. Then, just recently, a new pope decided that what mattered was the original artist's intent, and we should not let modern values impead their artistic expression... so, he ordered for all of the genitals to be replaced. So, I don't know if the restoration is still going on, but at some point there was a guy walking around the Vatican with a bag of dicks... trying to match them to the right statue. And you thought your job was bad.

[@timweatherill3738]

The cretins who exchanged the word "niggardly" ought to have first looked up what "niggardly" means! From the American Webster's Dictionary: "stingy, close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, miserly mean being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others. stingy implies a marked lack of generosity. a stingy child, not given to sharing close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions." So, in this instance, the description would be of very THIN lips, not "Protuberant" , which is just ridiculous.

[@cassieoz1702]

Yes, niggardly has NOTHING to do with a racial slur and protuberous makes no sense. Do you think they meant protubertant (ie bulging)

[@nicholasbrassard3512]

@@timweatherill3738 so they were being more racist (by stereotyping) than what was intended xD thats quite funny

[@baruchben-david4196]

I want to know how "niggardly" relates to lips. Did Orwell mean the person had "stingy" lips? Have you ever heard anyone described as having stingy lips? I have not. But since the politically correct version is "protruberant," I seriously doubt that the original phrase is innocent of racism. There just isn't any way that "niggardly" can be translated into "protruberant." I still think it should have been left as is, but it's clearly racist.

[@baruchben-david4196]

@@timweatherill3738 So, when have you ever heard anyone's lips being described as stingy or miserly? I think Orwell's description was clearly racist.

[@LanceMan]

The fact that you left 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 off the list is very revealing about the team at Top Tenz.

[@matthewstevens2274]

had to google 1984 because I never heard of it, but yeah. There seems to be some political bias in this top 10's

[@thecluckingdead794]

I thought the same thing- thoughtcrime, doublethink, Ministry of Love, Ministry of Peace, Ministry of Justice... there are some scary overlaps in our current political parties and elected officials in the United States.

[@LadyStarbina]

Did you notice the top pin post that TopTenz liked? They are 100% politically biased & not a true educational channel at all.

[@dadudesandstorm9582]

@@LadyStarbina exactly they dedicated almost 5 min to Trump bashing. Grain of salt

[@whydidyoutubeaddthis]

I mean...you could have said the same for any of the other ones on the list if he had left them out for the ones you mentioned. Someone was gonna be unhappy no matter what.

[@6thwilbury2331]

Endless streams of amusement to distract ourselves? How dare you?! I am outraged! Now, if you don't mind, I have 50 other KZbin videos to watch. So good day, sir. I said good day.

[@MrPoupard]

Indeed. Life is full of unintended irony.

[@danieldelappe7830]

Ha

[@cannedmusic]

sorry, what did you say? I got distracted by a cat video

[@garethbaus5471]

I generally keep about 69 videos in my watch later list, I just recently learned that video designated as being marketed to children can't be added to a watch later list which pisses me off.

[@jeffpizrl8593]

0

[@Filpiovano]

Brave New World is, in my mind, the greatest book ever written. Brave New World Revisited, written 25 yers later, goes into even greater details. Huxley was a visionary. It's a shame no one listened...

[@mikeg4972]

The science of genetics in 2020 is almost to that level.

[@DaveT383]

I never read "Revisited" until the days of Dubya. It gave me goosebumps. And totally agree w you on Huxley's prescience. Uncanny.

[@pris0nergaming641]

You are kidding, right? You think no one listened? They listened alright.

[@erichloehr5992]

I would have definitely included Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury on this list

[@willmfrank]

Ray Bradbury once declared "I don't write to predict the future; I write to prevent the future."

[@gogogo8448]

I wouldn't have. Great book but not a accurate prediction

[@malditoduende2140]

I agreed with you from the beginning, but figured it was because I thought 1984 was going to be included and they’re pretty similar. After listening tho, I think we are both a little too much into conspiracy theories 😂

[@ridgecrestwack9746]

One of the reasons I thumbed down

[@2atalkandpolitics422]

The Titan? The book that eerily predicts the Titanic sinking?

[@christineparis5607]

Josh Embrey It was amazing, but not a complete surprise. The ships had easy to predict names because they followed a theme, and ships were getting bigger with every one built. There was always talk about making them unsinkable. It was inevitable that a disaster would happen. Still doesn't take away from the incredible timing and story futility though.

[@margueritejohnson6407]

christine paris It is still an amazing prediction. I couldn’t believe when I first read it so I kept checking the date of publication. The original title was Futility by Morgan ? Can’t remember.

[@vickiford323]

I too was expecting to see The Wreck of the Titan on this list...

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

@@margueritejohnson6407 Morgan Robertson was the author of "Futility," which seemed to have predicted the sinking of the Titanic with stunning accuracy, even down to the name of the ship, the TITAN! It was written in 1898, which was fourteen years before the Titanic set sail. The movie "Titanic" (1997) was nominated for fourteen Academy Awards (the same number of years that elapsed between the publication of "Futility" and the sea disaster it foretold). This was the same number of Oscars that the 1950 film "All About Eve" (starring Bette Davis) was nominated for (the latter film won only six of them). "Titanic" won eleven of those awards, tying with "Ben-Hur" (1959), and it won them in 1998, which was the centennial year (100th anniversary) of when "Futility" was published. Talk about coincidences!

[@danieljob3184]

It probably came in at number 11. P.S: original title: 'Futility'

[@jamesmatthew1903]

Everything between 6:00 - 6:55 is editorial, unsupported by the sources provided.

[@AwakeAtTheWheel]

James Matthew - Agreed.

[@rekietabeatslc9980]

Didn't make it that far. Was enjoying the program until he went WAY into left field with the anti-Semite/racism thing. Trump is Bibi's best friend right now, he'd sign over all the ME to Israel if he could...

[@seanpeterson4908]

Exactly, because we want secure borders it makes us racist? Idiots who can't think for themselves will believe it though. Which is odd, because secure borders are one of the most important aspects of any successful nation.

[@erictaylor5462]

Something to keep in mind about 1984, Winston only thought it was 1984, or at least about 1984. He based this on his own memories of his childhood, which were set in the atomic holocaust of the 1950's. But through the use of doublethink, can these memories really be dependable? We know know (though I'm not sure if it was known when the book was written) that memories can be altered or even made up completely. We know that Winston is in early middle age (late 30's I think) and that Julia was much younger (early to mid 20's) Winston had memories of before the Revolution, but Julia had been born after. However, Julia didn't really care enough about the past to remember her childhood properly. It's entirely possible that Winston's thinking is based on false memories, in which case, 1984 could be set at pretty much any time in the future.

[@302Diane]

The book was written in 1948. See what he did there? The copyright date is 1949.

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

Wrong. Also Winston didn't write 1984 so we are not relying on his memories for anything. Nonsense comment and 14 idiots believe it.

[@pris0nergaming641]

If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever. George Orwell That has always rung true to me.

[@winnifredforbes8712]

Pris0ner Gaming Bang on!

[@dronexfun8469]

I realize its not a book but Idiocracy was pretty accurate.

[@garethbaus5471]

Except the idiot president recognized he wasn't smart and let the new smartest man alive take over.

[@theramblinmahoney2316]

Gareth Baus Awh, still mad that Trump won?

[@stinkytits6025]

It’s definitely getting there

[@gunnarelisigurjonsson2587]

Even when it came out I thought it was pretty realistic...

[@starlaoutlaw7926]

So scary

[@paulxaviercyr]

Now I want to read "Stand on Zanzibar".

[@leholen381]

I’m watching this in 2020 and laughed when he mentioned that self driving cars were expected fo be the norm by now.

[@robertcorbell1006]

I only have two bones to pick with this. The first one is calling the novel Neuromancer the first-ever cyberpunk novel when that honor, in fact, goes to The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner, the same author who also wrote Stand on Zanzibar at the number one spot on this list. The other is also claiming the prediction that Earth-like planets have yet to be found in the 2040s as being untrue because of the discovery of terrestrial worlds in the habitable zone of several star systems. In reality, almost all of those are considered "super-terrestrial" or "super-Earth" planets with far higher gravity and most likely extreme atmospheres that wouldn't be conducive to life as we are comfortable with. Furthermore, they're primarily around red dwarf stars that have far higher radiation levels. This means it has yet to be determined if humans could remotely survive such conditions. Otherwise, interesting stuff, and all of the books mentioned are great reads.

[@MySerpentine]

We have the culture of Brave New World and the politics of 1984 . . .

[@mr.meeseekslookatme]

The Wreck of the Titan or Futility, written by Morgan Robertson, almost perfectly predicted the infamous sinking of the Titanic 14 years before it happened.

[@hippomancy]

i read Brunner's Stand on Zanzibar when i was fourteen (in 1980) and was creeped out by it... and am shocked how accurate it was. Disch' 334 was equally dark, and equally real...

[@anarchist_rationale]

Yes! Stand on Zanzibar! I am so happy it not only made the list but got to the top spot. It is, for my money, the most eerily prescient scifi novel I've ever read.

[@saladin6233]

Then add in The Jagged Orbit, Shockwave Rider and The Sheep Look Up

[@Oddman1980]

Reading Brave New World really messed me up. I kept seeing examples from the book in real life.

[@btetschner]

I will have to check out Stand on Zanzibar and Neuromancer some time. Thank you for the video.

[@danielt8727]

Took a bite of dinner just in time to hear Simon say horse rectum :(

[@nothingforyouhere418]

Me too. Was eating ground beef too, so who knows?

[@tiffanysanchez9184]

Daniel T lmao 😂

[@candice_ecidnac]

I was eating beef stew while watching this.

[@winnifredforbes8712]

Coincidence? I think not!

[@NegiTaiMetal011]

One thing to add here is Futility/The Wreck of the Titan by Morgan Robertson in 1898. That book depicts the sinking of the ship that is eerily similar to the sinking of the Titanic even though there are some differences.

[@Microtonal_Cats]

The 1970 book "Future Shock" gets a lot right. It's an essay book, not fiction, but I would have added it on this list. It's also a lot better known than a lot of the books here.

[@alfelker]

Great book. Required reading in 1970. I graduated High School in 1971. Sounded amazing then and then came true!

[@robertcorbell1006]

Not only is that a great book but I'm also surprised people rarely bring it up when discussing the time travel episode of Spongebob Squarepants that pokes lighthearted fun at it with Squidward breaking down and repeatedly chanting, "Future!" The documentary-style short film adaptation of the essay also discussed and predicted (in an astonishingly non-judgmental manner) the rise of both hookup culture and LGBT rights. That part was handled almost identically to Stand on Zanzibar.

[@cmhenator]

It was also the inspiration, according to Brunner, for “The Shockwave Rider,” probably to help hide that he was possibly a time traveler trying to change the future. ;)

[@secularhumanist8662]

Ah, Simon, words cannot describe how eloquent you are! You make my KZbin bingeing slightly more purposeful! And it's refreshing to hear proper English instead of obsolete local dialects...Keep em coming !

[@mikepalmer1971]

I thought the Postman was an underrated movie.

[@tarajh]

LOVE that movie!

[@Penguins44]

Agree

[@JoshSweetvale]

I thought David Brin was a prat

[@meadowsong8560]

My husband and I both liked the movie.

[@LickorishAllsorts]

When I first read "Stand On Zanzibar" in 1970 I thought it was the best dystopian SF novel ever written. Now I am not so sure. It is a brilliant novel, but its dystopia is rapidly becoming our reality.

[@AdZS848]

One thing Orwell's 1984 was right about was Newspeak. Our ability to communicate is slowly being diminished by the reduction of vocabulary thanks to text messaging. Only it's not being done by a repressive government but by our need for constant entertainment.

[@gamesman0118]

Fake news ring a bell?

[@timwinkler1823]

I cannot believe you completely looked over Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and From the Earth to the Moon!

[@abdulhamidozturk]

Tim Winkler I LOVED those two as a kid, damn.

[@MarkTulsa2024]

"Piano Player." Not so strange an alliteration but he did it twice.

[@1138Graham]

Should be Player Piano!

[@forge20]

John Brunner is a genius. Another book of his, The Shockwave Rider, also presented some amazingly accurate predictions for the future.

[@corybritton1804]

Are you completely kidding me???? A list of this subject matter and you didn't include Orwell's 1984??? (It's place on the list of course would naturally be #1) but your list omitted it!!!! Seriously you are joking around right???

[@bigdaveowens76]

I was waiting for 1984 to come up. Smart TV's, face news and media manipulation. Proliferation of CCTV and government oversight. Control of the masses. 1984 is no longer a work of fiction

[@WraithWriter]

David Owens, he gave us a warning, they used it as a blueprint...

[@dianariley7199]

I know when it got to #1 I was totally expecting 1984. But no it did not make this list which Is really odd to me since it is the most famous book that predicted,well now in many ways.

[@sofieselene]

1984's accurate primarily for North Korea and China - not so much for the West, which is what the video was primarily focused on.

[@paranoidrodent]

1984's core prediction was the triumph of totalitarianism and total information control by the state. Yes, some of the minor details of the book (particularly relating to surveillance) do have echoes in our current world, even China is more liberal than the world Orwell envisaged. North Korea is downright Orwellian. Orwell always focused on top-down control via force and scarcity rather than imagining a society that numbed by indulgence and distractions. Brave New World's underlying concepts were more on point in many ways. Farenhiet 451 kind of splits the difference by blending authoritarianism and drowning in entertainment. Brunner deserves #1. I read Stand on Zanzibar back in the early 90s and it's kind of uncanny.

[@magdaseguin]

Alvin Toffler's Future Shock came to mind when I saw the thumbnail

[@jeffwalker7185]

2001: A Space Odyssey had video calling, on-line newspapers, updated regularly that are accessed through an app, an international space station and using large planets to slow down, speed up and alter the course of a space ship.

[@cheekyfragrance]

"By 2020 self-driving cars are expected to be the norm." I'm here in 2020, and I can tell you that they are still not the norm, but starting to become popular. Also, if you are interested back in 2017, we have a virus now that has basically caused a global lockdown.

[@mrm2542]

What about Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man? That scared me so much when I read it because it all came true

[@zachary4670]

Yeah, especially the time travel, the interspace travel, the massive monsters on Venus, the lions on TV that come to life and eat people....

[@mrm2542]

@@zachary4670 the concepts came true lol. And actually, the lions one is about addiction

[@tommymayfield814]

The thing about the flat screen tvs is what always got me. Sorry it's been about 20 years since I read the book. I was thinking about Fahrenheit 451.

[@mrm2542]

@@tommymayfield814 Also a great book

[@mangot589]

I can’t believe people could stomach (literally) watching fear factor. That’s one sick show.

[@jeffcoat1959]

I can't believe this list didn't include "The Wreck of the Titan: or Futility" by Morgan Robertson. Written 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic, it describes a maritime disaster with so many similarities it's scary.

[@arche2460]

One year later, and Simon has a whole video about Wreck of the Titan on his other channel, Decoding the Unknown! (I haven’t watched it yet, but it’s a great channel)

[@CtrlAltWut]

simon, of all the videos you've mad this one is by far my favorite. the section about 'brave new world' was sobering and chilling. when you take a step back and hear life broken down like that, it scares you a little.

[@mpaulm]

The Book of Daniel is the best of all time!

[@theflaggedyoutuberii4311]

Michael Meloche Why?

[@merkel2750]

“By 2020 self driving cars…..” 2022- people can’t wear a damn mask Kos “ma freydams.”

[@digapygmy70]

Holy crap, either the Stand on Zanzibar author was a time traveler or he had some truly incredible sight. I had to check the wiki page out for this one, and it's pretty disheartening to see reviews calling it a "chilling dystopia," ha...ha...

[@mswen1983]

John Brunner must have traveled through time on an acid trip. My roommate did something like that once, except when he came back he was in his underwear outside some girl's dorm room. Then the police showed up.

[@Trav2016]

How to predict the future: 1. Make things easier. 2. Make things worse. 3. Profit!

[@dadudesandstorm9582]

Me watching yt for 3hrs, "Damn that's crazy"

[@Erin-Thor]

Hmmmmmm..... the prediction that in the future man would spend increasing time on entertainment and less and less on real life. I’ve just spent an hour watching several "Today I found out" and "TopTenz" videos. Note to self - Get a life. 🤣

[@garethbaus5471]

I just switched from a business blaze binge.

[@renepadilla7104]

Simon has cloned himself. Each if his one thousand channels has its own Simon.

[@mickelodiansurname9578]

I never read Stand on Zanzibar, but as a sci-i fan I'd heard of it.... I'll give it a go now. I think what we can safely predict for the future is that society is becoming short data, trivial data, short term, with no actual response needed. Basically we complain on facebook about the loss of the Panda and moan about it, but nobody actually cares or does anything other than sit there viewing, moaning and typing. We are basically reduced to sheep with bad temperament. Taken to its ultimate we literally won't care what happens to anyone or anything soon.

[@brokenbridge6316]

Several of these predictions made me feel depressed. Depressed about where we are all going as a species, I don't like it.

[@christineparis5607]

Broken Bridge Don't worry too much. Time and again, it has been shown that even one person can change the world for the better. Many people practice a quiet heroism. Despite everything there is still a beautiful world out there.

[@allsortsofmusicplaylists4026]

we wont die but the new dark age will arrive. the question is not if, it's when.

[@guy15s]

Sadly, it seems if you assume the worst, anybody can predict the future.

[@MikeS-um1nm]

Broken Bridge Don't sweat it! I'm writing a book now, of how a powerful group of secretive heroes, scientists, artists, Doctors and TRULY moral people, overthrow the government, smash the fake left/ right paradigm, and usher in a Golden Age of World Peace and prosperity. It's ALL gonna come true!

[@JoaoBismarck-mu6qb]

❤❤❤

[@Harriet1822]

John Brunner predicted computer worms (viruses). See "The Shockwave Rider". He did live to see this and be interviewed about it.

[@MrRezRising]

"Running Man" by Richard Bachman 😉 was a precursor to reality tv.

[@johnware6272]

I'll buy that for a dollar!

[@angusmacchilly5468]

AND an incredible dance move

[@MrRezRising]

@@angusmacchilly5468 Second only to The Robot (although the Thriller werewolf move is catching up.)

[@angusmacchilly5468]

@@MrRezRising the worst part about cracking out these moves in the club is having to wade through the piles of thrown underwear to get to the bar

[@MrRezRising]

@@angusmacchilly5468 OR dealing with the road rash on yer junk the next day cuz ya went home alone. Who knew the nerdy clubbers left early... Nerds forever! 👍🤘🤘

[@aitchpea6011]

One minor correction: David Brin didn't predict Trojan Horse viruses, they already existed. I even wrote one myself for the school's computer network in 1988. It spread itself to every computer on the network, presented a fake login screen, saved all the logins and passwords to a private part of the network drive I had created, then redirected users to the real login page with an "invalid password" error. I was 15, and only able to pull this off because practically no security was implemented on the network.

[@guynorth3277]

Nikola Tesla told of wireless communication over a hundred years before it was available.

[@cmhenator]

I’m pretty sure at this point Brunner was a time traveler trying to avert a terrible future through the safest possible mechanism: Speculative fiction. In addition to “Stand on Zanzibar,” the other two books in his new wave futurist sort-of-trilogy, “The Sheep Look Up” and “The Shockwave Rider,” are similarly terrifyingly prescient. I read them in the early 90s (except “The Sheep Look Up” which I d was unable to find until 2003, curiously) and have periodically re-read them since and each time they get more worrisome. Especially the ending of “The Sheep Look Up.”

[@MikeJBeebe]

Serious props for mentioning David Brin's, "Earth" -- one of his greatest books. Now let's just hope gasers never come true.

[@charvikripalani2270]

The greatest pride for a science-fiction author is seeing his fiction turn to reality with his own two eyes.

[@rockdog2584]

"The Postman" is one of my all-time favorite books. Read it back in the 70's.

[@hashtag415]

9:11 "By 2020 self driving cars are expected to be the norm". With Halloween 2020 less than a week away, I'd say that couldn't be further from the truth of this year.

[@mikhailangel3258]

some people's lives are boring and depressing that they immerses themselves to various modern entertainment to forget life itself

[@ashleyshoop]

BIG appreciate ENERGY for videos without ads scattered through and interrupting the content !

[@sbluhrs106]

I 've read Stand on Zanzibar at least 5 times. Challenging novel, due to the various points of view, but the more I have read it, the more I realize its brilliance.

[@Dan-lt3nk]

Neuromancer and the sprawl trilogy are some of my favourite sci-fi stories. It’s worth noting that Gibson also coined the term ‘Microsoft’ which was taken by Bill Gates as he was a huge fan of the book.

[@margueritejohnson6407]

It couldn’t/can’t happen here by Sinclair Lewis is also worth reading.

[@GaiaOmniDia]

Great video! Finally a new twist, on an always fun topic, the future. With new information that I haven't already seen elsewhere! There are several channels that seem to regurgitate the same information over and over again. But I've found that this channel will in the very least add a new twist and give you info you've not seen or heard before. So good on you guys! Keep up the good videos 🙂.

[@samighidini7070]

Wreck of the titan or; futility. Its a book about the SS Titan which hits an iceberg on its maiden voyage. Just like Titanic. The Titan didn't have enough lifeboats for everyone on board, just like Titanic. Half of the passengers died on the Titqn, just like on Titanic. The funny thing? It was written 14 years before RMS Titanic's maiden voyage and disaster...

[@camgood2437]

Sami Ghidini exactly. I was sure this would be number one, but it wasn't even mentioned..

[@samighidini7070]

Cam Good me too. A disappointment😢

[@madotsuki_mk1]

Thought about it as well. I guess they decided not to include it since it already tops virtually every list covering predictions that eerily came true, so everyone has at least heard of it.

[@samighidini7070]

Rinso are you both titanic history fans?

[@BernicePanders]

13:20 - WHERE DO I GET THOSE GRAPHICS AS POSTERS???

[@aussiebloke609]

7:47 #5 The book is called "Player Piano" (also called a Pianola)...not "Piano Player." I understand misspeaking occasionally, but you managed to get this one wrong twice in 5 seconds. Since it was right at the beginning of that section, you probably should have recorded that part again. :-(

[@slavesforging5361]

They even had it written correctly, but he said it wrong! lol. kinda funny.

[@wheatgerm1208]

Since he makes some sort of mispronunciation in virtually every video, I'm convinced it's done on purpose to increase comments. Sort of dishonest, in my opinion.

[@MarkTulsa2024]

Simon just does these things to trigger people. Congratulations. You've been triggered.

[@jerryhernandez8478]

@9:10 I’m watching in December 2020, where’s my self driving car!!!!

[@saraseifert6005]

I recommend every single one of these books. Thank you Mr. Whistler. Excellent show!

[@Cassiopea525]

Definitely! I’m glad Stand on Zanzibar got #1

[@ashguy1370]

Neuromancer also predicted social media deplatforming and cancel culture with the protagonist being poisoned so he cannot jack in.

[@chumbucket1313]

You missed stranger in a strange land by Robert Heinlein he invented the water bed!

[@jajwritersblock]

I watched this video right after having a conversation about Stand on Zanzibar's eerie prescience with my son after we went out to dinner. He's on a classic Sci-fi binge lately.

[@sarahbell8886]

Someone has probably already said this, but what about the book that predicted the Titanic sinking?

[@1bert719]

Wreck of the Titan by Morgan Robertson, available on e book and an interesting if somewhat silly read.

[@brapboy72]

You forgot Fahrenheit 451 which mentions big screen TVs, virtual reality and ear buds

[@TheNecropolis20]

Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and George Orwell's 1984 are predicting a very similar future

[@aprilmorris4588]

I've loved your videos for a long time. This one is my absolute favorite! Great job! Now I've got to go to the Library to check out some books. 😎

[@chrisyanover1777]

I haven't read the book but does the book A Plot Against America end with him being voted out and claim the election was rigged?

[@jackrabbit5047]

1984 has come true with frightening accuracy

[@thisguy1411]

The Great Pacific War. Written in the 1920s told the story of a war between Japan and the USA, starting with a surprise attack by Japan. It was eerily predictive how the author stated that Japan would have the initial upper hand but the US would eventually overcome

[@sleepydruid100]

Sometime i wonder if these Science Fiction "predictions aren´t just self fullfilling prophecies^^"

[@elliottgoldwyn4973]

Since I wrote a book about my life and possible future life, and many preobservations have shown themselves true, I thought my book did quite well... But your list wins. Nicely done Simon and crew!

[@mranonymous6227]

Switched off when you sagged Trump off. Less of the bias, more facts. Thankyou.

[@louisward8650]

Have you read John Brunner's Shock Wave Rider? You missed this book of predictions.

[@Michael-rz8rh]

I really enjoyed the first 2 vids I saw on your channel, so I guess I'm just disappointed that you decided to go off on trump and some racism conspiracy. I appreciated your objectivism, but I guess I was mistaken. If you truly feel that Trump is racist, you should to a top ten list of the times he was supposedly racist without taking anything out of context. I'm not saying Trump doesn't say things that are abrasive or things that may be blatantly inappropriate, I'm just saying that he's not racist. Show me proof and I will change my opinion - without proof, you saying it is just your opinion.

[@markiesessamen407]

Thank you, I thought the same.

[@glennramsey216]

I'm waiting on him to tell me how Trump is racist, I've seen no evidence of him being so.

[@jameshannagan7830]

Yes even though he is a creep and I know people personally he tried to rip off and get away without paying for agreed contractual work they did, my cousin showed me the letter his lawyers sent and i know several contractors he ripped off in south Jersey he really is not racist or anti-semitic at all just a criminal and overall creepy person so what lots of our most effective presidents were far from boy scouts.

[@thrashpondopons2776]

'The truth will be drowned in a sea of irrelevance'! My blood just ran cold!

[@wovfm]

#7 is a stretch but not for the paranoid TDS that Simon likes to feed as he avoids the contradictions in his statement with veiled insinuation, rich in most of his work..

[@MrWizeazz]

Yea this video was pretty cringe with all of the Trump bashing.

[@HalDoom]

Is there any books that predicted people drinking bleach? Asking for my mom.

[@kineticarrangements]

The Postman (the movie) wasn't so bad...

[@kevinrussell2718]

No mention of the greatest literary soothsayer who ever lived - Jules Verne! In "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", he predicted nuclear-powered submarines and electric weapons (i.e. the Taser) - although he did fail to recognise that water and electricity do not mix (in the book, his electric gun is used underwater). In "Mysterious Island", he predicted that famine would ravage the world as a result of wars resulting from man's incessant greed, and genetically-modified animals that would grew larger than normal for higher yields. In "Robur The Conquerer" and "Master Of The World", he predicted that aircraft would be used to drop propaganda (this occured during both World Wars).

[@shaybob1711]

Every time I think I've seen everything interesting on this channel I find something else that catches my interest. or in other words..."I cant quit you". This channel is seriously addicting.

[@rush1er]

On his deathbed, Aldos Huxley injected a massive dose of LSD just before passing on....

[@robnewbold644]

Wooow. I guess we see your political bias. Are you this factually inaccurate with all of your videos? I'll have to rethink watching any more.

[@mastick5106]

My favorite somewhat accurate prediction of future technology in literature still has to be the description of a reflecting telescope in "The True History" by Lucian, written around 165 AD.

[@indy197905]

If you wanna know how all the stuff predicted came to pass look up the teachings of Neville Goddard. By writing about it they made it happen.

[@firstlast1278]

i suppose you believe deathnote is real too lol

[@travist.7279]

I'm surprised that "Fahrenheit 451" wasn't mentioned. Bradbury predicted a world where political-correctness had run amok, and "cancel culture" was now the law. People were kept complacent with mindless entertainment, relentless advertising, and a constant hurry-up, on-the-go culture. Of course, the accuracy of Bradbury's prediction may have been the very reason why his book was not included in this list. Think about it.

[@bruceyoung9726]

Its funny i seen the jobs leave in Martinsville Virginia we had people come from China going threw the plant video taping wasnt long after that the plant closed baset furniture Lazy boy Stanley furniture Master brand cabinets elky cabets in Danville VA filcrest sara lee lanes furniture in Rockymount Va.and the list goes on.Drugs took over Martinsville so what you are saying about China hits me a little different and Trump is doing more for the working class then any other presidents I have a little hope noq jobs might come back

[@HipHopShowRoom]

I find it strange that whenever the topic of automation and job losses is brought up that the fact of if nobody's got a job or money then nobody's buying the stuff the robots make, its an incredibly fundamental part of the process and obviously corporations know this. It should work out where everybody gets paid something for nothing we have way more free time on his hands because the robots are doing all the Monday in rubbish jobs and just in general quality of life should be way better

[@annettefournier9655]

Outstanding. Love to read. Haven't read #1 So off to the library! Btw if ever you need cheering up read a 19th century Russian novel. Our troubles pale by comparison to their working class.🤗

[@Lyronos]

Any examples/suggestions?

[@markevans8446]

@@Lyronos Try Dostoevski : "Crime and punishment " . It's really glum !

[@kevinbishop724]

Although very hard to find “The Red Planet” was written in 1903 by a Russian revolutionary socialist. I can not recall his name as it has been decades since I have had a copy, but he became a Bolshevik after 1905 and went on to serve in the Ministry of Culture after the 1917 revolution. In essence, a young Russian revolutionary discovers a Martian agent who was sent to our planet to gather information for a possible Martian take over. In the course of discussion the Martian describes how Mars became a single cultural and political entity which eventually transitioned peacefully to a communist society. In the process he analyses why Russia could not do so as a single national entity on a planet of dozens of competing nations. His analysis predicts the rise of Stalinism and its abuses with eerie accuracy.

[@Cassiopea525]

Stand on Zanzibar is outstanding. They didn’t even cover all his accurate predictions here!