Building H #69: Back to the Future

Embedded cultural assumptions about how technology will shape our lives has had profound consequences for our health. Steve makes this argument in an article posted this morning in Slate: The Jetsons, Now 60 Years Old, Is Iconic. That’s a Problem. He uses the 60th anniversary of the cartoon sitcom to reflect on the world its creators envisioned, the enduring influence that vision has had, the lifestyles that have resulted, and the need for new visions in which technology supports the everyday behaviors that humans need to thrive.

The Jetsons anticipated, or possibly inspired, iPhones, Roombas, Siri, Zoom, Peloton and more. In some cases the inspiration was quite literal: when designing the first iMac Apple’s Johnny Ive reputedly asked his team, “what computer would the Jetsons have had?”

It was this one, which looks suspiciously like the first iMac.

More important was the overall vibe: Jetsons World was all about convenience — everything was done at the touch of a button (to the point that “button-finger” was a thing) — nature was almost entirely absent and food was just a mechanically produced input. It turns out that this world is … not so good for humans.

Since The Jetsons debuted in 1962, we’ve seen major shifts in behavior – worse diets, more sedentary lifestyles, and less sleep, to name a few – and a relentlessly spreading chronic disease epidemic. Sixty years on, it’s time for new visions to dislodge The Jetsons’ iconic role in our dreams for the future.

Please check out the article and, most importantly, please share it – even if you disagree with it. The question of how we want technology to shape our future lifestyles is critical – it’s a conversation we need to have, with as many perspectives as possible.

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