Spencer Bowen

Even on the Ground

From the 50’s through the 2000’s-era, predictive descriptions of the future included the invention of “flying cars”. It was a pervasive bit of nonsense which revolved around the assumption that the giants of the automotive industry would produce the airborne vehicles that are now ubiquitous. Although this irritating misnomer cum cultural phenomena spanned decades, it’s now just a footnote, a “fun fact” for those of us who exist in a present which was, to the population of said footnote, the future. So when our teachers, the ones not quite drained of their will to attempt humor in their virtual lessons, share this factoid with a knowing shake of the head, we also allow ourselves a small smirk. For we, as citizens of the future, are in on the joke: Did the existence of planes just not register?