The New Futurism Has A Great Future Behind It

Before the future had actually arrived we had Futurism. In Europe that meant Marinetti and Fernand Leger. In America it meant Hugo Gernsback, the inventor of the pulp science fiction magazine. Originally, Gernsback wanted it called 'scientifiction', but science fiction it was and if it had to be abbreviated then all serious fans called it simply 'SF'. The term 'Sci-fi' was an invention aimed at limiting the genre to its pulp fiction and B-movie origins in an attempt to make it popular with people who didn't like or understand science. Futurism and futurists do indeed have a great past behgind them. Who can forget Alvin Toffler's seminal book, 'Future Shock'? Apparently, nearly everyone! That's because we are all suffering from it. It's a bit like 'chronic cubicle syndrome'. If you think you've got it, you've got it.