Things I will never see

~ beetleypete

I will be 67 years old, on my next birthday. All being well, I might live for another ten years after that, and would consider 77 to be a ‘good run’. If advances in medicine keep me going until 87, and I still remember who I am, then I will be pleased to have had such a long life. But there will be things I will never see in my lifetime, and I confess I would have liked to have been around when some of them happened.

I will never see flying cars, I’m certain of that. I had expected to be driving/flying one, by the time I was 40. Such was my belief in technology and progress in my youth.

I will never see package holidays on distant planets, something I had once expected to have been enjoying many years ago.

I will never see those ‘hologram’ TV shows and films, promised as long ago as the 1970s. Characters running around the room, with me immersed in the action and locations. That won’t happen in time.

I will never see trains running on time in England, with no delays because of things like ‘leaves on the line’

I will never see roads without traffic jams.

I will never see humans restored from cryogenic storage, amazed to ‘live’ again in a new body.

Perhaps more importantly,

I will never see true social equality.

I will never see the end of Royalty, Aristocracy, and privilege by birth.

I will never see a time when workers are treated as equals.

I will never see a time when there are enough decent homes and jobs for everyone.

I will never see a time when people can live without debt.

I will never see a time when poverty is eradicated.

I will never see a time when politicians can be trusted.

And those last seven are things I would really like to see.

What about you? What will you miss never seeing?

65 thoughts on “Things I will never see”

    1. Thanks, Frank. Seems you have just found this post, but nothing has changed of course. My car just about drives still, let alone fly 🙂
      I think we have both lived through a good era, though your own experience of that has been unbelievably harsh, on a personal level.
      But we both got through everything that happened, and we can be thankful for never being fooled!
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  2. I’m not sure Pete, it’s a heavy question but I agree we have a long way to go and likely not in my lifetime will we get there. I’m at a crossroads myself, many things I wanted to see on a personal level that I don’t think I will now but the future remains unwritten and I carry on. What else but can you do. So much seen I didn’t expect to see. I truly thought a year ago I would probably never see the dome of St Paul’s cathedral again but it happened. So who knows. Best wishes Pete.

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  3. I am 66 next Birthday (dec).

    For me…it’s being around for the grown up years of my granddaughters life.

    On a more numerous note – Newcastle United winning anything

    And back to serious – the mega rich always “getting away” with criminality, corruption and accountability.

    But maybe that live forever pill will get invented!!

    Good post Pete.
    May you live long and prosper.

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  8. Lots of wishful thinking there but all we can influence is the time we are here. It makes me feel more hopeful when I see how some people are trying to clean up the oceans.
    By the way – you were on about happiness – what a lovely example on Cook’s face yesterday!

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  11. Nice selections Pete! – though I never believed flying cars wouldever be. I did think there would be a moon colony by now however. I will miss not being at Clark’s graduation or seeing him a man. On the other hand we will not run out of oil nor get too hot before I go!

    🙂 Besties.

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    1. Given the continuing advances in medicine, and your decent retirement package, I like to think you might yet see Clark’s graduation, Frank. Hopefully, you might still realise why you are there, too!
      If not, we will sit together somewhere, enjoying a cigar and a glass of something, explaining where it all went wrong. 🙂 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  12. I wish I could live to see confirmation that there is intelligent (friendly) life out there. But most of all I would love to see:

    The end of racism and bigotry in all its many forms.
    The possibility of everyone to receive a college education regardless of their economic circumstances.
    The total eradication of nuclear weapons across the globe.
    National healthcare that’s available to everyone.
    A cure for cancer.

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    1. Well, we have had good national healthcare since 1948, and we once had free university education for everyone. But that was stolen away, by bastard politicians. As for the rest, Kim, we can but cross our fingers. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  13. I just hope, thats the best I can do, and your seven picks are good ones to hope for, even if they are unlikely to ever come to fruition.
    No matter what the future holds I just hope its bearable for my kids, I would hate for them to experience war or catastrophic climate change. Hopefully I will give them the skills to live off the land should they need to, the rest is up to them 🙂
    You are right though, I think the planet needs a break from people, so maybe the above wouldn’t be such bad things, fish have feelings too…not to mention the trees 🙂

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  17. I think travel to other planets is overrated, though they look great from down here. I prefer to explore the beauty on earth. 🌍 so much to see, so little time!! (I do appreciate your wish for fairness, equality, and the noble things at the end of your list.)

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  21. To be honest if we don’t stop climate change nobody will see anything! Also I hold with your sentiments about the last seven but unfortunately I’ve come to the conclusion it won’t be happen here – it’s a school room of choice!

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    1. Sadly, I don’t think the last seven will happen anywhere, Felicity.
      As for climate change wiping out the human race, that might be a good thing.
      Give the fish a chance for a change, and let it all start over.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  22. I’d like to live to see the final Rolling Stones tour.
    I’d like to live to see Hillary Clinton write a memoir entitled ‘I Apologize for Everything’.
    I’d like to live to see the ice caps completely melt so people in Nebraska can finally enjoy the luxury of beachfront property.
    I’d like to live to see medicine find a cure for optimism.

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  23. Pete, flying cars are a reality, but have not yet reached the production stage. Check out “Flying Car” on Wikipedia, and then go to YouTube and look for videos. Here in Las Vegas, I see “self-driving” cars now and then, so that is a growing reality.

    Roads without traffic jams? I assume you’re talking about the city. Aren’t the country roads in the U.K. relatively free and clear? If not, come drive the roads of rural Nevada. I’ve driven some desert roads, like the Kane Springs Road (37 miles in length), without encountering a single vehicle. I’ve yet to drive “The Loneliest Road in America” (US 50), but I’m pretty sure traffic jams are unheard of on that stretch of asphalt.

    But rather than think of things you’ll never see, just think of the things that have come to pass in your own lifetime. Or put yourself in the shoes of a time traveler from 1768 (250 years ago), before the Industrial Revolution. He would discover a world he never thought possible, at least technologically.

    I have to admit, as a big fan of science fiction, that I would like to have been born maybe 250 years later. But perhaps someone born in 2268 will see a world beyond his own time on this planet, and wish he wore born later yet. Is there an end to it? At one time, it was thought that mankind would reach a certain point where no further technological progress would be possible. I wonder.

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    1. I have seen the flying cars on TV, David. I doubt they will be viable in many places though, due to the infrastructure needed to cope with power lines, bridges, airborne collisions, and so on. Not to mention the cots of owning one will initially be beyond the means of ‘ordinary’ people.
      There are very quiet roads in rural areas like Beetley. But once you get near any major town, city, or motorway, jams are a way of life here.
      As for driver-less cars, they are being trialed here, along with driver-less buses. They have appeared in my lifetime, which is why they didn’t get mentioned. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. That’s very true, David. I have seen a lot of amazing progress in my lifetime, but not always concentrated on doing some good, or achieving social justice. But we did get the Internet of course, which led to blogging. So hooray for that. 🙂
      (Still unsure about that moon walk. Did you ever see ‘Capricorn One’? 🙂 )
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  25. I would like to see a time when there are no wars and no corrupt governments and every person has access to clean drinking water and every child has access to free education. Not going to happen in my lifetime.

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  27. Pete, flying is unpleasant enough without the serious hazards of going into space. Besides the Martians get up early and reserve all the sun beds.

    I was watching a youtube vid on three centenarians describing their lives, two men and a woman. It was touching. The woman described losing her “children”, though it seemed clear they had lived into adulthood. It brought to mind Harry Patch, the last living man to experience fighting in the Great War. He described losing his sons, one to alcoholism, when they were middle aged. It’s a curse to live beyond your time, I think.

    Having said that, I have thought recently how I might miss my grandson, who is two now, becoming a mature man and maybe comparing notes with him on life. I had a good relationship with my grandfather though he died when I was still a teenager.

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    1. I saw Harry interviewed a few times, and he generally brought a tear to my eye. My (step) grandson is four in December. If I make it to 83, he will be 21. My own grandfather died when I was 13, (he was 65) but he was a strict old man, and not one to show any soft side.
      I always thought we would be in ‘suspended animation’ for space travel to Butlin’s camp on Saturn. Just wake up when we arrived, to see the rings! 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. I am less concerned about WW3. Not because I’m old, but because I don’t think it will happen. There’s no profit in destroying everything, and all the ‘major’ nations like profit, let’s face it.
      I am sure you will see your son grow into a fine man. Then you will enjoy being a grandmother one day, perhaps. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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