The principle difference between futurism and (most) science fiction is that science fiction is allegorical, while futurism is predictive.
Orwell never pretended to be writing predictions about the future of technology and civilisation: he was writing allegory about the betrayal of the Revolution by Stalin and his cronies. 1984 is an anagram for 1948 the year in which the events that most disturbed Orwell took place.
By the same token, Wells' time machine was, as Katz notes, "a blistering attack on class structure." It wasn't about predicting the future at all, it was about using the future as a setting for a burleque that lampooned the social order of the day.
Disney, on the other hand, has always taken the tack that they are predicting the future (in fact, this is an occupational hazard of dark-rides and themeparks going back to the Futurama [aol.com] at the 1939 World's Fair).
The disconnect that Katz sees between Wells' novels and Disney's interpretations can be explained by this key difference: prediction is an inevitably goofy exercise that lays bare the predictor's agenda, while allegory is a subtler undertaking.
Like a man once said, "Reading science fiction to learn about science is like reading romance novels to learn about love."
Science fiction != science tutorial (Score:2)
Orwell never pretended to be writing predictions about the future of technology and civilisation: he was writing allegory about the betrayal of the Revolution by Stalin and his cronies. 1984 is an anagram for 1948 the year in which the events that most disturbed Orwell took place.
By the same token, Wells' time machine was, as Katz notes, "a blistering attack on class structure." It wasn't about predicting the future at all, it was about using the future as a setting for a burleque that lampooned the social order of the day.
Disney, on the other hand, has always taken the tack that they are predicting the future (in fact, this is an occupational hazard of dark-rides and themeparks going back to the Futurama [aol.com] at the 1939 World's Fair).
The disconnect that Katz sees between Wells' novels and Disney's interpretations can be explained by this key difference: prediction is an inevitably goofy exercise that lays bare the predictor's agenda, while allegory is a subtler undertaking.
Like a man once said, "Reading science fiction to learn about science is like reading romance novels to learn about love."