LAUGHING AT THE FUTURE

When The Flintstones turned out to be a major success, Hanna and Barbera
looked around for another idea that could follow America's favorite Stone Age family.
The obvious solution was to create America's first Space Age family, The Jetsons.
Although similar in their concepts, the two shows had opposite approaches t humor.
Where the Flintstones showed us how the foibles of modern society had roots in the
Paleolithic period, the Jetsons warned us that things could get even worse for us in the
future -- or at least that they wouldn't get much better! Fred's backbreaking job of
smashing rocks at Slate's gravel pit reminded us that our own occupations weren't all
that bad. And George Jetson's complaints about getting sore fingers from pushing
buttons seemed funny, considering how much easier he had it compared to those of us
stuck in the 20th century!

This year, as The Jetsons turns 33 year old, some of the show's predictions about
the future life bear reexamination. We are living in the future right now (from a 1962
standpoint) and it does look a little familiar. Technology has created jobs undreamed of
in 1962 -- except by Hanna-Barbera, of course. (George's job at Spacely's Space Age
Sprockets is "digital index operator." Don't tell me that doesn't sound like a 90's job
title!) Today, computers are in every business and in many homes. And while they don't
make our lives quite as easy as they do for the Jetsons, they do cause some problems.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has become a major malady among 9-to-5 keyboardists.
(George was ahead of his time even with his health problems!) Robots like Rosie don't
yet act like our maids, but robots build our cars and make increasing inroads in our daily
lives. The Jetsons magical food preparation device, the Food-a-Rac-a-Cycle, has almost
come true in this age of microwavable instant meals. And picture phones do exist today,
even though they are not quite ready for the mass market yet. Will we be walking the
family dog on treadmills in the future? Maybe not, but how many people work out on
treadmills in the gym or in their own homes? Sadly those jet-powered flying machines
that people in the 21st century use to get around town in have not yet materialized.
(We're still waiting. Make mine a red convertible.) And we don't yet live in mile-high
bubble domes like in Orbit City. (Not a bad idea though, considering the flood problems
we've been having in L.A.)

But much of the Jetsons world is with us already. Which is not to say that the
original Jetsons cartoon don't still make for entertaining viewing. In their future world,
there is no depleted ozone layer, no disappearing rain forests, and no radioactive waste
disposal problems. You know, escaping into the world of The Jetsons seems like a better
idea than ever.

Bill Burnett
Creative Director
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Inc.