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Future pop history myths about today

Chloe Sullivan said:
Huh, We either had a coup or a constitutional convention by 2032.

Actually, what is most likely to be left over for future archeologists to pore over?

Shopping malls might be misinterpreted as muster points for massivemmitary formations, perhaps?
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Trash. Millions upon millions of broken cell phones full of barely comprehensible text messages and whatnot.
 
RecklessPrudence said:
I'd say coup is more likely. No-one seriously wants a constitutional convention, as that would let all the Crazies, y'know, the ones on the Other Side peddle their Loony Ideas, and they might actually get listened to. Or at least, that's the impression I get from our American board members.
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Well, there's also the crazies on Our Side, but they are nowhere near as bad as the Total Wackjob Nutters that make up much of the Other Side. (And yes, both sides say this. You can even admit in private that someone on Our Side is nucking futs, but you can't ever let the Other Side know that.)
 
Chloe Sullivan said:
Actually, what is most likely to be left over for future archeologists to pore over?

Shopping malls might be misinterpreted as muster points for massivemmitary formations, perhaps?
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If future people had to reconstruct our society from archaeological evidence, maybe Las Vegas would be misinterpreted as some kind of political or religious center? A giant luxurious city full of visually spectacular monumental architecture, in the middle of a desert, where there's no obvious reason for a big city to be. Would make sense as a city that developed around a pilgrimage site, or as an attempt by some regime to show off its command of the resources required to create and sustain such a place. The existence of buildings like Luxor Las Vegas and the half-sized Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower might be seen as lending credence to the political center theory, as it might look like an attempt to evoke a sense of connection with other powerful states.

Edit: if some of the interior furniture survives, the casinos may be misinterpreted as temples where divination rituals were performed, and this might be taken as lending credence to the religious center theory (and as evidence that fortune-telling was important in the culture of the time and area).
 
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Memphet'ran said:
If future people had to reconstruct our society from archaeological evidence, maybe Las Vegas would be misinterpreted as some kind of political or religious center? A giant luxurious city full of visually spectacular monumental architecture, in the middle of a desert, where there's no obvious reason for a big city to be. Would make sense as a city that developed around a pilgrimage site, or as an attempt by some regime to show off its command of the resources required to create and sustain such a place. The existence of buildings like Luxor Las Vegas and the half-sized Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower might be seen as lending credence to the political center theory, as it might look like an attempt to evoke a sense of connection with other powerful states.

Edit: if some of the interior furniture survives, the casinos may be misinterpreted as temples where divination rituals were performed, and this might be taken as lending credence to the religious center theory (and as evidence that fortune-telling was important in the culture of the time and area).
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The Roman Empire, despite what some disreputable historians may claim, did in fact extend to the Americas. Any scholar worth his or her degree will tell you that the ruins of Caesar's Palace in Los Vegus speak for themselves.
 
Also America was discovered by Pharonic Egypt not Columbus as was erroneously believed by earlier historians, given the discovery of the Luxor Pyramid and Egyptian symbolism. :)
 
I think it's more likely that they'd think the Luxor Las Vegas was a political statement to the effect of "behold, we are like the pyramid builders, but grander and better!"

Also, things like Halloween and Christmas decorations might be misinterpreted as religious artifacts in such a scenario. Halloween decorations might be taken as protective figures intended to frighten away demons (as gargoyles were in the Middle Ages IIRC).
 
Can you imagine what they're going to think of Australian wildlife, considering we're going with pop-history misconceptions and/or reconstructions of a lost era?
 
Memphet'ran said:
Also, things like Halloween and Christmas decorations might be misinterpreted as religious artifacts in such a scenario. Halloween decorations might be taken as protective figures intended to frighten away demons (as gargoyles were in the Middle Ages IIRC).
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They sorta kinda are religious artifacts, even if people don't realize it, in the same way that a crucifix being worn by an anime character is still a Christian symbol, even if the creator isn't a Christian and just thinks it looks cool.
 
Memphet'ran said:
I think it's more likely that they'd think the Luxor Las Vegas was a political statement to the effect of "behold, we are like the pyramid builders, but grander and better!"

Also, things like Halloween and Christmas decorations might be misinterpreted as religious artifacts in such a scenario. Halloween decorations might be taken as protective figures intended to frighten away demons (as gargoyles were in the Middle Ages IIRC).
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I wonder what future historians would think of modern phenomena of cosplay.
 
Relevant:

Joy Davidman said:
THE MARTIAN STUDENT, swooping dangerously low over the United States in his flying saucer, scribbled furiously with his writing tentacle. He had chosen an ideal morning for taking notes-a fine summer Sunday, with all the natives coming out of their houses and obligingly spreading themselves around for his observation. But he was in a desperate hurry. Only one more week till his thesis was due, and without it he hadn't an earthman's chance of passing his comparative anthropology course.
As it turned out, though, he needn't have worried. The report he wrote was brilliant, comparing favourably for accuracy and insight with the best work of our earthly anthropologists. In several Martian colleges professors have read it aloud as a shining example of what modem scientific methods can do.
"Like so many primitive life forms [thus went the Martian's report] the creatures of the third planet are sun worshippers. One day in every seven is set apart for the adoration of their deity, weather permitting. Their rituals vary, and each apparently involves a special form of dress; but all are conducted in the open air, and most seem to require the collection of enormous crowds. Some creatures gather in vast arenas, to watch strangely garbed priests perform elaborate ceremonies involving a ball and variously shaped instruments of wood. [The significance of the ball as a solar symbol, of course, is known to every Martian schoolboy.] Others, no doubt the mystics and solitaries of their religion, prefer to address the ball themselves with long clubs, singly, or in groups of two or four, wandering in green fields. Some, stripping themselves almost naked in their ecstasy, go down to the seashore in great throngs and there perform their rites, often hurling themselves into the waves with frenzied cries. [This practice is unmistakably based on the dogma, found also among the semi-intelligent crustaceans of Venus, that the sun is a sea-god born anew each morning from the ocean; the use of large brightly coloured balls in these seaside rituals is confirmatory evidence.] After the ceremonial immersion, devotees have been observed to anoint themselves with holy oils and stretch themselves out full length with eyes closed, in order to surrender themselves entirely to silent communion with the deity.
"Human sacrifice, sad to say, is also practised, the instrument of death being a four-wheeled metal car which may be employed in various ways. Often a chosen victim is run down and crushed. Even more frequently the sacrifice is voluntary; devotees enter the cars, and either work themselves into a frenzy by travelling at high speeds until they dash themselves to bits against other cars or stationary objects-or else congregate in vast throngs, too closely packed to move, and allow the sun's rays beating upon the hot metal to cook them slowly to death.
"There exists, however, a small sect of recalcitrants or heretics that does not practise sun worship. These may be identified by their habit of clothing themselves more soberly and completely than the sun worshippers. They too gather in groups, but only to hide from the sun in certain buildings of doubtful use, usually with windows of glass coloured to keep out the light. It is not clear whether these creatures are simply unbelievers or whether they are excommunicated from sun worship for some offence -we have not been able to discover what goes on within their buildings, which may perhaps be places of punishment. But it is noteworthy that their faces and gestures show none of the almost orgiastic religious frenzy with which the sun worshippers pursue their devotions. In fact, they usually appear relaxed and even placid, thus indicating minds blank of thought or emotion; in this connection, see Dr. Duerf's monumental study, Totem and Taboo Among the Giant Centipedes of Mercury.
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excerpted from
Joy Davidman:Smoke on the Mountain.
 
galahad said:
Also America was discovered by Pharonic Egypt not Columbus as was erroneously believed by earlier historians, given the discovery of the Luxor Pyramid and Egyptian symbolism. :)
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"Colombo. The great explorer and detective. Professor Nimrod Pennyroyal already settled this."
RecklessPrudence said:
Can you imagine what they're going to think of Australian wildlife, considering we're going with pop-history misconceptions and/or reconstructions of a lost era?
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"The continent being a barren wasteland isn't natural, but clearly signs of an ancient extermination campaign."
 
Given how commonplace it is and the general similarity I kinda wonder if "Bush did 9/11" will take on a similar status to "Nero did the Fire of Rome" in pop-history canon.
 
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