His visions of ensuing centuries take on greater flamboyance and apocalyptic resonance the farther he peers into his crystal ball. Four hundred and fifty years later, aided by hindsight and witness to the marvels and pitfalls of the industrial revolution, Jules Verne, the quintessential futurist and scientific visionary, hinted at a world crushed and dehumanized by technology. Both men understood the vagaries of the human soul. But they were dazzled by the larger picture and neither would anticipate the devil lurking in the detail where all potential catastrophes are known to hide. To their chagrin and immense embarrassment, nor would the very shepherds of our computer-dependent society.
Traffic lights go blind.
There is no heat, no running water. Sewers and waste management systems crank to a halt. Satellites go mute. Air, sea and land communications are crippled. Assets are frozen.