yeah, I often find myself saying ( I can't remember who originated the quote) 1984 was supposed to be a warning, not a blueprint !
the question is who is predicting the future now? I remember reading look to windward (culture novels) by Iain M Banks who painted magnificent vistas of other worlds, far more advanced than us, (influenced by asimov and clarke, aldiss) It made star wars look pithy (and l love Star Wars) .. if anything in Banks' head is on the horizon for us, it's quite mindboggling ! Pity he's gone :(
Look To Windward here's an extract <<