Vladimir Odoevsky – a 19th-century Russian writer, philosopher, and social activist, in his unfinished novel from 1837 titled “4338 and One Year,” predicted the emergence of the Internet in the future.
This was discovered by the Russian poet and composer Ivan Dezurnui while researching historical documents focused on futurism. In examining these materials, he found excerpts from Odoevsky’s novel that contemplated the image of Russia 2,500 years after Odoevsky’s time.
In the excerpts from the novel, there are lines describing “houses” constructed with telegraph wires that would connect people around the world. Despite being far apart, individuals could communicate directly through these “houses.”
Thus, in a time before modern technical means — when even the concept of such things hadn’t emerged — a writer and philosopher wrote about these matters. He described electronic machines that share characteristics with today’s Internet.
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Vladimir Odoevsky (1803-1869) |
“We could read newspapers through those ‘houses’ without having to go out to buy them. Individuals could even create their own newspapers and share them with the help of those ‘houses.’ They could write about anything concerning themselves, their interests, health, life, love, and even invite friends to dinner or to a restaurant… Friends and others would immediately receive and exchange this information, no matter where they were in Russia.”
The lines above are also taken from Odoevsky’s novel “4338 and One Year.” They remind us of the personal blogs that are currently popular on the Internet in modern society.
Additionally, the novel contains predictions about the dangers of collisions between Earth and asteroids from outer space, as well as about Russia’s rocket launch projects.
Mai Hoa (According to Lenta.ru)
