I’ve discovered a book titled “The Experts Speak: The Definitive Compendium of Authoritative Misinformation” by Christopher Cerf and Victor Navasky. Some of the statements it contains are:
“Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.” – Popular Mechanics, 1949.
“Forget it. No Civil War picture ever made a nickel.” – MGM executive, advising against investing in Gone With The Wind.
“That rainbow song’s no good. Take it out.” – MGM memo after first showing of The Wizard Of Oz.
“You’d better learn secretarial skills or else get married.” – A modeling agency, rejecting Marilyn Monroe in 1944.
“Can’t act. Can’t sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.” – A film company’s notes on Fred Astaire’s 1928 screen test.
“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” – Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” -Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977.
“But what is it good for?” -IBM Engineer, 1968, commenting on the microchip.
“Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction.” -Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872.
“Everything that can be invented has been invented.” – Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” -Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” -Western Union internal memo, 1876.
“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” -H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.
“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” -Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.
“640K ought to be enough for anybody.” – Bill Gates, 1981.
“Brain work will cause women to go bald.” – Berlin professor, 1914.
“And for the tourist who really wants to get away from it all, safaris in Vietnam.” – Newsweek magazine, predicting popular holidays for the late 1960s.
“Television won’t matter in your lifetime or mine.” – Radio Times editor Rex Lambert, 1936.
What’s the point? Well, we could add some new ones:
“Crop circles are all manmade.”
“UFOs aren’t real.” (And neither are remote viewing or out- of-body travel).
“Cattle mutilations are done by human cults.”
“Prehistoric cultures were savage and ignorant.”
Remember: The “experts” may dominate the media now, but the day will come when their words will come back to haunt them. Just wait.
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