Syd Mead (b. 1933) designed the greeble-noir of Bladerunner and the lightcycles and day-glo gladiators ofTRON, but his private paintings offer a future far less dystopic.

When Autombile Quarterly asked him to “envision the future of the American dream” they no doubt expected a few of his signature car designs. What he gave them was a lifestyle evolved from California in the swinging ’60s: Roadtrips in huge land yachts, designer pets shaped to match your gown, and exotic orgies where guests inhale halucinogenic vapor from chrome goblets, and sleek VR-helmets are the only required garment. In his Cocktail Party 2050 (above) imbibers pass “hi-low mood rings” — sort of like gnutella/file-sharing for drug trips is my guess…. At last, a future worth waiting for!