C. M. Kornbluth: The Marching Morons

Summary

In this story an advertising man named Barlow is transported to the distant future. Everything looks nifty and really futuristic but things don't add up. The amazing looking cars with literal rockets coming out of their rear ends just poke along while making loud rocket noises; the daily 'moon rocket' looks suspiciously like a plane as it crosses the sky. People on the street literally cannot tell when it is safe to cross the street and the newspapers are written in words of one syllable and one column. On the other hand the noise is loud and constant especially the advertisements that flash all around the sky and street. Barlow is confused of course because this is the future where things look advanced but just don't work that way. What has happened to society? Why is this seem like a world inhabited by morons? Listen to this quirky story and find out what has happened to society and how it is kept running.