104-year-old comic predicts what would happen if ‘pocket telephones’ were invented and it’s scarily accurate

A newspaper comic that was printed over 100 years ago has caused a stir on social media as it accurately predicted personal cell phones.

With all of our modern wonders, surely no one could have predicted technology would come this far.

Well, that is where you are wrong.

In fact, a comic that featured in the British tabloid The Mirror on March 5, 1919 offered some predictions on what it would be like to have a personal telephone.

The comic strip was drawn by W. K. Haselden according to the British Cartoon Archive and was titled 'The Pocket Telephone: When Will It Ring'.

The comic depicted how a personal telephone would go off ringing at the most inconvenient times, something everyone can relate to now.

Getty Stock Image

The cartoon shows a man’s phone ringing while he is running for a train, holding a baby, when his hands are full carrying his briefcase and a package, when he is at a concert, even when he is getting married.

I mean so far, these are all frustrating situations people in the modern world have suffered through. So admittedly it is a bit eerie.

The funniest portion of the comic is him trying to speak on the phone while it is raining, apparently the predictions of the future didn’t quite comprehend just how easy this would be in the future.

Mirror/W. K. Haselden

The comic was also shared on Reddit and caused a stir for its mostly accurate portrayal of having a cell phone.

“He correctly predicted the kind of twat who doesn't know how to set notifications to silent,” one user joked.

“Could you even imagine a world where you'd answer a telephone WHEN IT IS RAINING?” joked another.

“This guy was a clairvoyant. Only mistake was paying three half pennies to change the 'ting' tone to 'brrriiing',” added another.

“He predicted the cell phone, but did not predict the mute switch,” a fourth said.

“We need something for the empty panel. What if your phone rings when someone... gives you a baby? Smashing idea, Aloysius! Truly stupendous,” joked another.

“It's so fascinating. The same technology that permitted the phone also permits us to silence the phone. But the spirit of the prediction is still true because that same technology permits all the applications that still distract us nonetheless!” a final user mused.

Now we just need to wait and see if Terminator was right about artificial intelligence taking over the world...