For another Stephenson plot device: The Ameristan, Artificial Inanity, Apes, and post-truth society memes from Fall; or, Dodge in Hell hit close to home! Only 6 years ago though, so he had enough hints.

edit: Artificial Inanity was from Anathem.

Robert A. Heinlein's "Future History" anticipated an amazing number of present-day phenomena, e.g., the rise of Christian theocrats. I sometimes idly wonder whether he was his time-traveling character Lazarus Long.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_Long

Did you forget Stephen King’s The Dead Zone?