Speculating Futures
December 16, 2016 3:36 PM   Subscribe

Speculating Futures looks at past speculative narratives, like those of Ursula K. Le Guin, and past attempts at creating technological utopia, like Chile's Cybersyn.

These readings examine the shortcomings that prevented these visions from being fully realized and how they may have been limited or exclusionary. These texts also tie these visions to the contemporary issues/present dystopias that need to be addressed in subsequent utopian imaginaries. To paraphrase Gibson, "Utopia and dystopia are here, they're just unevenly distributed." Feeling like there's a future is vital for moving through the present, so we'll also envision our own utopian futures to work towards.
posted by standardasparagus (3 comments total) 28 users marked this as a favorite
 
None of the previous projects, including central planning in Eastern Europe had big data and robots, we're all set for the post scarcity society, what could possibly go wrong this time around!?!
posted by sammyo at 3:55 PM on December 16, 2016


we're all set for the post scarcity society, what could possibly go wrong this time around!?!
'Post-scarcity' is Capitalism's worst nightmare. Which is why I personally believe the interests who 'deny' climate change are really promoting it. (The profit is all in Dystopia.)

Currently reading LeGuin's essay on California after being alarmed by its title: "A Non-Euclidean View of California as a Cold Place to Be" Cold? No way. Totally cool (at least certain parts of it, but then state borders in the U.S. have always been mostly illogical,and one of the more obvious reasons for failed utopias). I'll get back to you later.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:12 PM on December 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


This is brilliant. Thank you!
posted by LMGM at 7:04 PM on December 16, 2016


« Older Everything is better with Legos   |   Immigrant Or Real American? Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments