The toolkit of utopian thinking ⊗ The free and infinite laboratory of the mind ⊗ The broligarchs have a dark vision

We need the toolkit of utopian thinking, now more than ever

Caitlin Rajan argues that utopian thinking “must be re-articulated not as the destination of a perfect society, but as the toolkit we wield on the journey to a better one.” This approach would encourage imagination, creativity, and hope, which are essential for enacting meaningful change, particularly in challenging times. By recognising the flexibility of social norms (see covid) and the potential for transformation, utopianism empowers individuals to engage actively in shaping their world.

One especially useful part is when she cites the work of Fátima Vieira, a scholar of utopian thinking, who explains that utopian thinking is composed of four modes: “Prospective thinking, whereby this utopian ‘horizon’ is defined;” “critical thinking, which demands an interrogation of the present;” “holistic thinking, which says that society works as a whole of composite paths;” and “creative thinking, which keeps alive the ‘What if?’ possibilities of the future.” All things we’ve discussed here, now assembled as a toolkit for utopia.

Have we become apathetic about the possibility of things ever being radically different? Are we no longer concerned with the ‘betterment’ of society? Can we even imagine a path to such a society at all? […]

Utopia as a strategy for politics invigorates a praxis that is simultaneously critical, imaginative and, crucially, reflexive. Unlike the ‘grand narratives’ of utopian projects, this redefinition of utopia – focused on how utopia offers a radical new way of thinking about political engagement – poses significant affordances, especially in dark times. […]

Utopian thinking is not wishful thinking but, grounded in the realities of the present, it simply allows creativity and imagination to enter discussions about the status quo and its flexibility. […]

As Rebecca Solnit has written: ‘Violence is the power of the state; imagination and nonviolence the power of civil society.’

The free and infinite laboratory of the mind

Ed Finn, the founding director of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University, explains the value of science fiction as a powerful tool for imagining and discussing potential futures in science and technology policy. By engaging in speculative thinking, both experts and the public can better envision how the world could and should be, fostering inclusive conversations about equitable and just futures. Finn argues that we need to improve our ability to articulate these near-future changes, especially in the context of rapid technological advancements like AI.

All ideas we’ve read before, in this case well framed around the work they’ve been doing at the CSI. There are also a few more unique twists. First how sf can be a bridge, a translation, a way to connect in a transdisciplinary way, bringing diverse disciplines to a somewhat neutral in-between space. Second the framing of the genre as “a free, infinite laboratory of the mind that allows its audience to envision possible futures in context.” Third for the focus on bringing this kind of thinking specifically to policy makers.

And finally for this bit on words and AI: “Humanity needs to get better at telling compelling stories about near-future change, because the accelerating pace of technological innovation is rapidly delivering futures that we don’t have the words to talk about, much less regulate.”

These questions create what I call speculative specificity: The craft of effective storytelling pushes authors and readers to play out second- and third-order consequences and to imagine the full context of a changed future. […]

When we start to see stories as microcosms, we begin to understand how they allow us to explore different structures of power, theories of change, and perhaps even new genres of innovation. […]

A future where many more people feel invited and empowered to imagine their own futures, or a future defined by the tiny sliver of humanity who are currently privileged to realize their stories about what tomorrow should look like? […]

Engaging in grounded, structured acts of speculation should become an essential part of every policy process, because doing so allows all to imagine and debate not just how the world could be, but how it should be.

The broligarchs have a vision, and it’s darker than you think.

I might nitpick at some details, and it would have been useful to dive a couple more generations of scifi back in time (see We're sorry we created the Torment Nexus and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky for more on that), but overall I’d say Sigal Samuel is pretty much on the money as to why the broligarchs have allied themselves with the convicted felon President: they believe themselves above everyone, a bunch of superheroes who need to be free of all limits and the FPOTUS is their best bet for someone in power who lets them do whatever they want.

In other words, to attach this to the previous pieces, they have each dedicated themselves to their scifi-infused visions of the future and are thriving to reach their imagined utopias. Every utopia is someone else’s dystopia. In this case, only a few hundred people (with a few other tens of thousand sycophants) will be on the “right” side of the chasm.

In yet other words, the first two pieces show the power of imagining futures and today’s broligarchs are showing how things can go wrong when you stick to a 12-year-old boy’s understanding of those stories. (Again, see the Torment Nexus.)

For the tech bros — or as some say, the broligarchs — this is about much more than just maintaining and growing their riches. It’s about ideology. An ideology inspired by science fiction and fantasy. An ideology that says they are supermen, and supermen should not be subject to rules, because they’re doing something incredibly important: remaking the world in their image. […]

So, what is the “anything” that the broligarchs want to do? To understand their vision, we need to realize that their philosophy goes well beyond simple libertarianism. It’s not just that they want a government that won’t tread on them. They want absolutely zero limits on their power. Not those dictated by democratic governments, by financial systems, or by facts. Not even those dictated by death. […]

The broligarchs — because they are in 21st-century Silicon Valley and not 19th-century Germany — have updated and melded this idea with transhumanism, the idea that we can and should use technology to alter human biology and proactively evolve our species.

Futures, Fictions & Fabulations

• A Newspaper from an Artificially Intelligent (Near) Future. “This newspaper is a Design Fiction artifact crafted to imagine a world where artificial intelligence is mundane, woven seamlessly into the fabric of everyday life. Much like wheels on luggage or voice-controlled televisions, technologies once considered revolutionary now seem ordinary, even tedious.”
• WTFutures — Youth on Climate Futures. “WTFutures is a community of interest and practice: We are federating people and projects that have worked, or are working with young people on how they see the future in the context of climate change.”
• Participatory scenario planning: A social learning approach to build systems thinking and trust for sustainable environmental governance. “We explored Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP) as a social learning process. PSP can influence systems thinking, rational (calculative) trust, and environmental aspirations. Social learning effects in our case study are durable at least three months after the PSP process.”

Algorithms, Automations & Augmentations

• 25 AI Predictions for 2025, from Marcus on AI. Gary Marcus seems to have overgrown “I told you so” and “I coined this” muscles, but his predictions have been very much on the money and I don’t think his streak will be running out with the ones for this year.
• The global struggle over how to regulate AI. “Big AI companies have come out hard against comprehensive regulatory efforts in the West — but are receiving a warm welcome from leaders in many other countries.”
• Meta’s new translation AI Is nearly a Babel Fish. “Can instantly translate speech and text, including direct speech-to-speech translations, for up to 101 languages.” And “‘Science fiction provides a clear goal that our group can focus on,’ says Marta Costa-jussà, a research scientist at Meta’s Fundamental AI Research team.”

Built, Biosphere & Breakthroughs

• These homes withstood the LA fires. Architects explain why. There’s no one good quote that captures enough of the examples, but fascinating details on the various methods used.
• Australia’s Green Revolution in urban spaces. “Neighbourhoods across the country are planting tiny forests - dense patches of plants that replicate naturally occurring native forests. Pioneered by the late botanist Dr Akira Miyawaki, these mini oases help cool surrounding areas, improve well-being, and restore biodiversity.”
• How U.S. cities are innovating in public space. 10 civic commons efforts across the country working to “counteract trends of loneliness, distrust, harmful climate impacts and the economic segregation in American neighborhoods.”

Asides

• The sun’s magnetic field will flip soon. Here’s what to expect.. We’ve been living in bizarro world for a while, maybe we’ll flip back to normal at the same time?
• Rebind. Haven’t tried it yet but I love this idea. “An e-reading experience like no other. Rebind makes it possible to read a great book with the most remarkable person you could imagine reading with. Rebind editions of classic texts are infused at pivotal moments with the original commentary of Rebinders, who serve as passionate experts, guides, and companions as you read. To begin, you have the opportunity to watch short films that orient and prepare you for the reading journey ahead; then, more radically, you’ll experience interactive book-club-style conversations that bring the Rebinders’ commentary to life.” (Via the NFL Discord.)
• Moon selected as historical preservation site to protect lunar heritage. “The inclusion of the moon underscores the universal need for proactive and cooperative strategies to protect heritage — whether on Earth or beyond — that reflect and safeguard our collective narrative.”