#prompt: utopia/dystopia

[whitherwanderyouspirit]

Happy Stricklake Month, everyone!

Glad to be back. It has been a difficult year so far. Here's hoping this month's prompts help me get back on the writing horse so I can crack down on finishing my WIPs.

[nemo-duspy-writes]

The year is 2134. Jobs are assigned to people based on what they hate the most. Everyone is miserable in their work, but they enjoy their free time, there is no war and humanity has never been so efficient.

[sokokoko]

Prompt #17

Utopia meets dystopia.

[worldofsaia]

SAIA'S GAME ; general !

here's a curt assemblage of questions for your dr life, reality, and existence. use it for yourself, or ask me something via sending an ask with the corresponding emoji / prompt + a reality.

✶ my drs... ;

¹ ˙𖦹 *∴ THE WORLD

⊹ 🏙️ HOME SWEET HOME — ✶ what does your home look like in your dr?

⊹ ⏳ TIME TRAVELER — ✶ what’s the time period or era of your dr? is it different from your cr?

⊹ 🔮 PROPHECY — ✶ do you have a special role or purpose in your dr world?

⊹ ⏰ MORNING ROUTINE — ✶ what’s the first thing you do when you wake up in your dr?

⊹ 🍽️ BON APPÉTIT — ✶ what’s a typical meal in your dr country/locale? what’s your favorite food there?

⊹ 🛍️ TREAT YOURSELF — ✶ what’s the coolest thing you own in your dr that you don’t have in your cr?

⊹ 🏛️ GRAND DESIGN — ✶ what is the core foundation of your dr? is it a utopia, a dystopia, a world of magic, or something entirely different?

⊹ 🔭 PARALLEL WORLDS — ✶ what is the biggest difference between your cr and your dr?

⊹ ⏳ TIMELESS WONDER — ✶ how does time work in your dr? is it linear, fluid, or something else entirely?

⊹ 🔮 FATED CONNECTIONS — ✶ do you believe your dr has a deeper purpose for you? if so, what is it?

² ˙𖦹 *∴ THE LOVER

⊹ 💌 SECRET ADMIRER — ✶ do you have a crush or romantic interest in your dr? how did you meet?

⊹ 🎶 SHARED PLAYLIST — ✶ what song reminds you of a special relationship in your dr?

⊹ 🩷 FAMILY BONDS — ✶ who do you consider family in your dr? are they different from your cr family?

⊹ 🕊️ SOULMATE THEORY — ✶ do you believe you have a soulmate in your dr? have you met them yet?

⊹ 🛡️ RIDE OR DIE — ✶ who would go to battle for you in your dr? who would you protect at all costs?

⊹ 💞 HEARTSTRINGS — ✶ who is the most important person in your dr?

⊹ 💌 LOVE LETTERS — ✶ who is your biggest love interest in your dr? how did you meet?

⊹ 🏹 STAR-CROSSED — ✶ is there a love story in your dr that feels like destiny? doesn't have to be yours.

⊹ 🕊️ FOUND FAMILY — ✶ do you have a family in your dr? are they different from your cr family?

⊹ 🏰 PARTNERS IN CRIME — ✶ who is the person you trust the most in your dr?

⊹ 💔 GHOST OF THE PAST — ✶ have you experienced loss or heartbreak in your dr?

³ ˙𖦹 *∴ THE FOOL

⊹ 🪞 MIRROR MIRROR — ✶ what do you look like in your dr? do you look the same or different from your cr?

⊹ 📖 STORYBOOK — ✶ if your dr was a book, what would the title be?

⊹ 🎬 MOVIE NIGHT — ✶ if your dr had a theme song or soundtrack, what would it be?

⊹ 💼 WORK & PLAY — ✶ do you have a job, hobby, or passion in your dr? what’s your daily routine like?

⊹ 🎭 ALTER EGO — ✶ how different is your dr self from your cr self?

⊹ 🏠 SAFE HAVEN — ✶ where do you go when you need peace and quiet in your dr?

⊹ 🏕️ WEEKEND GETAWAY — ✶ what’s your favorite thing to do in your free time in your dr?

⊹ 📸 PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY — ✶ (if shifted) what is your favorite memory in your dr? (if not shifted) what scenario are you most looking forward to?

⊹ 🎢 ADRENALINE RUSH — ✶ what is the most thrilling experience you’ve had in your dr?

⊹ 💭 UNWRITTEN PAGES — ✶ if your dr had a book, what is a chapter title that describes your journey?

⊹ 🦋 METAMORPHOSIS — ✶ how has your dr changed you as a person?

⊹ 🕰️ CHILDHOOD ECHOES — ✶ do you have the same childhood in your dr, or is it different?

⁴ ˙𖦹 *∴ THE MAGICIAN

⊹ ✨ FLEETING DREAM — ✶ when you wake up in your cr, what do you miss the most about your dr?

⊹ 🔑 ONE LAST GIFT — ✶ if you could bring something from your dr to your cr, what would it be?

⊹ 🌀 WILL YOU RETURN? — ✶ do you plan on shifting back to your dr permanently or just temporarily?

[vespidclan]

Idk why but Sparkbreak ( 500 ) from the Roleswap seems like the type of " player " that resets a bunch of times for the " best outcome " or will reset if their favorite character/cat dies in a patrol or moon skip.

That probably sounds insane so let me explain. Moth ( 404 ) seems to have the type of playstyle of someone who's trying to tell a story/stick to a certain rule list like for challenges. Ik it's all to make cat's suffer but she's very methodical ( like cm only players interested in story lore would headcannon their rng kitty to have psychology broken at the sight of their God and then moon reset until they get the Kill Yourself prompt (( now that I say that that sounds like shade at you I promise it's not )) )

But Spark ( 500 ) would have the playstyle of getting to attached to every cat within the small clan and not wanting anything to happen to them, so I see him resetting moons that have death in them, resetting when a patrol outcome results in injury/death, and other odd things ( like if the clans prey stores are low just coding in more or even turning it completely off ).

But tbh thinking about it this way, I'd hate ro like in a 500 world. Could you imagine watching a friend/sibling/parent/partner die right in front of you? Then in an instant your back in your nest at the start of the day and they come in the den bringing you food like always. You never starve because the pile is always full, but you take note that it's always full, and that even if every cat was hunting at all times, they still couldn't catch that much. You feel like you should've been dead a long time ago. You're an elder that's surpassed life expectancy, you're suffering but something won't let you die. You're his daughter, he'd never hurt you, but in helping you he is.

Sorry for the ramble I'm mentally ill

I liked reading this! And this is an interesting idea for reverse Spark/500 in the sense that he’s the opposite of 404. Maybe instead of becoming hateful of everyone and himself he sees it as an opportunity to protect everyone he loves from what horrors he’s witnessed, and not 404’s differing mindset of wanting to break others down because of the mentioned horrors.

This has its drawbacks of course—the cats in the clan, the favored ones at least, will basically be invincible to any obstacle. They’re healthy and well fed. They will have no memory of dying or being in pain because 500 made sure they could never die. Imagine if they saw someone they loved die, and in the next moon, they’re suddenly conversing with you like it never happened. Everything is perfect, but too perfect, in an uncanny and fake way. Maybe your inferior mind can’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong with your life, but something is definitely not right.

What if 500 picks favorites like the ‘favoriting’ system the actual game has? What does he do with the cats he doesn’t like? Would Out Of Bounds be turned into a prison for those cats if they end up dead? Would he cause their deaths to stay out of their ‘perfect clan’? How would 500 deem which cat is more favorable? He’s extremely protective to who he loves… and that’s his biggest flaw. Everyone else will languish, because to him, that’s the way it should be for them.

Or think of this! If he really wants to… he could alter a cat completely. New personality, appearance, quirks, a completely different cat, and everything would change to fit his view so that you’re the ‘ideal version’. One moment, you’re yourself. Next moment, you’re unrecognizable to yourself. Good for him, probably good for others, but for you? You would never know.

So what we’re getting at is; 404 and 500’s way of managing the game is just another example of dystopias and utopias… Neither are favorable but that’s what’s fun! Two sides of the same coin, meddling with something that they shouldn’t in order to benefit themselves… I think they’d fit this song really well actually.

I did base his design off of AM! Since it’s something I didn’t really do for 404 and I still want him to be based off of the same things that inspired 404, but just enough so that he’s his own thing. His original sketch had him look way more similar to him, but I went for a more cat-like look instead

[sapphic-september]

Welcome to Sapphic September 2023!

These prompts are open to any fandom and any medium as long as the works center sapphic, WLW/NBLW, F/F+, or femslash ship(s). There are no other rules — you can use all, some, or only one of the prompts; do one or more a day or spread them out; begin late or post them after September; or mix ‘n’ match prompts; it’s up to you!

Make sure to tag your work(s) with #sapphicsept2023 or #Sapphic September 2023 so that others can find your contributions and to spread the word!

Prompts: {Day 1: parallel worlds; || Day 2: holographic; || Day 3: 3 AM; || Day 4: chrome; || Day 5: kitchen; || Day 6: experiment; || Day 7: flight; || Day 8: gravity; || Day 9: time warp; || Day 10: body mod; || Day 11: letters; || Day 12: virtual reality; || Day 13: consciousness; || Day 14: space opera; || Day 15: vacation; || Day 16: anniversary; || Day 17: magnetic; || Day 18: life on Mars; || Day 19: highway; || Day 20: morning after; || Day 21: utopia; || Day 22: dystopia; || Day 23: phone call; || Day 24: hotel; || Day 25: dreamscape; || Day 26: gears; || Day 27: atomic; || Day 28: bad ideas; || Day 29: replica; || Day 30: robot/AI.}

[joethehoeee]

Week one of keenswimmers2023

Prompt: Dystopia/Utopia.

I personally decided to do Dystopia and I know I am late but I can explain-

No actually I can't...dosen't matter, It's there.

I uhm decided to do a world were Gunmar broke free in season one and actually killed Jim. Strickler obviously was shocked but we all know that season one him is a ...well...kind of a dick, wich means he "got over it"...until he realized how fucked up this actually is.

He did keep his promise tho, he protects Barbara. He eventually tells her that he is a changeling but he bends the truth how he needs it to be. Strickler leaves Gunmar after finding out that he will kill every human and he decided (after veeeeery looooong thoughts) that Barbara is more worth than his selfish plans.

Barb would eventually find out the truth after Strickler left Gunmar for her and he tries to survive or at least he is trying to keep her alive. Barb can't forgive him. She won’t forgive him.

How does it end...? They both probably die...

...

Anyways have fun with this :D

Close up from them just bc:

And yes...Barb has a stick...she couldn’t find her broom.

Ohhh and did Strickler broke off one of his horns? Yes he did. Wanna know how? Gunmar did it after Strickler refused to tell him were he hides Barbara.

Barb's scars are easier to see but Walt tends to jump infront of her. He fights for her as long as his body works.

He gives her food and water as much as she needs and takes what's left or eats trash. He refuses to sleep, to watch over her. He holds himself awake as long as nessecary until his body can't take it.

:D

[undeadchestnut]

Hello fellow Stricklake fans! August is still an entire month away, but it is time to once again get excited for Stricklake Month!

What is Stricklake month? Stricklake month is a month-long event during August, with two prompts to choose from each week. Our prompts this year will be:

Week 1 (August 1 - 6): Utopia / Dystopia

Week 2 (August 7 - 13): Royalty / Guardian

Week 3 (August 14 - 20): Childhood Friend / Mysterious Stranger

Week 4 (August 21 - 27): Water / Fire

All mediums of fanworks are welcome so long as the relationship of Barbara Lake and Walter Strickler is the focus, and you are free to choose and fill as many prompts for as many weeks as you like - no pressure and no obligation!

To participate, simply tag your fills #keenswimmers2023 and consider reblogging this post to spread the word. But especially support your fellow fans and creators with reblogs and comments and spread the love! 💚💙

@pinkytoothlesso11 has volunteered to put together the weekly roundup posts this year, so keep an eye out for those. She also helped come up with the prompts list, thank you Pinky!

And that should be all for now! We hope by releasing the prompts a month early you will have some extra time to prepare and come up with great ideas. As always let me know if you have any questions about Stricklake month. Have fun and hope to see you all in August!

[autumnalwalker]

The Witches' Testaments, Masterpost

The concept for this project got stuck in my head some time back as a prequel of sorts to my Solarpunk Witch Story. The idea was to focus a bit more on the "punk" side of Solarpunk and paint a picture of the effort and rebellion that went into how that world transitioned from Cyberpunk dystopia to Solarpunk... well, not utopia exactly, but something better than it was and striving toward that dream.

And because that sort of thing is bigger than any one person and I had multiple worldbuilding concepts I wanted to touch on, I landed on the idea of writing it in the form of a series of interviews with various characters who lived through that period of change.

I don't know how many of these I'll actually get around to writing, but for now, here's a tentative table of contents that at least hints at some general ideas/prompts for me to fill out later:

Forward:

The Chronicler

A statement of purpose by the interviewer.

Corporate Era:

The First Witch

The first contact between human and “true AI” outside of a laboratory setting was less auspicious than it has since been made out to be.

The Reclaimer

The irony of sharing one’s cybernetic augmentations with an AI as a means of fighting for bodily autonomy was not lost on any of those involved.

The Gardener

How does one even find nature left to heal in a concrete jungle?

The Fighter

The power of love. The power of incredible violence.

Reconfiguration Era:

The Jailor

Whether the onset of Kessler Syndrome ending space flight was the tragic death of one of humanity’s greatest dreams or a much needed wake up call is still hotly debated to this day.

The Liberator

In many circles, freeing MG onto the global net is often regarded as the transitional event from the Corporate to Reconfiguration eras.

The Architect

It was a new world and we required new ways of looking at cities.  In this way, the Reconfiguration was a very literal and physical endeavor.

The Priestess

When MG started creating what appeared to be miracles based on what we knew at the time, was it really any wonder that She began to draw both reverence and fear?

The Demon Hunter

MG is the first and last of Her kind, but She was not the only one of her kind.

Modern Era

The Coordinator

Those who would choose to live as full time gestalts are a rarity, but when it happens few are better suited to overseeing the maintenance of arcology infrastructure than one who blurs the line between human and AI.

The Village Witch

The most common calling for modern members of our order is to settle down in relatively isolated communities as living informational resources and on-call technical and environmental consultants.

The Novice

As those before us made a better world for us, we’ve made a better world for our children.  I have faith that they will make it better still.

Afterward:

MG

It is not unheard of for MG to speak directly with those who ask, but I still consider meeting with Her to be one of my life’s greatest honors.

[justmebeing--me]

Stricklake 2023 - Week 1 - Utopia/Dystopia

I just think this episode fits well with the prompt!

Also, I have no ideas for next week so... see you in a bit!

[seonghw4ffles]

request fest <3

welcome to rynn's request fest!! all of these are the stuff i ENJOY writing,,, so ill be super happy to write any of these below!! you don't have to choose from these though, you can most definitely request ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING!!💗💗 but if thats so,,, here are the notices!! :

⊹ REQUESTS : OPEN

⊹ i am a minor, so i couldn't write smut or anything too over the line!!

⊹ ateez, tomorrow x together, stray kids, jujutsu kaisen, windbreaker

⊹ i write fem and gn reader <3

⊹ pretty tight schedule so bare w me guys!!

okay so now THATS out of the way,, tell me which of these you want!! you can choose multiple, if not all :

fluff / angst / comfort

THANKS!! now here are the prompts <33 please feel free to choose multiple of each,, add your own stuff that isnt listed,, as many / little as you want and from absolutely ANYTHING!! [for example, im so down to do medieval magicians, so just choose ANYTHING man]

BASE

ehh just to be sure,, you can skip this and only choose tropes tho

1. friends to lovers 2. enemies to lovers 3. strangers to lovers

TROPES

okay THIS is what is required

1. star crossed lovers 2. soulmates 3. unrequited love 4. forced proximity 5. childhood pact, sweethearts 6. second chance 7. a bet 8. fake relationship 9. two antagonists 10. juvenile fiction 11. grumpy x sunshine 12. workaholic and comfort

EXTRA

you can skip this since its so wide, and/or make up your own

1. runaway fiance for you/him 2.roommates, dormmates 3. cinderella situation 4. one bed [fluff guys.] 5. you belong with me taylor swift thing 6. playboy oohhh 7. met at the bell tower [almost self destruct] 8. one of you is gonna die [for example; cancer] 9. juvenile rebellious broken teenagers

AU

ong personally my fav part ngl

fantasy

dystopia, utopia mythology, folklore fairytale, royalty magicians, fortune tellers vampires

science fiction [ could also be in fantasy ]

time travel, manipulation travel in between different worlds

historical

medieval london victorian era medieval russia royalty

modern

highschool juvenile [frik this town] college okay yeah boomer age lets work gotta work

dialogue prompts

okay thats all!!! you can stop here, or if you want inspo or some quotes for me to add in there,, here they are!! :

fluff

1. "stay safe!!" 2. “make sure to come back to me, okay?” 3. “how did you know they were my favourite?” 4. “i saw this, and i thought of you.” 5. “i'd really love it if you came” 6. “just- well… try not to die. i'm really not bothered to replace you” 7. “well maybe i LIKE having you alive, ever thought about that?” 8. “you're leaving already?” 9. “you're the only one i want to be there.” 10. “i did this for you.” 11. "what's you're dream, s/o?" 12. “don't move. i’ll get it for you.” 13. “you won’t take care of yourself so i will” 14. “truthfully, i'd rather just hang out with you.” 15. “shut up and dance with me” 16. “you're not alone anymore” 17. “it's okay it’s okay,,, got you” 18. "thank you for staying." 19. “you don’t have to pretend with me” 20. “just you and me; that’s all i want”

credits to this page for most of these !! the rest are my own ^^

angst

1. "just come here" 2. “i wish i could stay here forever. just me and you.” 3. "i'm so tired of you." 4. "why do i care? are you a fucking idiot, y/n?!" 5. "i trusted you." 6. "don't come to be with your problems anymore, because i don't want to hear it." 7. "don't touch me." 8. "you think i loved you? how pathetic do you think i am?" 9. "it's like you think i don't have a life outside of you. s/o, i don't need you to live my own life." 10. "the hell do you mean?" 11. "he handled it better than you ever could." 12. "i'm staying with my friends for a few days." 13. "damnit, don't pretend you don't know what i'm talking about." 14. "it feels like you don't want anything to do with me anymore, y/n." 15. "i don't want to go back to how it was before." 16. "please, i promise you. i'll never yell like that again." 17. "stay here until you stop crying." 18. "don't leave. please." 19. "i ruined everything. i'm sorry." 20. "please. just come home."

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! i'd be sososososo happy if someone did this PLEEEKKK

[4me4you]

4me4you features - 'Fruitful Lands'.

Artist: Colette LaVette 

4me4you recently experienced a captivating visit to the Gillian Jason Gallery, featuring the remarkable artist Colette LaVette.

In her latest series titled 'Fruitful Lands', Colette LaVette intricately weaves a tale of a mystical realm where utopia and dystopia intertwine, offering a lyrical depiction of human nature. Drawing inspiration from the Rococo aesthetic, LaVette's art is characterised by elaborate ornamentation, a delicate chromatic palette, and a penchant for the fantastical. However, beneath the surface allure of romanticism and opulence lies a deeper exploration of the primal essence of humanity, free from societal constraints.

LaVette delves into humanity's origins, exploring our innate animalistic and carnal qualities before societal norms took hold. Her subjects, unlike those typically seen in Rococo art, defy static portrayal, existing fluidly within their surroundings, inviting viewers into intimate, spontaneous moments frozen in time. Through intuitive, expressionist strokes, LaVette's paintings continually unveil new layers, prompting viewers to embark on a visceral introspection.

The artist's choice of materials further enhances the connection to nature and human history. Mixing linseed and lavender oil with natural pigments like ochres, lapis lazuli, and iron oxides, LaVette creates a palette that resonates with the human eye, echoing the muted tones of the natural world. These pigments, reminiscent of those used in prehistoric cave paintings, evoke contemplation on the evolution of art and society, bridging the gap between past and present.

Deliberately chosen subjects, such as young figures symbolising inner children and felines representing humanity's dual nature, serve as metaphorical anchors, prompting viewers to reflect on their primal instincts and connection to the natural world. Through her art, LaVette challenges us to reconsider our relationship with societal norms, encouraging a reconnection with our primal selves and a deeper understanding of our shared human experience across time.

[rustbeltjessie]

XXI: Utopia

Why should (prose) fiction writers get to have all the fun imagining dystopias and utopias? Today, let’s give the poets a chance. But, let’s focus on the utopian—dystopia is all around us, every day, and I don’t think we can create anything utopic if we don’t imagine it first. So, today’s exercise is to imagine what your utopia would look like, and write a poem about it.

Further reading:

“Utopian” by Alicia Ostriker - https://poets.org/poem/utopian

“Utopia” by Wislawa Szymborska - https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/utopia-27/

Inheritance #71: Utopia - https://www.inheritancemag.com/issues/71-utopia

[download the full ebook of prompts here]

[summerofbuddie]

the challenge for week 6 of the summer of buddie is: speculative fiction!

speculative fiction is an umbrella term that refers to all the genres that depart from realism. these are stories that include fantastical or supernatural elements, or that fit into genres such as: science fiction, magical realism, superhero fiction, alternate history, dystopia or utopia, horror... for us, this can mean making buck and/or eddie supernatural creatures, or having them face apocalyptic circumstances, or having them be actually magically cursed during 4x06 "jinxed",... the possibilities are endless!

you can choose whatever you want this challenge to mean to you. be wild, be magical, be spooky. have fun!

or, if you don't think you can decide for yourself, you can use our wheel of prompts to help you decide what your fic for week 6 of the summer of buddie is going to be!

OUR WHEEL OF PROMPTS FOR SPECULATIVE FICTION

the instructions are simple: spin the wheel and be inspired by the prompt you get assigned! the prompts can be followed as closely or as loosely as you want.

week 6 of summer of buddie goes from september 2nd to september 8th, so you can post your fic(s) at any point during that week.

remember that you also can use the speculative fiction challenge in combination with other weeks's challenges in one single fic. you can mix and match challenges to your heart's content and post them all throughout the event!

make sure to mention us (@summerofbuddie) and use our tumblr tag (#summerofbuddie) in your fic post if you want us to reblog it here on tumblr.

if you want to, you can also add your fic to the summer of buddie collection on ao3. instructions on how to do so are HERE.

we can't wait to read all your amazing stories!

✨⚓️🔮

[joshua-rimondi]

Psycho-Pass

"Psycho-Pass" explores a dystopian future where the Sibyl System constantly monitors and judges citizens' psychological states. This anime raises significant issues relevant to both Japan and the global community, primarily focusing on the tension between security and individual freedom, reflecting modern concerns about surveillance and data privacy. In Japan, with its emphasis on social harmony and order, the idea of constant surveillance and the pressure to conform is particularly resonant. The anime critiques the potential for technology to control society, highlighting anxieties about the loss of personal freedoms. This is especially relevant given Japan's advanced technological infrastructure and cultural tendencies toward collectivism. Globally, "Psycho-Pass" addresses growing worries over surveillance capitalism and privacy erosion in the digital age. The show's portrayal of a society where individuals are judged and controlled by an omnipresent system mirrors modern debates about pre-emptive policing and predictive algorithms. The Sibyl System's ability to predict and prevent crimes parallels these contemporary concerns. Relating to my own life, "Psycho-Pass" prompts reflection on navigating a world where actions and preferences are continuously monitored. The show's exploration of self-censorship and the pressure to maintain a socially acceptable "hue" echoes the real-world phenomenon of curating one's online presence to fit societal expectations, questioning the true nature of freedom in a constantly watched society. The city in "Psycho-Pass" can be seen as both a utopia and a dystopia. Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon concept, where prisoners are always visible to a central watchtower, aptly describes this society. Omnipresent surveillance leads to self-regulation, reducing the need for a large police force, paralleling how social media and data analytics influence behavior today. The moral dilemma of sacrificing individual freedoms for the greater good remains pertinent. "Psycho-Pass" challenges viewers to consider the cost of a seemingly perfect society and the ethical implications of such trade-offs. As technology advances, the questions about balancing safety and liberty, and valuing individuality, become increasingly relevant to our lives and the global context.

[richs-japan-tabi]

May 15 - Musashi University Visit

The first place I went to today was Musashi University. The train ride there was a bit long, but it was well worth it because it was Harry Potter-themed. Not only that but the station was also themed.

Once we arrived, we were told to answer some prompts about the future. I will talk about it more in the academic section of this post, but it was an interesting experience. As we were writing our responses to the prompts, students of the class began to funnel in. By the time we had finished writing, the professor of the class put on a video about utopia. It asked the question of whether utopia exists and the existence of dystopia, its counterpart. After we wrote down our thoughts on the video, we went outside and were able to talk with the students. It was a great experience talking with Japanese students, and for the first time on this trip, I got to use my Japanese quite a bit. After the class was over, I got lunch on campus at one of the food trucks. I got a garlic butter beef bowl that was delicious. While I was eating lunch, I got to talk with some of the students more and exchanged Instagrams with them.

The next part of today's excursion started at Tokyo Station. While I have been to Tokyo Station once before, the architecture never ceases to amaze me. There we met with some other students who would give us a tour, in groups, of Tokyo and Roppongi. Unfortunately, none of us, including the person we were partnered with, knew much about the area. Because of this, we mainly just walked around for a while. However, I did get a cute plushie of Pikachu in a station attendant uniform and a cool picture of a spider statue!

Academic Reflection

The assigned reading for today's excursion was very short (only four pages). However, I still thought it was an interesting read. The topic of the reading was future studies. The principle idea is that we can't predict the future, but we can understand future contexts. These alternative futures can give us a better understanding of how preferred futures may be achieved. 

The first exercise made us answer prompts that encouraged us to discuss our preferred futures. In other words, we were asked to envision a potential future in a variety of different categories. This was an interesting exercise as it forced us to share our ideas of preferred futures with students of the class. The video also stimulated a discussion on utopia and dystopia. The former consists of a world of only preferred futures, and the latter consists only of crumbling futures. At the end of the class, he compared our responses to previous years. It showed how many of our preferred futures remained constant, but how other alternative futures change with time. This idea of alternative futures constantly changing is another point of discussion among researchers of future studies.