#protopia

[oliverbenjamintblr]

if you are not scared, you are not paying attention

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

One thing I wish I saw/heard more of: Defunding and abolishing the police is right and good, but it's only the first step. The next steps are taking all that money and political will and organization, and spreading it around the rest of a community's social infrastructure.

Defund the police. Fund the schools.

Abolish the police. Build community health centers (including centers for safe, monitored, drug use)

Defund the police. Fund the public library

Abolish the police. Hire professional gardeners to manage urban farms.

Etc.

[generationalracoon]

Enhanced draft 2

In a future world where genetic technology has changed humanity at its core, society looks vastly different from what we know today. Genetic modifications, once celebrated as a way to eliminate diseases and boost immunity, have turned into symbols of social status and power. What started as a way to protect people from illness quickly expanded into a tool for personal enhancement, creating a system where genetics now influence not only health but social hierarchy. The ability to change one’s genes has made the future of human evolution less about natural selection and more about wealth and influence.

At first, genetic enhancements seemed like a major success for humanity, as families everywhere welcomed new ways to reduce risks of disease and increase overall resilience. The potential to improve basic health was something almost everyone wanted, and it gave hope for a world where people could live longer and healthier lives. However, as genetic technology advanced, its benefits became increasingly divided by economic status. While minor improvements were made available to most people, the more valuable modifications—such as immunity to pollution, anti-aging properties, and increased intelligence—were accessible only to the wealthy. These upgrades didn’t just improve survival but became status symbols, showing off a level of “perfection” that regular people couldn’t attain.

The richest members of society could afford to enhance even their physical features, adjusting details like eye color, hair texture, and skin tone, not just based on personal preferences but also to highlight certain cultural traits. This customization allowed the elite to embody a perfect mix of ancestral heritage and modern ideals, creating a new form of physical diversity that felt more like a luxury than a natural trait. These people appeared youthful, resilient, and flawless—a model of what humanity could look like when engineered for strength and beauty.

Unfortunately, this era of “genetic customization” widened social divides, especially affecting those already marginalized. Indigenous and low-income communities were often unable to access advanced enhancements, which quickly became linked to privilege and influence. Instead of creating unity, genetic technology deepened the gap, with wealthy groups using these advantages to gain even more social power. Meanwhile, historically disadvantaged communities—often struggling for their rights and cultural expression—found themselves excluded from this new world of “improved” humans.

The effects of genetic enhancement extended into everyday life, as cities and public spaces adapted to fit the abilities of enhanced individuals. Infrastructure, public systems, workplaces, and even schools were optimized for the physically and mentally “upgraded.” For those without enhancements, living in these environments became challenging. People who were unmodified often found it hard to keep up, with basic systems now designed for individuals who could perform at peak efficiency.

This evolution went beyond looks or abilities; it also changed the way cultures and identities were expressed. Physical traits that once symbolized heritage were now selectively chosen or modified, transforming cultural diversity into something curated rather than naturally passed down. Although these traits represented the ideal mix of different identities, they felt artificial, lacking the depth that naturally inherited diversity provides.

In response, a movement of unmodified individuals grew, forming communities that valued authentic diversity over engineered perfection. They believed that human value should not depend on enhancements but on the uniqueness of every individual. For these people, their unaltered identities became a form of pride, a way to resist the new norm that defined worth by one’s genetic profile.

In this future, the genetically enhanced represent a stylized, almost exaggerated version of human evolution, where identity is manufactured rather than inherited. Although their existence celebrates an ideal blend of histories and cultures, it often fails to represent the true variety of humanity. While the genetically privileged enjoy the benefits of a world designed for them, the unmodified find strength in preserving a natural sense of self, reminding society that true humanity is more than the sum of enhancements—it’s about respecting the beauty of every individual, modified or not.

This how the human form will begin to change according to the factors.

Food: With sustainable, nutrient-rich food sources accessible to all, human physiology would adapt to consistent, optimized diets, potentially enhancing overall health, stamina, and longevity. As food scarcity issues decrease, people may become less prone to malnutrition-related health issues, leading to stronger immune systems, leaner body compositions, and improved cognitive function.

Water: Universal access to clean water would significantly reduce diseases linked to water contamination, resulting in healthier skin, stronger organs, and improved energy levels. Hydration and hygiene would enhance overall physical resilience and contribute to longer lifespans, with bodies adapting to a steady intake of safe, pure water.

Housing: Secure, well-designed housing improves sleep quality and reduces chronic stress, impacting physical health with better posture, fewer stress-induced conditions, and higher energy. Well-ventilated, ergonomic homes foster physical comfort and mental peace, creating bodies that reflect stability and relaxation.

Education: Access to quality education across all communities would enhance cognitive development and mental health, as well-informed people make healthier lifestyle choices. This would support brain development and could lead to generations with stronger cognitive abilities and emotional resilience.

Healthcare: Comprehensive healthcare for all would prevent and treat diseases before they become severe, leading to healthier populations with stronger immune systems and physical stability. Fewer untreated conditions would reduce chronic health issues, allowing humans to live longer, more active lives with improved body functions.

Social Equity: Achieving social equity would relieve marginalized communities of the stress that often leads to poor health. A fair society fosters a sense of safety, which translates to reduced cortisol levels, balanced mental health, and greater physical relaxation, leading to healthier, more resilient bodies.

Gender Equality: With gender equality, opportunities for physical and mental health become more balanced, allowing all genders to benefit from shared resources. Equality fosters self-expression and reduces stress-related health issues, creating an overall population that is healthier and more secure.

Work & Income: Fair wages and balanced work hours allow people to focus on health and well-being, reducing stress-related ailments and promoting physical endurance. Fewer hours spent in labor-intensive jobs would mean healthier postures and mental resilience.

Energy / Electricity: Clean, accessible energy ensures healthier environments, reducing respiratory issues and energy scarcity stress. This fosters physical well-being as people adapt to a life where energy concerns no longer compromise health and comfort.

Peace & Justice: A fair and peaceful society means lower crime rates, yet hidden corruption could breed collective stress. Bodies may develop signs of quiet vigilance—sensitivity and caution—balancing between surface-level peace and underlying mistrust of powerful, unseen organizations.

Transportation: Efficient, sustainable transportation means less exposure to pollutants and lower stress, fostering healthier lungs and reducing chronic fatigue. With accessible transit, bodies adapt to more active lifestyles with reduced commuting strain.

Political Voice: Access to political representation empowers people, leading to mental and physical well-being from reduced social stress. A community that feels heard is likely to have better mental health, contributing to a more relaxed physical presence.

Air Pollution: Clean air reduces respiratory issues and fosters healthy lung development, with people experiencing improved cardiovascular health and stronger immune systems. Over generations, this leads to a population with better physical stamina and longevity.

Noise Pollution: Reduced noise pollution improves sleep quality and mental health, which supports immune function and lowers stress-related illnesses. With less constant noise, humans would develop calmer, more stable nervous systems.

Non-Human Life: Protecting biodiversity fosters ecosystems that support human health through clean air, balanced climates, and natural resources. Physically, this stability allows humans to thrive without the environmental stressors that lead to health complications.

Chemical Pollution: Reduced exposure to toxic chemicals means lower rates of diseases like cancer and respiratory issues, leading to healthier organs and longevity. Bodies would adapt to a life with fewer toxins, resulting in cleaner physiological processes.

Water Bodies & Supply: Access to clean water bodies reduces illness and fosters physical activities, supporting respiratory health and muscle development. With abundant water resources, humans develop with better hydration and overall health stability.

Waste Management: Effective waste management minimizes environmental toxins, reducing illness and fostering physical resilience. People adapt to cleaner spaces with healthier immune systems and lessened exposure to harmful bacteria.

Land Use & Public Spaces: Well-designed public spaces encourage active lifestyles, supporting physical fitness, improved lung capacity, and stronger muscles. As humans embrace accessible green areas, bodies evolve to reflect an active, outdoor lifestyle.

Ocean Pollution: Reduced ocean pollution leads to healthier marine ecosystems and cleaner food sources, supporting better nutrition and immunity. With cleaner oceans, humans avoid the harmful effects of pollutants in seafood, leading to longer, healthier lives.

Effects of Climate Change: As climate stability improves, people experience fewer weather-related health stresses, resulting in stronger, more resilient bodies. Consistent climate patterns lead to better agricultural health, reducing food scarcity and supporting physical vitality.

Urban Agriculture & Greenification: Access to green spaces and urban agriculture promotes physical activity and improves mental health. As cities grow green, humans become healthier, enjoying fresher air, balanced mental states, and improved physical well-being.

Gender & Sexuality: Inclusive recognition of gender and sexuality reduces stress and promotes mental health, fostering a community where people feel physically secure and accepted. This inclusivity supports healthier body images and mental stability.

Diversity & Inclusion: A society that values diversity allows people to feel seen, reducing stress-related health issues and fostering mental and emotional well-being. This acceptance leads to bodies that reflect health and confidence from a safe, inclusive environment.

Accessibility: Universal accessibility encourages independence and reduces physical stress for people with disabilities, promoting physical and mental health. As spaces become more inclusive, people with disabilities live with greater comfort and adaptability.

Sustainability: A commitment to sustainability ensures a balanced environment that supports long-term health, from air quality to food security. With environmental resources secured, human bodies evolve with fewer toxins, healthier respiratory systems, and an overall vitality that reflects a harmonious balance with the planet.

[cimoc]

soon :-)

[janedroid]

Who would I like to talk to soon?

I’d love to have tea with Mike Cannon-Brookes from Atlassian. I spend so much time researching, reading and daydreaming about a protopian future, it would be so much fun to brainstorm with someone who is equally as enthusiastic about the potential for humanity. Mike’s involved with developing cleaner energy and has had a few stoushes with older power companies and their boards. He’s stuck to his…

[protopia23]

Quellen + Links

Im Folgenden findest Du alle in unserem Buch “Hilfe, ich bin ein Mensch!” verwendeten Quellen und protopische Lesetipps. Zu den wichtigsten Fragen aus dem Buch haben wir zudem spannende Kurz-Trips und Alltagsübungen für Deine protopische Entdeckunhgsreise zusammengestellt.

Tipp: Über die QR-Codes im Buch gelangst Du immer direkt zu den passenden Kurz-Trips!

Literaturverzeichnis

Aldred, Jonathan: Der korrumpierte Mensch

Allmendinger, Jutta und Wetzel, Jan: Die Vertrauensfrage

Ariely, Dan: Payoff

Ariely, Dan: Denken hilft zwar, nützt aber nichts

Ariely, Dan: Wer denken will, muss fühlen

Axelrod, Robert: Die Evolution der Kooperation, München 2009.

Bakan, Joel: The New Corporation

Banerjee, Abijit und Duflo, Esther: Economie utile pour des temps difficiles

Bartens, Werner: Empathie: Die Macht des Mitgefühls: Weshalb einfühlsame Menschen gesund und glücklich sind, München 2015.

Batson, Dan: Altruism in Humans

Bauer, Joachim: Das Gedächtnis des Körpers. Wie Beziehungen und Lebensstile unsere Gene steuern, München 2007.

Bauer, Joachim: Prinzip Menschlichkeit. Warum wir von Natur aus kooperieren, München 2011.

Bauer, Joachim: Schmerzgrenze. Vom Ursprung alltäglicher und globaler Gewalt, München 2011.

Bauer, Joachim: Warum ich fühle, was du fühlst. Intuitive Kommunikation und das Geheimnis der Spiegelneuronen, München 2006.

Bauer, Joachim: Das empathische Gen

Bauer, Joachim: Fühlen, was die Welt fühlt

Bauer, Joachim: Wie wir werden, wer wir sind

Bauman, Zygmunt: Leben als Konsum, Hamburg 2009.

Becker, Gary S.: Ökonomische Erklärung menschliches Verhaltens, Tübingen 1982.

Bernays, Edward: Propaganda. Der Kunst der Public Relations, Berlin 2011.

Berreby, David: Us and Them. The Science of Identity, London 2006. 

Botsman, Rachel und Roo Rogers: What’s Mine is Yours

Bregman, Rutger: Utopien für Realisten

Bregman: Im Grunde gut

Breithaupt Fritz: Kulturen der Empathie, Frankfurt am Main 2009. 

Buber, Martin: Ich und Du, Stuttgart 2014.

Bröckling, Ulrich: Das unternehmerische Selbst

Brown, Brené: Verletzlichkeit macht stark

Brown, Wendy: Die schleichende Revolution

Buber, Martin: Das Problem des Menschen

Buber, Martin: Ich und Du

Bueb, Bernhard: Lob der Diziplin. Eine Streitschrift, Berlin 2008.

Cabanas, Edgar und Illouz, Eva. Das Glücksdiktat

Christakis, N. A. und Fowler, J. H.: Die Macht sozialer Netzwerke. Wer uns wirklich beeinflusst und warum Glück ansteckend ist, Frankfurt am 2011.

Christakis, Nicholas: Blueprint

Crouch, Colin: Die bezifferte Welt. Wie die Logik der Finanzmärkte das Wissen bedroht, Berlin 2015.

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly: Flow

Damasio, Antonio: Am Anfang war das Gefühl. Der biologische Ursprung menschlicher Kultur, München 2017.

Damasio, Antonio: Descartes’ Irrtum

Darwin, Charles: Die Abstammung des Menschen

Davidson, Richard und Begley, Sharon: The Emotional Life of Your Brain

Dawkins, Richard: Das egoistische Gen, Heidelberg 2007.

Diener, Ed: Happiness

Doidge, Norman:

Doidge, Norman:

Dweck, Carol: Selbstbild

Einstein, Albert und Freud, Sigmund: Warum Krieg?

Eisler, Riane: Kelch & Schwert

Eisler, Riane: Die verkannten Grundlagen der Ökonomie

Eisler, Riane und Fry, Douglas: Nurturing Our Humanity

Etzioni, Amitai: The Moral Dimension

Eyal, Nir: Hooked

Felber, Christian: Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie. Eine demokratische Alternative wächst, Wien 2012.

Frankl, Viktor: Über den Sinn des Lebens

Frankl, Viktor: … trotzdem ja zum Leben sagen

Fromm, Erich: Haben oder Sein. Die seelischen Grundlagen einer neuen Gesellschaft, München 1995.

Fromm, Erich: Die Kunst des Liebens. (Fromm: Liebe)

Fry, Douglas: BeyondBeyound war

Gerhardt, Sue: The Selfish Society

Gerhardt, Sue: Why Love Matters

Glover, Jonathan: humanity

Goleman, Daniel; Davidson, Richard J.: Altered Traits. Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body, New York 2017.

Graeber, David: Bullshit-Jobs

Graeber, David und Wengrow, David: Anfänge

Gruen, Arno: Der Verlust des Mitgefühls. Über die Politik der Gleichgültigkeit, München 2015.

Grunwald, Martin: Homo Hapticus

Haidt, Jonathan: The Righteous Mind

Harari, Yuval Noah: Eine kurze Geschichte der Menschheit, München 2015.

Harari, Yuval Noah: Homo Deus. Eine Geschichte von Morgen, München 2017.

Harari, Yuval Noah: 21 Lektionen für das 21. Jahrhundert

Hare, Brian und Woods, Vanessa: Survival of the Friendliest

Hari, Johann: Lost Connections

Hari, Johann: Stolen Focus

Hartkemeyer, Martin, Johannes und Tobias: Dialogische Intelligenz

Hartmann, Martin: Vertrauen

Headlee, Celeste: We Need To Talk

Hertz, Noreena: Das Zeitalter der Einsamkeit

Hirschman, Martin: Leidenschaften und Interessen

Hobbes, Thomas: Vom Bürger. Vom Menschen, Hamburg 2017.

Hobbes, Thomas: Leviathan, Ditzingen 1986.

Hrdy, Sarah Blaffer: Mothers & Others

Illouz, Eva: Gefühle im Zeitalter des Kapitalismus

Illouz, Eva: Warum Liebe endet

Isay, Dave: All There Is

Jaspers, Karl: Die Schuldfrage

Kahneman, Daniel: Schnelles Denken, langsames Denken, München 2011. 

Ryszard Kapuscinski: Der Andere

Kant, Immanuel: Was ist Aufklärung?

Kasser, Tim: The High Price of Materialism, London 2002.

Kast, Bas: Ich weiß nicht, was ich wollen soll. Warum wir uns so schwer entscheiden können und wo das Glück zu finden ist, Frankfurt am Main 2012.

Keltner, Dacher: Born to be Good

Keltner, Dacher: Awe

Keltner, Dacher: Macht-Paradox

Keysers, Christian: Unser empathisches Gehirn. Warum wir verstehen, was andere fühlen, München 2014.

Klein, Stefan: Der Sinn des Gebens. Warum Selbstlosigkeit in der Evolution siegt und wir mit Egoismus nicht weiterkommen, Frankfurt am Main 2011.

Kohn, Alfie: No Contest: The Case Against Competition: Why We Lose in Our Rae to Win, New York 1986.

Kohn, Alfie: Der Mythos des verwöhnten Kindes. Erziehungslügen unter die Lupe genommen, Weinheim und Basel 2005.

Kohn, Alfie: Liebe und Eigenständigkeit. Die Kunst bedingungsloser Elternschaft, jenseits von Belohnung und Bestrafung, Freiburg 2018. 

Korten, David C.: Change the Story. Change the Future. Weltsichten und ökonomischer Wandel, Phänomen-Verlag 2015.

Kropotkin, Peter: Gegenseitige Hilfe. In der Tier- und Menschenwelt, Trotzdem Verlagsgenossenschaft 2011.

Larnier, Jaron: Zehn Gründe, warum du deine Social Media Accounts sofort löschen musst

Lecomte Jacques: La Bonté humaine. Altruisme, empathie, générosité, Paris 2012.

Lecomte, Jacques: Les Entreprises Humanistes

Levitt, Steven und Dubner, Stephen: Freakonomics

Lieberman, Matthew: Social

Locke, John: Eine Abhandlung über den menschlichen Verstand

Lorenz, Konrad: Das sogenannte Böse. Zur Naturgeschichte der Aggression, München 2016.

Margulis, Lynn: Der symbiotische Planet oder Wie die Evolution wirklich verlief, Frankfurt am Main 2017.

Marmot, Michael: The Status Syndrome

Mason, Paul: Postkapitalismus. Grundrisse einer kommenden Ökonomie, Berlin 2016.

Mau, Steffen: Das metrische Wir. Über die Quantifizierung des Sozialen, Berlin 2017.

McCullough, Michael: Kindness for Strangers

McCullough, Michael: BeyondBeyound Revenge

Miegel, Meinhard: Exit. Wohlstand ohne Wachstum, Berlin 2010.

Miegel, Meinhard: Hybris. Die überforderte Gesellschaft, Berlin 2014.

Miegel, Meinhard: Das System ist am Ende. Das Leben geht weiter

Millburn, Joshua Fields und Nicodemus, Ryan: Love People, Use Things

Mirowski, Philip: Untote leben länger. Warum der Neoliberalismus nach der Krise noch stärker wird, Berlin 2015.

Naish, John: Genug. Wie Sie der Welt des Überflusses entkommen, Köln 2008.

Nowak, Martin A. mit Highfield, Roger: Kooperative Intelligenz. Das Erfolgsgeheimnis der Evolution, München 2013.

Oliner, Pearl und Samuel: Toward a Caring Society 

Ostrom, Elinor: Was mehr wird, wenn wir teilen. Vom gesellschaftlichen Wert der Gemeingüter, München 2012.

Pariser, Eli: Filter Bubble.

Pfaff,  Donald: The Altruistic Brain

Philipps, Adam und Taylor, Barbara: On Kindness

Pickett, Kate und Wilkinson, Richard: Gleichheit ist Glück: Warum gerechte Gesellschaften für alle besser sind, Berlin 2009.

Pinker, Steven: Gewalt. Eine neue Geschichte der Menschheit, Frankfurt am Main 2011.

Pinker, Steven: Das unbeschriebene Blatt

Popper, Karl: Vermutungen und Widerlegungen

Pörksen, Bernhard und Schulz von Thun, Friedemann: Die Kunst des Miteinander-Redens

Precht, Richard David: Die Kunst, kein Egoist zu sein. Warum wir gerne gut sein wollen und was uns davon abhält, München 2012.

Precht, Richard David: Anna, die Schule und der liebe Gott. Der Verrat des Bildungssystems an unseren Kindern, München 2015.

Precht, Richard David: Jäger, Hirten, Kritiker, München 2018. (Precht: Jäger)

Prilleltensky, Isaac und Ora: How People Matter

Putnam, David: Better Together

Putnam, David: Bowling Alone. 20 Years Edition

Putnam, David: The Upswing

Rand, Ayn: Die Tugend des Egoismus. Eine neue Auffassung des Egoismus, Jena 2015.

Raworth, Kate: Die Donut-Ökonomie

Ricard, Matthieu: Allumfassende Nächstenliebe. Altruismus – die Antwort auf die Herausforderungen unserer Zeit, Hamburg 2017.

Rifkin, Jeremy: Die empathischeemphatische Zivilisation. Das Internet der Dinge, kollaboratives Gemeingut und der Rückzug des Kapitalismus, Frankfurt am Main 2014.

Rizzolatti, Giacomo und Sinigaglia, Corrado: Empathie und Spiegelneuronen. Die biologische Basis des Mitgefühls, Frankfurt am Main 2008.

Rosa, Hartmut: Resonanz. Eine Soziologie der Weltbeziehung, Berlin 2016.

Rosenberg, Marshall: Gewaltfreie Kommunikation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques: Abhandlung über den Ursprung und die Grundlagen der Ungleichheit unter den Menschen. Ditzingen 1998.

Rushkoff, Douglas: Team Human

Rushkoff, Douglas: The Survival of the Richest

Russell, Bertrand: Eroberung des Glücks

Sandel, Michael: Was man für Geld nicht kaufen kann

Sandel, Michael: Vom Ende des Gemeinwohls

Sapolsky, Robert: Gewalt und Mitgefühl. Die Biologie des menschlichen Verhaltens, München 2017

Schirrmacher, Frank: Ego. Das Spiel des Lebens, München 2013.

Schwartz, Barry: The Costs of Living

Schwartz, Barry: The Battle for Human Nature

Sedlacek, Tomas: Die Ökonomie von Gut und Böse, München 2012.

Sedlacek, Tomas und Tanzer, Oliver: Die Dämonen des Kapitals. Die Ökonomie auf Freuds Couch, München 2017.

Sen, Amartya: Ökonomie für den Menschen. Wege zu Gerechtigkeit und Solidarität in der Marktwirtschaft, München 2007.

Sennett, Richard: Zusammenarbeit. Was unsere Gesellschaft zusammenhält, Berlin 2012.

Skidelsky, Robert: Die Rückkehr des Meisters. Keynes für das 21. Jahrhundert, München 2010. 

Singer, Peter: The Expanding Circle

Singer, Tania: Mitgefühl in der Wirtschaft, München 2015.

Solnit, Rebecca: A Paradise Built in Hell

Spitzer, Manfred: Digitale Demenz. München 2012.

Spitzer, Manfred: Einsamkeit

Splinter, Dirk und Wüstehube, Ljubjana: Mehr Dialog wagen!

Stark, Kio: When Strangers Meet

Stegemann, Bernd: Die Moralfalle

Sußebach, Henning: Liebe Sophie! Brief an meine Tochter, Freiburg im Breisgau 2013.

Szalavitz, Maia und Perry, Bruce: Born for Love

Tomasello, Michael: Eine Naturgeschichte des menschlichen Denkens, Berlin 2014.

Tomasello Michael: Eine Naturgeschichte der menschlichen Moral, Berlin 2016.

Tomasello, Michael: Warum wir kooperieren? Berlin 2012.

Tomasello, Michael: Mensch werden

Turkle, Sherry: Alone Together

Turkle, Sherry: Reclaiming Conversation

Verhaege, Paul: Und ich? Identität in einer durchökonomisierten Gesellschaft, München 2013.

Welzer, Harald. Selbst denken

Welzer, Harald: Alles könnte anders sein

Welzer, Harald: Nachruf auf mich selbst

Welzer, Harald: Der FuturZwei Zukunftsalmanach 2013

Westphalen, Andreas: Die Wiederentdeckung des Menschen

Westphalen, Andreas: Der Mensch im Zeitalter der Katastrophe

Wilson, E. O.: Die soziale Eroberung der Welt

Wrangham, Richard: Die Zähmung des Menschen

Zaki, Jamil: War for Kindness

Zichy, Michael: Die Macht der Menschenbilder

Zichy, Michael: Menschenbilder

Zuboff, Shosana: Das Zeitalter des Überwachungskapitalismus

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

I learned a new word today.

The full transcript is up at the link; 5-minute listen. Some excerpts:

Look at the television shows. Look at the films. Everything about the future is dystopian." It was hard not to concede the point. The cultural preoccupation with zombies shambles on in The Last of Us and other movies and video games. The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale remain influential in fiction and on screen. [Kathryn] Murdoch could not find a single YA show or book that portrayed a positive vision of the future, at least not a plausible one that didn't involve superheroes or dragons. "Really, the last time we dreamed about a better future was Star Trek," she said. "It was 1964."

[...]

[M]ovies such as The Day After Tomorrow and Don't Look Up only serve to scare us about failing to save the planet. "We've done a less good job of showing what the world would be like if we do act."

[...]

"If you look at history, everything that we now take for granted used to be impossible at some point," Slat observes. "If there's one bit of advice that you should really ignore, is people saying that something can't be done."

[softcircuitbabe]

[yamoksaucebodyshots]

I've always existed as an intermediary. I'm autistic and my other disabilities I was told were Boy Only. I went through female puberty, Ive always been bisexual, Im going through male puberty. I work in a social job where cis people of both binary genders and people of all orientations tell me their intimate experiences of Self and Being in the world, as a person who Understands TM. That's a gift.

It's hard to not pass, to be unreadable, to never be fully accepted but the fact that Im an intermediary for people's deepest feelings about the bodies they live in, and they ENTRUST me in that, that's a gift. To understand everyone. To relate, and be that common ground. To be a safe space for others.

I don't want my transition to be about our differences, our oppression hierarchies, about our isolation but to be the place where peoples deepest yearnings are validated, believed, trusted, experienced no matter who they are.

Those that fear us can come at us, but we intermediaries can be the template for future unity.

At the end of the day, the basis of all fears, the core of it is the human longing to be Seen.

[oliverbenjamintblr]

Oh no, its panic day!

[jessie-lou]

THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TALKIN ABOUT PEOPLE

[joe-dayton]

Victor Zoco and El Ministerio del Tiempo

In his article titled “Futurism without a Future: Thoughts on The Ministry of Time and Mirage”, Victor Zoco analyzes the television series El Ministerio del Tiempo, created by Javier and Pablo Olivares. In this article, Zoco analyzes the science fiction “protopia” presented and calls the show a very successful “neo-conservative experiment”, citing its stern maintenance of the capitalist realist status quo and its stark lack of potency to create new futures outside of what we currently know. Citing Franco Berardi and referencing Deleuze, Zoco defines this impotency as an inability to see possible alternatives to the seemingly inescapable present that we know. Although this is an accurate assessment of the series, I would complicate this point further by asserting that El Ministerio del Tiempo does not have an inability to see possible alternatives but rather is narratively structured around eliminating the very eventualities of what Deleuze called singularities. El Ministerio del Tiempo does not simply present a “tabula rasa” as Zoco posits but goes a step further and wholly centers its narrative structure around the characters and institutions that are actively fighting to maintain the capitalist realist status quo and flattening out the proverbial tablet that would, without intervention, become rough with potential singularities. As such, El Ministerio del Tiempo is not only a successful conservative experiment but a demonstration that our collective cultural imagination of possibilities has indeed inched closer towards a “tabla rasa”, dwindling of potential singularities that would challenge the status quo.

#oxyspeculativetv @theuncannyprofessoro

[uncleasriel]

I sdon't even like using the word "utopia" in Lancer. It's not a perfect society, and nor has it eliminated Those Bad Actors that get in the way of Utopias being Perfect. Instead it's one focused on steady improvement rooted in consistent, universalized values that all members of Union broadly agree with. It's not likely to reach the Glorious Ends State of Perfect Union, Peace and Bread, we're all happy and contented in fully automated luxury gay space communism - there's no perfect teleology to aspire towards

I think the phrase "protopia" fits much better.

There's plenty wrong in the Galaxy of Lancer. The Karrakin Trade baronies have political sway in Union, pushing for their agenda while flagrantly violating human rights even as they supply union with considerable raw amterials. Three megacorporations still linger, pushing a capitalist, imperialist agenda at the expense of those beneath them. Weird AI cults like Aunic Ascendancy and Horus are playing silly-buggers with causality and threaten political breakdown. There's a God-AI out ther called RA that will happily fuck you up if someone pushes too far into mental uploading or eldritch math (said math also powers galactic infrastructure).

But - folks in Union want it to be better. And player characters? They can actually do something about it! Hold the line, fight off the tyrants, liberate a colony, or at least hold back the military force of a million-strong worlds long enough to do something that matters.

The vibe aimed for is something like a post-World War 2 media - we're all in this together, because we believe in things bigger than ourselves. The system isn't perfect, but you-the-player can make it better. Liberate one world from the Karrakans. Help the Ungratefuls declare (and hold) Dawn Line as an independent ally. Make Harrison Armies divest of their holdings and get a few more wage-slaves able to live life without having their world polluted for continent-scale mining.

Fuck the bastards who say it's hopeless. Fuck those who say it's all hollow. You're the fucking cavalry, and you're gonna kick some ass to make things right!

I’m suddenly getting swathes of Lancer hate across my feed… Has something happened in the fandom? “Union is ______ how could they paint them as even remotely good. They allow _____, and I hate the devs they are ______. The whole thing is just 40k with communist veneer”.

Like am I taking crazy pills…? I thought that all of the problems were literally like right there on the tin “we are a utopia in progress! We will obtain it by any means possible even if it means being everything we say we are not/fighting against. As the player you decide what is right. How much will you ignore for someone else’s idea of utopia?” Like doesn’t it mean all the tools to actually change are there and that is the HOPE aspect of all of this?

(Sorry if this in incoherent grammar is a weak point and I pulled something in my back simply standing up. Now I am sad and crook backed in spasmodic pain)

This isn't an argument I feel super enthusiastic about stepping into, because it gets the most annoying sort of people in your mentions eager to maliciously misrepresent what you say.

However, yeah, there are some pretty terrible readings of Union floating around. I'd invoke "media literacy" because think that a lot of this comes from people not really holistically engaging with the fictional future history of Lancer, but also from a sort of dogmatic purism that requires future societies to be flawless, else they're irredeemable.

It is important to note that ThirdComm is the direct descendant of two highly imperfect societies. FirstComm was formed as a response to the Three Great Traumas of discovering the Massif Vaults (and thus that they were the inheritors of a fallen world), the wars over the Massif Vaults, and the discovery of the lost colonies, all of which collectively showed humanity how close it had come to total extinction.

FirstComm decided that it had a responsibility to ensure that humanity never risked extinction again. It manifested this by trying to colonize every habitable planet it could find, pumping out ship after ship to seed the cosmos with as much human life as it possibly could. This led to problems when it encountered civilizations like the Karrakin Federation and the Aun, who had been carrying humanity's torch just fine by themselves, thank you very much.

SecComm was an Anthrochauvinist fascist state. The book defines it thusly:

We can see a lot of Anthrochauvinist historical romanticism in the mech naming schemes of Harrison Armory, SSC and IPS-N - the fact that Harrison Armory names its mechs after great military leaders of pre-Fall Earth history, IPS-N does the same with naval figures, and SSC uses the names of Earth animals. Even the GMS Everest is named for a mountain on Earth. It's very Cradle-centric.

Anthrochauvinism was, to be clear, largely just an excuse for colonialism and hegemony. Atrocities could easily be justified under by stating that whoever they're being committed against were a threat to the Continuance of Humanity - a term that SecComm got to define.

It's also at this point that we have to zoom in from broad sociopolitical points to address one very specific piece of history: the New Prosperity Agreement. This was signed to prevent the outbreak of a Second Union-Karrakin War, and mandated that the Karrakin Houses would maintain privileged levels of autonomy within Union, and that they would be granted colonial rights to the entire Dawnline Shore. This agreement, struck in 3007u, basically defines much of the current political situation today.

ThirdComm was a final and inevitable reaction to the atrocities, abuses and excesses of SecComm. The unspeakable horrors of Hercynia were the spark, but I need to stress how little Hercynia actually mattered in the larger Revolution - at the start of NRfaW, it's explicitly stated that almost nobody in the galaxy even knows where it is, let alone what happened there. The Revolution was a generalized response to SecComm's tyranny, with no single rallying cry.

The Revolution might also have failed entirely, but for a critical error by Harrison Armory: pissing off the Karrakin Trade Baronies. After getting kicked off Cradle, the Anthrochauvinist Party organised a fleet at Ras Shamra to try and retake Cradle. Simultaneously, however, they were attempting to secure protectorate agreements to steal worlds in the Dawnline Shore out from under the KTB. Putting these two together and making five, the KTB assumed that the fleet was pointed at Karrakis, and started the First Interest War.

The First Interest War initially favoured the KTB. They smashed the fleet above Ras Shamra and simultaneously conquered the moon of Creighton in the Dawnline Shore. However, they underestimated just how ruthless Harrison I was - he "retook" Creighton by relativistic bombardment, and then conquered four of the 12 worlds of the Dawnline Shore with mechanised chassis, a technology the KTB had not adopted and had no counter for.

To prevent further loss of life, Union was eventually forced to broker a peace agreement that saw Harrison I handing himself over to Union justice in return for Harrison Armory's continued sovereignty, and the KTB joining Union as a full member state.

So, with that historical context out of the way, let me get to the second part of this absurd essay I'm writing.

Third Committee Union isn't a civilization that arose from whole cloth. It's shaped by five thousand years of Union history, six thousand years of post-Fall history, and six thousand years of pre-Fall history before that. It is, ultimately, an extremely well-thought-out and well-worldbuilt fictional polity, in that all of its imperfections come from traceable root causes in its history.

Why does ThirdComm permit the abuses of the KTB? Because to stop them, it would likely have to go to war, and such a war would butcher billions. Worse, to do so, it would probably have to ally with Harrison Armory and make horrific concessions.

Why does ThirdComm permit the expansionism and cryptochauvinism of the Armory? Because to stop them, it would likely have to go to war, and such a war would butcher billions. Worse, to do so, it would probably have to ally with the KTB and make horrific concessions.

Nobody in CentComm likes that Harrison Armory are empire-building expansionists. Nobody in CentComm likes that the KTB has a hereditary nobility and enforces blockades against planets that rebel against it. The problem is that ThirdComm is, in historical terms, still relatively new. They've been around five hundred years, and compared to the 1600 years that SecComm was around and the 2800 years FirstComm existed for, that's not very much.

ThirdComm is attempting to decouple itself from the Cradle-first politics of its predecessor, and to amend the many, many atrocities committed in the name of Humanity. It is not easy to do any of these things. SecComm was defined almost entirely by the fact that if it didn't like what you were doing, it would send in the military as a first response. Every time ThirdComm chooses to do the same, its legitimacy erodes, because the mission of ThirdComm is to prove that diverse, vibrant and compassionate human civilization can exist without devolving into war and bloodshed. ThirdComm always tries diplomacy as a first response because if it doesn't, millions of people could die.

[janedroid]

Hey Bucky, where's my hover board?

A few months back I bought a small, portable induction hob to try out. I’d like to replace gas cooking but reviews of induction cooktops seem inconsistent. I started out with herb tea. Licorice and astragalus like to be simmered for a while before drinking, ostensibly a perfect experiment for a new, high-tech, low energy appliance. Induction hobs don’t simmer though. There’s no power gradient in…