Utopian Horizons

Pete & Karlo from Podside Picnic join me to talk about Frederik Pohl's 1977 science fiction novel Gateway. We discuss "full medical" as it relates to the disaster that is American healthcare, company towns, gold rushes, risk, and gateway as a metaphor for the market. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Academic and #ACFM co-host Jeremy Gilbert joins the podcast to talk us through the concept of "the long 90s". We discuss why cultural innovation has stagnated, the relationship of culture to politics and how anti-utopianism may be falling out of fashion. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Trevor Strunk from No Cartridge joins us to talk about his new book Story Mode. We discuss how horror videogames help chart our fears, which events caused the genre to radically shift direction, Resident Evil, the apocalypse and neoliberalism. You can find Trevor's book here: https://bookshop.org/books/story-mode-video-games-and-the-interplay-between-consoles-and-culture/9781633886803 Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Katie Stone joins me to talk about Francis Ford Coppola's horny Dracula adaptation, the original Bram Stoker novel and how the figure of the vampire can be rethought to connect to utopian ideas around work, idleness, care and more. You can find the talk Katie mentions in the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiPseSrT0p0 And my Kickstarter project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/objectoriented/object-oriented Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Stefan Riekeles, author of the book Anime Architecture: Imagined Worlds and Endless Megacities, joins me to talk about the dystopian worlds imagined by artists and directors that provide the background to some of the genre's most famous movies. You can find the Kickstarter project I mention in the episode here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/objectoriented/object-oriented Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Ranged Touch's Cameron Kunzelman returns to the show to talk about the fascinating detective RPG that is Disco Elysium. We talk about how the game represents contemporary capitalism, the strengths and weaknesses of its character portrayals, the spectre of communism and, of course, Cuno. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Sci-fi author, journalist and blogger Cory Doctorow joins the show to talk about the tangle of intricate dystopian narratives that is conspiracy theory. We discuss the roots of conspiracy theory, why it is becoming more prevalent at this particular moment, and how it can be effectively countered. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

It's a solo episode this time as I return to the book Economic Science Fictions to delve into a chapter on extraction and the way is reflected in capitalism and science fiction media. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Blood Knife's Kurt Schiller joins the podcast to talk about the post-scarcity communist society depicted in Iain M. Banks Culture series and how it seems to have attracted the most unexpected of fans in ultra-capitalist billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Konstantinos Dimopoulos, a game urbanist and designer, joins us to talk about virtual cities in videogames. We talk about their critical potential, how they communicate information, and how Konstantinos has been exploring him in his book, Virtual Cities: An Atlas & Exploration Of Video Game Cities. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Vincent Liegey and Anitra Nelson, the authors of the book Exploring Degrowth: A Critical Guide, join me to talk about what Degrowth means, how it aims to address the climate crises and change our world, why it is difficult for capitalism to co-opt it, and why we can't assume that renewable energy will solve all our problems. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Rosie from the Twin Peaks podcast Diane joins the show again to talk about the unique and surreal videogame world of Kentucky Route Zero. We chat about themes of debt and exploitation, the powerful use of haunting, different ways of thinking about foreground and background, and a possible kernel of utopian hope in a overwhelmingly dystopic world. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

I finally return to my run-through of every Philip K Dick novel to talk about 1964's The Penultimate Truth. I touch on class differences, the loss of the new, authority in postmodernity and conspiracy theory. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Dr Anna McFarlane from the University of Glasgow returns to the podcast to talk about 1999 science fiction phenomenon The Matrix. We discuss what The Matrix represents, systemic power, cyberpunk, trans readings of the film and more. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: https://twitter.com/utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

The author of Abolish Silicon Valley, Wendy Liu, joins the podcast to give an insider perspective of Silicon Valley from a former Google intern who once brought into the industry's lofty ideas of itself. We discuss Silicon Valley ideology, how capitalism limits the potential of technology and much more. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: @utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Gabriel and Jack from the AAA Collective talk to me about their new game about utopia, the process of creating it, and matching theme to process. You can find the game here: https://aaa.itch.io/utopias Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: @utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Lucy Brady from Wyrd Signal joins me to talk about Neal Stephenson's cyberpunk parody novel Snow Crash. We discuss late capitalism, the nature of work under neoliberalism, Silicon Valley determinism, the American Century and much more. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: @utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Mark Taylor from Moscow's HSE University joins the podcast to talk about the utopian society of Pala laid out by Aldous Huxley in his last novel. We discuss merging East and West, Mutual Adoption Clubs, sex, and Henri Bergson while exploring this island paradise. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: @utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

Money is the subject of the latest chapter in my run-through of Economic Science Fictions. Sherryl Vint's essay lays out the argument for thinking of money as a social technology rather than as a thing, and explains the role science fiction can play in helping us to rethink it. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail.com Twitter: @utopianhorizons Support: patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.

I'm joined by fellow utopians Aaron and Shawn from the utopian comedy podcast Srsly Wrong. We talk about the valuable critique and strategies laid out in Inventing the Future, a book arguing for a postcapitalist world without work, and delve into the intricacies of Aaron and Shawn's own utopian vision: Library Socialism. Utopian Horizons is a podcast about utopia. Each episode covers a different utopia, dystopia, utopian thinker, or utopian movement, asking what they can tell us about ourselves, our society, and our future. Twitter: @utopianhorizons email: utopianhorizonspod [at] gmail dot com Support the podcast: patreon.com/utopianhorizons Music: The Fiction of Utopian Studies/The Road To Oceania by The Fucked Up Beat.