Science

littlemissmartypants

(22,691 posts) Thu Sep 4, 2014, 12:06 AM Sep 2014

Say Goodbye to dystopia

Hello. . .Thoughtful Optimism

A group of student researchers has been hard at work since 2013, laying the foundation for a public database and a series of essays, reflections and comments about the history of thoughtfully optimistic thinking...
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The purpose of this project is to research, organize and celebratethoughtfully optimistic science fiction—literature that presents creative, constructive ideas about humans and their potential to confront and overcome challenges to create a better world...
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–It encourages progressive thinking and innovation, making an effort to explore or unfold new frontiers and solutions. It is not a narrative that encourages stagnation or defeatism.

http://csi.asu.edu/optimism/science-fiction-and-thoughtful-optimism-a-manifesto/
http://csi.asu.edu/category/optimism/

8 replies

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Say Goodbye to dystopia (Original Post) littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 OP

I like this idea! cilla4progress Sep 2014 #1

Thank you. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #2

Thanks for posting this! Admittedly, it's hard to remain optimistic in light of the dangers..... LongTomH Sep 2014 #3

Thanks for your reply. I hope you are right. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #4

I posted a related article in the writing group. hunter Sep 2014 #5

There's a Facebook page for Project Hieroglyph LongTomH Sep 2014 #6

Say goodbye to it in fiction FiveGoodMen Sep 2014 #7

Nah DavidG_WI Sep 2014 #8

cilla4progress

(24,736 posts)

1. I like this idea!

Reply to littlemissmartypants (Original post)

Thu Sep 4, 2014, 12:37 AM

Sep 2014

littlemissmartypants

(22,691 posts)

2. Thank you. nt

Reply to cilla4progress (Reply #1)

Thu Sep 4, 2014, 12:45 AM

Sep 2014

LongTomH

(8,636 posts)

3. Thanks for posting this! Admittedly, it's hard to remain optimistic in light of the dangers.....

Reply to littlemissmartypants (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2014, 01:03 AM

Sep 2014

......and challenges that confront us. Climate change being at the forefront. But, we can hold on to hope that human ingenuity can triumph over both our problems....and human stupidity.

littlemissmartypants

(22,691 posts)

4. Thanks for your reply. I hope you are right. nt

Reply to LongTomH (Reply #3)

Fri Sep 19, 2014, 08:57 AM

Sep 2014

hunter

(38,317 posts)

5. I posted a related article in the writing group.

Reply to littlemissmartypants (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2014, 11:24 AM

Sep 2014

Project Hieroglyph: Fighting society's dystopian future
By Debbie Siegelbaum
BBC News, Washington

Pop culture has painted a darkly dystopian vision of the future. But a new book hopes to harness the power of science fiction to plot out a more optimistic path for the real world.

Just glancing at this week's movie listings, those in the US can see humans battling super apes for world domination, a gang of Marvel misfits fighting against the universe's certain doom, or a young boy tasked with keeping all memories of a society that has done away with individuality.

The future, according to Hollywood, doesn't look so good. Successful dystopian science fiction television shows like HBO's The Leftovers and books like The Hunger Games trilogy add to the notion that bad news is very much in store.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28974943

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12021388

LongTomH

(8,636 posts)

6. There's a Facebook page for Project Hieroglyph

Reply to littlemissmartypants (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2014, 05:17 PM

Sep 2014

https://www.facebook.com/imaginationASU

By the way, can you imagine what would happen if you posted this in General Discussion or Environment/Energy? Hopeful views of the future are simply not allowed there. It's all Doom, Doom, Doom and Gloom.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention Latest Breaking News: Check out the responses to the news about world population reaching 11 Billion by 2100.

They're gleefully predicting megadeaths (or is that gigadeaths) from:

Starvation, and/or
effects of global warming, and/or
plagues like Ebola.

The idea that we might be able to bring population under control isn't even considered. I considered posting something to the effect that birthrates in most of the developed world is already below the replacement rate; but, the signal would be lost in the noise.

FiveGoodMen

(20,018 posts)

7. Say goodbye to it in fiction

Reply to littlemissmartypants (Original post)

Fri Sep 19, 2014, 05:25 PM

Sep 2014

because we have it now in the real world?

DavidG_WI

(245 posts)

8. Nah

Reply to littlemissmartypants (Original post)

Sat Sep 20, 2014, 04:04 PM

Sep 2014

If we've learned anything from history it's that if a new technology can be used to exploit other people, it will be used as such. With the surveillance state alive and well with many people active and willing participants dystopia is all there is without fundamentally changing humanity as a whole.

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