Episode 15: Authenticity in Fiction

Fireside Chats with Empathic Futures Lab

We kicked this episode off with a brief history of fiction and the speculative design. Beginning in the 60s looking at Archigram, Ant Farm, Superstudio, and Buckminster Fuller. We briefly explored how these groups approached speculative futures and discussed the categories those may fall into.

Then we moved on to examples of the current paradigm, focus on the merits of Jimenez Lai, Near Future Laboratory, and Tomorrow's Thoughts Today and disucssed the importance of grounding the fiction in a relevant real world issue. .

Then we discussedthe role of fiction, how is it a useful tool and when is it merely art for the sake of art. One particular note was how it relates to sci-fi and its job of describing design to the larger public.

Then we discussed how these ideas might coellesce in an up-coming seminar led by Christian at the UIUC ISoA, and how the idea for that seminar was inspired by our Fairy Tales Competition entry. From the Fairy Tales Competition entry we gleamed the significance of perspective when telling a fictional story in relation to design. The episode was concluding by reiterating how great design fiction is heavily influenced by a thoughtful researched approch and perspective.

Relevant Links to the Podcast:

Archigram

http://archigram.westminster.ac.uk/

Ant Farm

http://www.spatialagency.net/database/ant.farm

Buckminster Fuller

http://www.spatialagency.net/database/buckminster.fuller

Near Future Laboratory

http://nearfuturelaboratory.com/

Tomorrow's Thoughts Today

http://www.tomorrowsthoughtstoday.com/

Jimenez Lai: Citizens of No Place

http://bureau-spectacular.net/citizens-of-no-place