#3175
Mentioned in 11 episodes

Looking Backward

2000-1887
Book • 1888
In 'Looking Backward: 2000-1887', Edward Bellamy presents a vision of a future socialist utopia through the eyes of Julian West, a young Bostonian who falls into a hypnotic sleep in 1887 and awakens in the year 2000.

The novel describes a society where industry is nationally owned, goods are distributed equally, and there is no need for money, police, military, or lawyers.

Bellamy's vision includes advanced technologies such as radio, television, motion pictures, and credit cards.

The novel is a critical examination of 19th-century capitalism and advocates for a society based on equality, cooperation, and the brotherhood of man.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 11 episodes

Mentioned by
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Richard White
, as a novel that could have been written by John D. Rockefeller or the utopian socialists.
168 snips
Plain History: How the Transcontinental Railroads Built the Modern World
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Dorian Lynskey
as a Gilded Age version of Cabe's Voyage to Acaria, reviving that tradition yet again.
99 snips
The Birth of Socialism – A Better World is Possible
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Elle Griffin
when speaking about socialist utopias and using status to encourage workers to take on more ambitious jobs.
67 snips
Elle Griffin — Rethinking Ownership and the Future of Work (EP. 287)
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Simon James
as a tremendously successful American socialist publication.
32 snips
The Time Machine (Archive Episode)
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Jonah Goldberg
as a highly influential 19th-century science fiction novel.
25 snips
Islands of Separateness
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Jess Deaver
as an inspiration for the architecture of the Bradbury Building.
17 snips
Blueprints for Utopias
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Nick Gillespie
alongside B.F. Skinner's "Walden Two", both inspiring communities attempting to realize their utopian visions.
12 snips
How Elon Musk and DOGE Can Deliver on Smaller Government
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Amanda McGowan
and Jason Amos as a bestselling utopian novel of the 1800s that inspired political movements and architectural designs.
Edward Bellamy's Real-World Utopia
Mentioned as a best-selling book that inspired a social movement and national conversation about the future.
The History of the Future
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Julia Hava
as a sci-fi novel portraying a music room where music is transported seamlessly.
Regime of Convenience
Mentioned by Dr. Evie Kendal as one of her favorite utopian narratives.
Utopia is Boring with Evie Kendal
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Christina Panos
regarding its futuristic predictions, including a telephone in every bedchamber.
Ep 333: Nightmare Whiffletrees, 18650 Safety, and a Telephone Twofer
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Jonah Goldberg
as a utopian science fiction novel, which is utterly forgotten today.
Tell Me About Henry George | Interview: Mike Bird
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David Patrick Herry
, this book highlights technological progress built into the American mythos.
s07e73 | The Orthodox Option, with David Patrick Harry
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Simon James
when comparing Wells's "The Time Machine" to other time travel stories.
The Time Machine
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Tom Myers
as the inventor of the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Making of the Pledge of Allegiance
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Nick Yablon
in the context of time capsule ideas in fiction.
Nick Yablon, "Remembrance of Things Present: The Invention of the Time Capsule" (U Chicago Press, 2019)
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Al Zambone
when discussing cultural models that shaped ideas about old age.
Episode 385: Golden Years
Mentioned as part of William Gaddis's "Literature of Failure" reading list.
A Fan's Notes by Frederick Exley (Book Review)
Mentioned by Peter Seifert as an inspiring literary utopia that was widely read by workers.
Inside Europe 19 June 2025

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