Monika Bielskyte 'Challenging the binaries of dystopia vs utopia and society vs technology'
Aug 16, 2024
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Monika Bielskyte, a prominent futurist and founder of Protopia Futures, dives into the intricate dance between reality and speculation. She discusses the importance of inclusive design that amplifies marginalized voices and critiques techno-utopianism, advocating for a 'Protopia' model. Her journey from a non-Western upbringing shapes her views on freedom and societal narratives. Monika also highlights how futurism in film influences cultural understanding and underscores the need for collaboration between artists and scientists to tackle global challenges.
Monika Bielskyte emphasizes the importance of continuously striving for peace and freedom, highlighting that they require vigilant effort rather than being guaranteed outcomes.
She critiques the dystopian narratives prevalent in futurism, advocating instead for narratives that inspire hopeful, inclusive futures through interdependence and ethical technological engagement.
Deep dives
The Impact of Childhood on Future Perspectives
Monica Bilesquita reflects on how her upbringing in the former Soviet Union profoundly influenced her understanding of the future. Witnessing the collapse of a totalitarian regime and the rise of the digital world instilled in her the belief that no situation is truly inevitable. She emphasizes that maintaining peace and freedom requires continuous effort and vigilance, as these are not guarantees. Her experiences shape her commitment to creating a future characterized by compassion and inclusivity, steering her work toward fostering interdependence.
The Limitations of Dystopian Futurism
Bilesquita critiques the prevalent obsession with dystopian and cyberpunk narratives in futurism, which often glamorize nightmarish visions of the future. She argues that much of today's storytelling perpetuates designs and solutions that do not align with the realities people wish to live in. This realization motivated her to focus on developing positive alternatives that encourage humanity to choose a hopeful, inclusive future. By engaging with technology through a critical lens, she aims to bridge the gap between artistic expression and the ethical implications of innovation.
Navigating Technological and Social Disparities
Bilesquita emphasizes the importance of recognizing how technology can be weaponized and misused, particularly concerning marginalized voices. By centering narratives around disability and neurodivergence, she advocates for a more compassionate technological landscape that transcends typical eugenic discourses. This approach serves not only to create inclusive futures but also acknowledges the intertwining of various lived experiences shaped by societal norms. Bilesquita's work aims to redefine progress against the backdrop of human agency and the need for ethical considerations in technological advancements.
The Emergence of a Collaborative Future
Bilesquita envisions a future that thrives on collaboration, drawing insights from both science and creativity to tackle pressing global challenges. She warns against the rise of disinformation and underscores the need for effective communication within scientific communities to enhance public understanding. As societies face increasing fragmentation, she argues for a united effort to prepare for future uncertainties and and socio-political realities. Bilesquita's commitment to humility and curiosity inspires a shift toward interdependence, highlighting the necessity of diverse perspectives in shaping the future.
This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the renowned futurist and speculative designer, Monika Bielskyte.
She's also the founder of Protopia Futures, a life-centric design and collaborative foresight platform that centres previously marginalised perspectives. The project's mission is to inspire a new wave of future visions showcasing how a transcultural and interdisciplinary approach, alongside disability and neurodivergence inclusion, can foster regenerative economies for the decades to come and chart an actionable path towards a positively interdependent and compassionate future world.
Her work is firmly anchored in contextual, complex realities on the ground, rather than one-size-fits-all techno-solutionism, prone to short-term hype cycles and rapid obsolescence. As a speculative designer, Monika prototypes culturally expansive, socially and environmentally engaged future world designs that take lessons from visually and narratively captivating Science Fiction entertainment and apply them to make real-world future literacy more compelling.
She's a deeply interesting individual, so I found it fascinating listening to her viewpoints and hope you do too!
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