In this 1981 philosophical treatise, Jean Baudrillard explores the relationships between reality, symbols, and society. He introduces the concept of simulacra, which are copies without an original, and discusses how these simulacra and simulations have replaced all reality and meaning with symbols and signs. Baudrillard argues that current society is saturated with these constructs, leading to a phenomenon he calls the 'precession of simulacra,' where the simulated copy supersedes the original object and meaning becomes infinitely mutable.
The Ministry for the Future is a novel by Kim Stanley Robinson that delves into the urgent issue of climate change. Set in the near future, the story follows the establishment of a UN agency, the Ministry for the Future, whose mission is to advocate for the rights of future generations. The novel is told through multiple perspectives, including those of Mary Murphy, the head of the Ministry, and Frank May, an American aid worker who survives a devastating heat wave in India. The book explores various innovative solutions to climate change, such as the introduction of a new currency called 'carboni' to incentivize decarbonization, and it presents a hopeful yet realistic vision of how humanity might cooperate to mitigate the effects of climate change. The narrative includes a mix of fictional eyewitness accounts, non-fiction descriptions, and diverse writing styles, reflecting the complexity and urgency of the climate crisis[1][3][5].
Why is the world in crisis? How can we get a view of the bigger picture?
My guest this week is Rachel Donald—and she's something of an expert in these questions.
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Rachel Donald investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it. She's the creator of Planet: Critical, a podcast and newsletter for a world in crisis with more than 23,000 subscribers in 180 countries. She recently launched Planet: Coordinate with her partner, a film series telling stories from the frontlines of communities who dare stand up against cruelty, injustice and indifference—and build a better world. Alongside these projects, her exclusive investigations into climate corruption have been published in major papers around the world, and her newsletters investigating the relationship between resources and genocide have been read millions of times. She's a sought after speaker on the big picture, and is currently writing her first book on the connection between violence against the earth and violence against women.
A podcaster is oftentimes a special kind of subject matter expert—an expert generalist. They are out researching and learning in public all the time, bouncing off of and commingling the various ideas they encounter in their work. Rachel lives up to this archetype powerfully—few have a more rigorous thousand-foot view of the big picture. In addition, Rachel has carved out a career as the first-ever climate corruption journalist, connecting dots and uncovering stories that powerful people would prefer stay in shadows. She has also just announced Planet: Coordinate, a film series that will bring her up close with these stories, and I’m excited to see what comes of that initiative sometime this year.
We discussed all of this, the unique challenges of being an independent journalist, how to instigate change—including her critique of Luigi Mangione’s alleged murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson—and much more.
CREDITS: This podcast is edited and produced by Adam Labrie and me, Jesse Damiani. Adam Labrie also edited the video version of the podcast, which is available on YouTube. The podcast is presented by Reality Studies. If you appreciate the work I’m doing, please subscribe and share it with someone you think would enjoy it.
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Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani 
