Film critic, YouTube influencer, and sci-fi author Lindsay Ellis joins us to talk about her new novel and the complexities of human-alien relationships. But, in typical Uncertain Things fashion, we couldn't help but ask Lindsay about the f*ed up nature of today's social media landscape — one that cripples artists and rewards very bad behavior indeed. Plus, Lindsay gives us her guide for distinguishing between good and bad faith criticism, diagnoses Hollywood's TV problem, and hints that the future is books.

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On the agenda:

-Aliens vs. transhumanism [06:33-11:10]

-Dealing with bad faith critics [11:11-19:04]

-The algorithm effect [19:05-22:51]

-The artist/audience disconnect [22:52-28:11]

-Hollywood's TV problem [28:12-30:35]

-Scarred by the content machine [30:36-35:07]

Check out Lindsay’s novels Axiom’s End and Truth of the Divine. And as promised, here’s Lindsay’s take on Mel Brooks and satire and The Beauty and the Beast remake.

Uncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday rumination, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com.