Acid Horizon Solarpunk and Its Discontents: The Politics of Science Fiction and the Solarpunk Genre
Sep 1, 2023
The podcast discusses the politics of science fiction in relation to the solar punk genre, including the challenges of escaping reactionary beliefs and the potential for science fiction to become revolutionary. They explore the way corporate wokeness can compromise revolutionary ideals and criticize Saudi Arabia's Neom project. The podcast also examines the political assumptions of science fiction books, contrasts the ideologies of Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein, and discusses the desensitization to war and violence in society. The power of science fiction in challenging hegemony and promoting new subjects is highlighted.
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Science Fiction's Political Infrastructure
- Science fiction replicates infrastructure, activating conservative ideologies and political values unconsciously.
- Telling stories often imports gender, race, and capitalist tropes embedded in sci-fi tradition.
Identity Politics as Sci-Fi Infrastructure
- Identity politics has become the dominant narrative infrastructure in modern sci-fi.
- This shift reflects a backlash to alt-right attempts to control sci-fi awards and content.
Corporate Solar Punk Co-optation Examples
- Chobani's solar punk ad shows positive corporate image masking labor exploitation.
- Saudi Arabia's Neom project uses solar punk marketing but obscures the harsh realities and infrastructure behind it.