Peter Singer, an award-winning author and thought leader on future warfare, discusses the concept of 'useful fiction.' He emphasizes how storytelling can simplify complex military strategies and technologies, making them more relatable and actionable. Singer shares insights on the importance of grounding narratives in reality and how they've been applied in projects for NATO and U.S. Special Operations Command. The conversation touches on resistance to change within military institutions and the role of logistics in modern warfare, all delivered with humor and depth.
Peter Singer illustrates how useful fiction blends storytelling with rigorous analysis to communicate complex military strategies effectively to diverse audiences.
The podcast emphasizes that grounding narratives in reality ensures credibility and encourages military leaders to engage with plausible future scenarios and challenges.
Deep dives
Concept of Useful Fiction
Useful fiction blends nonfiction research and narrative storytelling to effectively communicate complex ideas regarding future conflicts and competition. By presenting critical insights within engaging stories, this approach allows audiences to absorb information more naturally compared to traditional academic texts. For instance, the method aims to overcome the inherent density of military doctrine papers by narrating scenarios that illustrate the principles involved in specific military strategies. This innovative approach enhances understanding and retention, making it easier for stakeholders to grasp the implications of various trends and strategies.
The Importance of Grounded Narratives
The grounding of narratives in real-world events and credible research is emphasized through the 'rules of the real', ensuring that all elements in the stories align with factual knowledge of existing technologies and historical context. Projects are built on the requirement that technologies used in stories must not delve into speculative jargon, adhering to the no vaporware rule. This ensures that audiences can relate the narratives to their current understanding of military operations and technological capabilities. Such adherence reinforces the narrative’s credibility and encourages strategic thinking about plausible futures.
Using Scenarios for Decision-Making
Scenarios crafted through useful fiction serve distinct purposes, such as explaining key concepts or urging action regarding impending challenges. For example, narratives may illustrate potential negative outcomes of unaddressed logistics issues in military operations to highlight the need for investment in strategic initiatives. By depicting a fictional Army officer's experience in a scenario where logistics are contested, stakeholders can comprehend how failures in supply chains impact mission success. These chilling portrayals are designed not only to engage but also to provoke proactive responses from military leaders and decision-makers.
Navigating Future Military Challenges
Future military strategies must acknowledge both technological advancements and the persistent challenges posed by bureaucracy and human error. Despite the promise of emerging technologies, the importance of flexible, adaptable strategies remains critical to overcoming institutional inertia in the armed forces. For instance, the delivery of effective military solutions needs to consider not just the technology's sophistication but also its integration into existing operational frameworks. By marrying innovative narratives with actual military concerns, stakeholders can anticipate challenges and pursue effective solutions in a rapidly evolving landscape.
In this episode of the Revolution Military Affairs Podcast, we sit down with Peter Singer, renowned author of Ghost Fleet and LikeWar, and a thought leader in exploring the future of war and security. Peter discusses "useful fiction," a powerful method blending rigorous nonfiction analysis with storytelling to communicate complex insights about future conflict and competition. By creating engaging narratives, useful fiction transforms dense concepts like military strategy and emerging technologies into relatable and actionable ideas.
Peter shares how this approach has been used in projects for clients such as NATO and U.S. Special Operations Command. From scenarios addressing contested logistics to narrative-driven accompaniments for doctrine like FM 3-0, useful fiction helps leaders visualize and internalize strategic principles. Singer emphasizes the importance of grounding these stories in reality—technology must be feasible and set within the next generation, adhering to the "no vaporware rule."
The conversation touches on institutional reluctance to embrace change, the need to adapt in an era of multi-domain operations, and the lessons history teaches about innovation and resistance. With humor and depth, Peter explains how stories help us not just imagine the future, but prepare for it. A must-listen for military thinkers and strategists!
Visit Useful Fiction at the following link: https://useful-fiction.com/about-us/