Future Tense cover image

Future Tense

Could Utopian thinking save democracy?  

Jan 30, 2025
In this conversation, William Paris, an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto specializing in utopian thinking, teams up with Anna Abraham, Director of the Torrance Centre for Creativity and Talent Development. They explore why utopian thinking is often dismissed and argue its potential to inspire bold, transformative ideas in democracy. The duo delves into the relationship between creativity and mental health, and how societal perceptions affect creative individuals, while also addressing the implications of generational labels in today’s society.
29:08

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Utopian thinking challenges societal limitations and encourages creative exploration, vital for confronting existing social and political barriers.
  • Emphasizing collaborative utopia fosters individual agency, empowering communities to seek transformative change and address systemic inequalities.

Deep dives

The Relationship Between Utopia and Reality

Utopia serves as a means to challenge our assumptions about what is possible and desirable within society. By envisioning an ideal world, we confront the limitations imposed by the status quo, which often hinders creativity and bold thinking. Social scientists argue that viewing utopian ideas as unrealistic stifles envisioning alternatives to existing challenges, as the status quo can unjustly justify itself. This perspective emphasizes the need to separate utopian thinking from traditional realism, recognizing that striving for a better future may initially seem outlandish but is essential for progress.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode