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S03E55 - Kim Stanley Robinson on Real Utopian Futures

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Jan 4, 2026

Guest

Kim Stanley Robinson

Kim Stanley Robinson, ein renommierter US-amerikanischer Science-Fiction-Autor, diskutiert über realistische utopische Zukunftsvisionen. Er erklärt, dass der Kampf um die Zukunft offen bleibt und menschliche Handlungsfähigkeit gegen Determinismus betont. Robinson spricht über Eco-Sozialismus und die Notwendigkeit von sozialen Kämpfen gegen Ungleichheit. Zudem kritisiert er romantisierte Zusammenbruchs‑Erzählungen und plädiert für positive, plausible Zukunftsentwürfe. Seine Perspektiven auf Klimafinanzen und politische Erzählungen bieten inspirierende Ansätze für nachhaltige Veränderungen.

01:08:12

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insights

INSIGHT

Zukunft Bleibt Politischer Kampf

Die Zukunft ist nicht tot; sie bleibt ein offenes Feld politischer Auseinandersetzung.
Fortschritt ist nicht zwangsläufig, er erfordert fortwährenden menschlichen Einsatz.

insights

INSIGHT

Öko-Sozialismus Als Korrektiv

Eco-Socialism verbindet ökologische Anliegen mit sozialer Gerechtigkeit als korrigierende Vision.
Natur darf nicht länger als unendliche Ressource für Produktionszwecke betrachtet werden.

insights

INSIGHT

Gegenästhetik Zu Dystopischen Mythen

Dystopien verklären oft falsche Abenteuerlust; echter Kollaps wäre öde und tödlich.
Utopische Erzählungen sollten glaubwürdige Wege zur Verbesserung zeigen.

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Beziehung zur Zukunft: Offenheit vs. Fatalismus

02:15 • 2min

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Warum die Zukunft nicht tot ist

03:48 • 7min

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Eco‑Socialism als politische Orientierung

10:42 • 46sec

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Widerstand, Reformen und Gerechtigkeit

11:29 • 2min

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Klimadystopie vs. Gegenästhetik

13:10 • 50sec

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Die langweilige Realität des Zusammenbruchs

14:00 • 2min

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Utopische Erzählungen als Richtungsgeber

16:28 • 3min

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Science‑Fiction als Realismus unserer Zeit

19:06 • 19sec

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Gegenwart als Science‑Fiction

19:25 • 5min

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Von Vorstellungen zu politischem Handeln

24:40 • 2min

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Neoliberalismus, Staat und Gemeinwohl

26:20 • 5min

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Zurück zu Keynesianismus und progressiver Besteuerung

31:13 • 6min

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Carbon Coin und Finanzpolitik im Roman

37:09 • 2min

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Regierung, Zentralbanken und Krisenintervention

39:01 • 3min

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Finanznetzwerke und Green Finance

42:26 • 1min

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Finanzierung der Dekarbonisierung

43:38 • 2min

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Reichtumsverschiebung und Profit im Übergang

45:40 • 3min

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Grüner Kapitalismus vs. Ökosozialismus kombinieren

48:25 • 2min

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Stranded Assets und ökonomische Anreize

50:51 • 2min

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Linke Politik in den USA: AOC und DSA

52:43 • 2min

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Gefühl der Sicherheit als Strukturgefühl

54:54 • 1min

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EU, internationale Institutionen und politischer Fortschritt

56:02 • 1min

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Welche Erzählung ersetzt den Marktmythos?

57:30 • 4min

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Neue Fakten, neue Geschichten

01:01:10 • 2min

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Ministry for the Future als umfassender Versuch

01:02:44 • 39sec

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Was macht Kim Freude an der Zukunft?

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

The ascendancy of finance

Joseph Vogl

#7975

• Mentioned in 6 episodes

New York 2140

Kim Stanley Robinson

Manuel Mata

New York 2140 is set in a future New York City that has been drastically altered by climate change. The city has experienced a significant rise in sea levels, flooding much of Manhattan and transforming it into a 'Super Venice. ' The novel follows the lives of multiple characters living in the MetLife Tower, which has been adapted to withstand the flooding. It delves into themes of economic and social change, critiquing capitalism and unregulated financial systems while highlighting the resilience and adaptability of the city's inhabitants. The story involves various plotlines, including a search for missing residents, attempts to reform the global financial system, and the struggle for housing and resources in a post-climate catastrophe world.

#14489

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Orwell's Roses

Rebecca Solnit

Alexandre Gombau Arnau

In 'Orwell's Roses', Rebecca Solnit provides an insightful literary biography of George Orwell, focusing on his lesser-known love for gardening and nature. The book connects Orwell's political writing with his personal life, highlighting his cultivation of rose bushes at his English countryside cottage. Solnit also explores broader themes such as the labor movement's 'bread and roses' slogan, the symbolism of roses, and the intersection of aesthetics and ethics. The book is a blend of memoir, historical analysis, and literary criticism, offering a fresh and hopeful perspective on Orwell's life and work.

#8331

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

Half-Earth

Edward O. Wilson

In *Half-Earth*, Edward O. Wilson presents a compelling argument for setting aside half of the Earth's surface as natural reserves to combat the accelerating extinction of species. This ambitious plan aims to stabilize biodiversity and ensure the long-term survival of life on Earth. Wilson critiques piecemeal conservation efforts and emphasizes the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to protect ecosystems and species.

#13196

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

Gold Coast

Nelson De Mille

The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille is a novel that explores the intersection of old wealth and organized crime on Long Island's North Shore. Narrated by John Sutter, a Wall Street lawyer, the story delves into themes of social class, morality, and the decline of America's aristocracy. As Sutter becomes entangled with Frank Bellarosa, a powerful mob boss, the novel unfolds with suspense, humor, and intrigue.

#430

• Mentioned in 62 episodes

The Ministry for the Future

Kim Stanley Robinson

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.

#552

• Mentioned in 52 episodes

Debt

The First 5,000 Years

David Graeber

In this book, David Graeber argues that debt has a much longer history than money and that it has played a central role in shaping human societies. He debunks the myth of barter as the precursor to money, instead proposing that credit systems and debt were the primary means of trade. Graeber examines how debt has been used as a tool for social control, influenced law, religion, and politics, and has led to periodic crises and debtor revolts throughout history. The book also discusses the moral and social implications of debt, suggesting that the concept of debt is more complex than a simple economic transaction.

Kim Stanley Robinson discusses Real Utopian Futures.

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Shownotes

The reference page on Kim Stanley Robinson, his works, interviews, talks, etc. (including a discussion forum):

https://www.kimstanleyrobinson.info/

Robinson, K. S. (2020). The Ministry for the Future. Orbit Books.

https://www.orbit-books.co.uk/titles/kim-stanley-robinson/the-ministry-for-the-future/9780356508863/

Robinson, K. S. (2017). New York 2140. Orbit Books.

https://www.orbit-books.co.uk/titles/kim-stanley-robinson/new-york-2140/9780356508788/

Robinson, K. S. (1988). The Gold Coast. Macmillan.

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780312890377/thegoldcoast/

Blumenfeld, J. (2024). Managing Decline. Cured Quail, Vol. 3.

https://curedquail.com/Managing-Decline

Blumenfeld, J. (2022). Climate Barbarism. Adapting to a wrong World. Constellations, 30, 162–178.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8675.12596

the quoted Kohei Saito video:

https://youtube.com/shorts/WnvhD7p651M?si=SdfPftKOCJM6MS9j

the lecture in which Kim Stanley Robinson talks about “futurecide” and “preemptive capitulation”:

https://youtu.be/HpzXkpx29S4?si=PVlOE53Hj5-BZR5B

reporting on and summary of the talk:

https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/article/the-war-on-science-is-here-kim-stanley-robinson-says-its-just-the-beginning/

Löwy, M. (2005). What is Ecosocialism? Capitalism Nature Socialism, 16(2), 15–24.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10455750500108237

for an overview of the history and different schools of Ecomarxist/Ecosocialist theory:

https://www.historicalmaterialism.org/ecology-marxism-andreas-malm/

on Anna Kornbluh:

http://www.annakornbluh.com/

on Mass Extinction Events:

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-mass-extinction-and-are-we-facing-a-sixth-one.html

Dressler, A. (2025). You have 100 ‘Energy Slaves’. The Climate Brink.

https://www.theclimatebrink.com/p/you-have-100-energy-slaves

on the 30 by 30 Biodiversity Goal:

https://www.cop28.com/en/thought-leadership/The-30x30-Biodiversity-Goal-at-COP28

the International Maritime Organization:

https://www.imo.org/

on the ‘Half-Earth Project’:

https://eowilsonfoundation.org/what-is-the-half-earth-project/

Wilson, E. O. (2016). Half-Earth. Our Planet’s Fight for Life. Norton Books.

https://wwnorton.com/books/9781631492525

Pendergrass, D. & Vettese, T. (2022). Half-Earth Socialism. A Plan to Save the Future from Extinction, Climate Change and Pandemics. Verso.

https://www.versobooks.com/products/2650-half-earth-socialism

one of the many interviews/talks in which Kim Stanley Robinson talks about science fiction as the realism of our times:

https://youtu.be/p1wNhc46xjE?si=hOdKuwRQhef-9tLs

on the Turing Test:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test

on Neoliberalism attaching itself to demands of the New Left:

Boltanski, L. & Chiapello, E. (2018). The New Spirit of Capitalism. Verso.

https://www.versobooks.com/products/1980-the-new-spirit-of-capitalism

on Friedrich Hayek:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Hayek

Williams, R. (2015). Structures of Feeling. In: D. Sharma & F. Tygstrup (Ed.), Structures of Feeling. Affectivity and the Study of Culture (pp. 20-26).

https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110365481.20/html

on Keynesianism:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynesian_economics

Vogl, J. (2017). The Ascendancy of Finance. Polity Press.

https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=the-ascendancy-of-finance--9781509509294

Graeber, D. (2011). Debt. The First 5,000 Years. Melville House.

https://files.libcom.org/files/__Debt__The_First_5_000_Years.pdf

on Thomas Piketty:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Piketty

on Gabriel Zucman:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Zucman

on the ‘Zucman tax’: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/les-decodeurs/article/2025/09/23/zucman-tax-what-the-proposed-wealth-tax-would-mean-for-france_6745653_8.html

on Carbon Taxes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_tax

Sorg, C. (2023). Finance as a Form of Economic Planning. Competition & Change, 29(1), 17-37.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10245294231217578

Sarkar, S. (2024). The Carbon Coin. An Eco-Speculative Approach to Decarbonisation in Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future. Green Letters, 28(4), 297–310.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14688417.2025.2483998

A policy proposal on ‘Carbon Reward’ from the same researcher whose earlier policy work inspired the ‘Carbon Coin’ idea in The Ministry for the Future:

https://deltonchen.substack.com/p/new-economic-blueprint-for-resolving