Our Opinions Are Correct

The long-awaited movie of Frank Herbert's Dune is arriving in theaters this weekend. To celebrate, we're resurfacing one of our favorite episodes. Is Dune a white savior fantasy? A subversive eco-parable? To find out, we talk to Haris Durrani, author of an influential essay about Dune.

Why do healthcare and medical devices bring up so many fears about surveillance? We dive into the history of a scientific nightmare, and explore what early 20th century eugenics has to do with stories like Brave New World, Gattaca, and Made for Love. Plus we talk to journalist Maia Szalavitz about a secret algorithm that's preventing patients from getting pain medication when they need it most. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Lucifer just came to an end after six seasons, and to celebrate we're talking to showrunners Ildy Modrovich and Joe Henderson about all the ways this Satanic procedural was really all about therapy. Are you ready to self-actualize and embrace your true desires? Plus we talk about three of our all-time favorite stories about Satan, which show very different sides of the Prince of Darkness. Warning: spoilers for season six ahead! Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Science fiction and fantasy are the perfect genres for exploring what political uprisings might look like in the future, or an alternate present. We discuss Blake’s 7, a subversive 1980s TV series from the UK, and how it offers us a realistic portrait of political revolutionaries — flawed, dangerous, and full of hope. Claire Light (AKA Jadie Jang) also joins us to talk about her new novel, Monkey Around, about shapeshifters during the Occupy movement. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

One question has plagued both scientists and science fiction authors for centuries: Will humanity ever build artificial beings who are conscious the same way we are? Spoiler alert: No. But we may one day work alongside sentient robots. In this episode, we talk about the tests people have devised to see if a computer is self-aware, some of which are totally bonkers. We'll also talk to Chen Qiufan, co-author of the brand new book A.I. 2041. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Even when you're making up your own story, you still need to do tons of research. But the good news is, research is super fun. We talk about how to bring a dose of reality to your imaginary people and places. And we also discuss Charlie Jane's brand new book about how to write yourself out of the bad times! Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Have you noticed how hard it is to remember the past 18 months? You might be dealing with historical amnesia, the process by which we collectively forget traumatic events in the past. Storytelling is a major driver of historical amnesia -- in science fiction, and in political rhetoric too. We also talk to Ayanna Thompson, author of a new book called Blackface, about how people have forgotten the history of minstrelsy in the US -- and why that's a problem. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Gender essentialism is the idea that there is something eternal and innate about people's gender identities, and nothing can change that. Popularized during the 1970s, it affected how science fiction stories represented gender -- and it spawned new academic disciplines devoted to scientific misogyny. We talk about all this, and do a deep dive on the "What Women Want" franchise. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Loki has been one of the best characters in the Marvel movies for a long time — but what is his new TV show revealing about the God of Mischief? We delve into his character, and the neuroses that drive him. Plus we talk to Maria Konnikova, author of The Confidence Game and The Biggest Bluff, about what real-life con artists are like. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes  

Why are there so many science fiction stories about hive minds, or vast networks of interconnected brains, thinking together? In this episode, we discuss the pleasure and danger of merging consciousness with another person -- or a whole planet. Plus, we talk to Benjamin Rosenbaum (The Unraveling) and Elly Bangs (Unity) about hiveminds in their new novels! Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes