Our Opinions Are Correct

Science fiction and fantasy are full of stories about the power of knowing someone's true name, from the Doctor on Doctor Who to the wizards in Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea. But why are names so important and powerful? And what do they tell us about the characters we love? Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

The nonology is over. Baby Yoda ate the internet. Fans are screaming about everything. How did Star Wars go from a campy space opera to a trigger for political conflict? We talk to guests Annalise Ophelian, director of the new Syfy documentary series Looking for Leia, and Elena Rose Vera, minister and activist, about the meaning of Star Wars in 2020. Shownotes here: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

The phrase "Pulp Fiction" brings to mind Quentin Tarantino's movie of the same name. But real-life pulp fiction is much stranger, and more colorful, than you ever realized. We talk to pulp historian and author Jess Nevins about the weird and sometimes problematic history of the pulps. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Scientific racism means using science to justify racist beliefs or ideas, and it has a long history. In this episode, we explore the origins of scientific racism, and how it's still affecting both evolutionary biology and fantastical stories about "other species" like the X-men's Homo superior or Underworld's vampires. Plus, we've got an interview with journalist Angela Saini, author of the recent book Superior: The Return of Race Science. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Everybody obsesses about A.I., nanotech, space travel and robots. But the technologies nobody pays much attention to could have an equally significant impact on our world. Like artificial wombs, smart toilets, new forms of public transportation, and new cleaning machines. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Speculative fiction writers talk endlessly about worldbuilding, which sounds like it ought to involve a near-infinite amount of drywall. What is worldbuilding? And why is it so important? Plus we talk to author K. Tempest Bradford about the Writing the Other workshops and her brand new genre, Pyramidpunk! Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Terminator: Dark Fate barely made a dent in the world of pop culture, despite the fact that Terminator 2 changed the course of blockbuster cinema back in 1992. What made this series so electrifying in the twentieth century, and what's different now? Why did the new Star Wars trilogy reboot succeed using the same formula that made Terminator: Dark Fate fail? Also, what are the kinds of robot uprising stories we'd like to see in 2019 and beyond? Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

The idea of the "rugged individual" is all over the place in science fiction--especially in the United States. Who is this loner hero, and why are there so many stories about how personal freedom is more important than the public good? We explore the idea of rugged individuals in science fiction, and talk about how this myth has shaped everything from how we make technology, to why we value privacy. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

We've all heard Arthur C. Clarke's third law, which states that sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic. What did Clarke mean by this, and how are people using his law to take the mystery out of fantasy stories? Plus we look at popular stories where magic is explained by science, including Star Wars and Dune. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Multiverses are everywhere lately, from superheroes to fantasy novels. But there's one huge downside to multiple realities: you can't change the past, and if you try, you just create a new universe. Also, we talk about The Future of Another Timeline, Annalee's brand new time-travel novel, in which there's only ONE universe, and everyone plays for keeps. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes