Near Future Laboratory Podcast Julian Bleecker

Tobias and I have a tidy morning/evening conversation that revolves around the impact of Philip K. Dick's science fiction, particularly how his imaginative devices influence modern technological narratives. We talk about the ways he refers to and anticipates AI and other artifacts, of course there's a deep dive into the significance of the Minority Report's gestural interface created for the 2001 film adaptation, and how it has influenced real-world technological advancements.

What prompted this discussion was the recent release of the book Towards the Realm of Materiality: Designing Philip K. Dick's Non-Existing Technologies and Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the PKD book from an "adjacent now."

The question I have is this: what methods can be adopted in order to operationalize these science fiction themes into practical realities, with the aim of constructing a more habitable world using advanced design and speculative concepts.

Please consider supporting the podcast and joining the Near Future Laboratory community over on Patreon!



Exploring AI Imaginaries and Future Speculations

In this episode, we discuss the continuation of the AI magazine project and the upcoming season of the Super Seminar series. And then we jump into discussing the book in which Tobias has an essay about the philosophy and conceptualization of technology in Philip K. Dick's works, particularly focusing on the adaptive nature of everyday technology. We get into the production design and cultural impact of the 2001 film "Minority Report", based on the 1956 (!) PKD novella of the same name, emphasizing how media can shape and influence technological advancements.

00:00 Introduction and Recap
01:53 Discussion on AI and Philip K. Dick
05:17 Minority Report and Technological Vernacular
11:25 Speculative Design and Future Technologies
16:44 Cultural Impact and Future Visions
25:03 Breeze Punk and Green Transition

Near Future Laboratory Podcast Episode 90: Exploring Creative Worlds with Kyle Ng

Support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/nearfuturelaboratory


Join us at Detroit Imagines Harder: https://detroit.imaginesharder.com


$55 Gets You 4 Design Fiction Books (Plus Electronic Sheep Training Cards): https://shop.nearfuturelaboratory.com/products/the-manual-of-design-fiction-paperback

In Episode 90 of the Near Future Laboratory podcast, Julian Bleecker, founder of the Near Future Laboratory, sits down with Kyle Ng, creative director and founder of Braindead, to discuss his journey through creativity and innovation.

Kyle shares his experiences from a young age, detailing his diverse creative influences, from sports and punk rock to film and new media. He speaks about his brand evolution, beginning with Farm Tactics, and how he navigated the fashion world with a unique DIY ethos. We get into the importance of storytelling, building immersive worlds, and staying true to one's creative instincts.

00:00 Introduction
02:33 Upcoming Event: Detroit Imagines Harder
03:22 Design Fiction Books and Merchandise
04:03 Conversation with Kyle Ng Begins
04:10 Kyle Ng on Curiosity and Inspiration
08:25 Exploring Technology and Identity
16:44 Kyle Ng's Journey and Influences
22:43 Early Career and Creative Exploration
31:27 The Birth of Farm Tactics
32:54 From Biking to Business: Early Hustles
35:33 Scaling Up: From Local to Major Collaborations
37:41 The DIY Ethos and Business Growth
39:33 The Philosophy of Success and Failure
42:34 Brain Dead: Evolution and Expansion
48:03 Building Cultural Experiences
55:05 The Future Vision and Personal Anecdotes
57:55 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In Episode 089 I get into an in-depth conversation with guest Silvio Lorusso, a designer, artist, and writer based in Lisbon. Our discussion centers around the complex relationship between design, disillusionment, and the evolving role of design in society, as Silvio has articulated in his recent book 'What Design Can't Do', a critique of the rhetorical expectations placed upon design. We consider the future and past inspirations relevant to the field of Design and cover various facets of design culture, including the loss of material practices, the socio-economic impacts of design evolution, and the melancholic nostalgia among designers today. We bet into the cultural significance of memes, the backlash against crypto art, and the generational gap in the perception of technological advancements. We also get to share personal anecdotes from our professional experiences, and come to share a kind of hopeful aspiration mixed with skepticism towards the promises of modern design and technology. A fun conversation!

Please rate and write a review on whatever platform you're listening right now, and support this work over on Patreon!

Your support is meaningful and gratefully received. To get in touch, contact me over at Near Future Laboratory

Thanks for listening!

_Julian

A discussion with Dave Gray about our experiences creating communities that foster human connection, imagination, and possibility. We share our own approaches to building new kinds of ways of organizing human potential where people can explore ideas and practice creatively.

"What if school was a place where we could test our theories by creating prototypes, proposals, and provocations; where experiments were encouraged, where people could play, practice, and prepare for life and work?"

https://schoolofthepossible.com



See all of my podcasts over on https://nearfuturelaboratory.com/



Also, please support the podcast over on patreon.com/nearfuturelaboratory. Becoming a patron gets you access to the Near Future Laboratory Discord, and discounts on SuperSeminar.

Please also rate the podcast and write a review!



Thank you!



Julian

Taryn O'Neil and Tamara Krinsky are the creative force behind ⁠Scirens⁠, a creative team working at the intersection of science & storytelling, creative entertainment that encourages curiosity and imaginative thinking to shape a new vision for a rapidly changing world.

They recently produced the trailer for Arizona State University's Center for ⁠Science and the Imagination⁠'s ⁠Climate Action Almanac⁠.

You can see the trailer, called The Assignment over on Youtube.

Thank you to all my patrons who support this podcast and the work amongst the Near Future Laboratory's Discord community. Please consider supporting this work by becoming a Patron over at ⁠patreon.com/nearfuturelaboratory⁠.

If you're interested in the work we do and how we do it, you will find some useful references and tools over at ⁠https://shop.nearfuturelaboratory.com⁠

https://scirens.com/

https://www.climatealmanac.org/

https://csi.asu.edu/

This is a digest of the 3PM session of General Seminar Season 05 Episode 01 where we discuss possible futures in which AI is as normal, ordinary, and everyday as wheels on luggage and televisions we talk to.

General Seminar is Near Future Laboratory's platform for sense-making in which we excavate artifacts from possible futures rather than make predictions and prognostications. This is the Design Fiction approach to imagining into possible futures.

To learn more about General Seminar sign up for the Near Future Laboratory's newsletter at ⁠https://nearfuturelaboratory.com⁠ and see past General Seminars at ⁠https://generalseminar.com