139 episodes

Explore the meaning of science fiction, and how it's relevant to real-life science and society. Your hosts are Annalee Newitz, a science journalist who writes science fiction, and Charlie Jane Anders, a science fiction writer who is obsessed with science. Every two weeks, we take deep dives into science fiction books, movies, television, and comics that will expand your mind -- and maybe change your life

Our Opinions Are Correct Our Opinions Are Correct

    • TV & Film
    • 4.9 • 331 Ratings

Explore the meaning of science fiction, and how it's relevant to real-life science and society. Your hosts are Annalee Newitz, a science journalist who writes science fiction, and Charlie Jane Anders, a science fiction writer who is obsessed with science. Every two weeks, we take deep dives into science fiction books, movies, television, and comics that will expand your mind -- and maybe change your life

    Episode 126: It's a Great Time to Read (and Write) Short Stories!

    Episode 126: It's a Great Time to Read (and Write) Short Stories!

    If you haven't read any short stories in a while, it's a great time to get back into them. A ton of truly excellent books of short speculative fiction came out recently, and wondrous new tales are appearing in magazines all the time. We talk about some of our favorite new books of short stories — and we offer some tips for writing some short fiction yourself.
    Works mentioned:
    All the Hometowns You Can't Stay Away From by Izzy Wasserstein
    Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, ed. Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Zelda Knight 
    New Suns 2, ed. Nisi Shawl
    White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link
    Falling in Love With Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson
    Drinking From Graveyard Wells by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu
    Lost Places by Sarah Pinsker
    Evil Flowers by Gunnhild Øyehaug
    The Wishing Pool by Tananarive Due
    Never Too Old to Save the World: A Midlife Calling Anthology, edited by Alana Joli Abbott and Addie J. King 
    Sunday Morning Transport
    Escape Pod Podcast
    Starship Sofa Podcast
    Asimov's Science Fiction 
    The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
    Analog Science Fiction
    Lightspeed Magazine
    Uncanny Magazine
    Strange Horizons
    Tor.com
    Clarkesworld Magazine
    NIghtmare Magazine
    Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

    • 45 min
    Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction, Part I

    Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction, Part I

    This is the first in a series of monthly episodes we’ll be doing about how Silicon Valley appropriates and misinterprets science fiction. Silicon Valley executives claim to be inspired by SF, but mostly they use it retroactively to justify their products, often missing the more complicated, nuanced ideas embedded in the original stories. Today we’re going to tackle the hype cycle around A.I., which borrows liberally from the post-scarcity, post-human visions of Iain M. Banks in his Culture novels. It’s time for … the Culture vs. ChatGPT!
    Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
     

    • 55 min
    Encore Episode: Four Technologies That Nobody Realizes Will Change the Future

    Encore Episode: Four Technologies That Nobody Realizes Will Change the Future

    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: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/2019/12/5/episode-46-four-technologies-that-nobody-realizes-will-change-the-future
     

    • 42 min
    Encore Episode: Gender Essentialism

    Encore Episode: Gender Essentialism

    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: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/2021/7/15/episode-88-how-gender-essentialism-warped-our-view-of-science

    • 48 min
    How to build a planet

    How to build a planet

    We're going to ask a few very small questions in this episode, like how to build a planet from scratch -- and then, how to build governments on that planet. What makes an imaginary world feel believable? Annalee explains what they did to research their new novel The Terraformers (coming out 1/31). Expect some gritty details about worldbuilding, moose romance, public transit, and making sure that every revolution has a core of joy.
    Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

    • 42 min
    Why We Disagree About Avatar

    Why We Disagree About Avatar

    Avatar: The Way of Water has already become one of the most successful movies of all time. This long-awaited sequel gives us a lot to think about — from the ongoing white savior narrative to an unexpectedly disturbing interstellar whaling industry. But when it comes down to how we feel about this movie, we disagree quite a bit.
    Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

    • 46 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
331 Ratings

331 Ratings

S Hipple ,

Great Writing Podcast

Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders really delve deep into so many different aspects of writing - world building, tropes, gender in writing, and that’s just the beginning. One of my favorite episodes is where they spoke with Fonda Lee about how fight scenes should be used to change a character (i.e., fight scenes are part of a character’s arc). This is an amazing podcast where they look into so many different aspects of writing, and they don’t shy away from harder topics like gender and race.

Highly recommended!

JBerry114 ,

My favorite podcast

This is my favorite podcast. I went back and binged every episode from the beginning. I’ve been fascinated by sci-fi and fantasy my whole life. I love listening to Charlie Jane and Annalee bring new meaning and understanding topics I’ve always thought about, and introduce me to new ideas I haven’t considered. Thank you so much for this amazing show!

ValancyStirling ,

Fun and informative

I love the hosts, guests, and topics! I grew up reading scifi and fantasy but never had the lens to look at the themes and tie it all back to the world I live in (at least until I get my own spaceship). The hosts are thoughtful and widely read, and they have a genuine love for the topic that shines through. Take a listen!

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