Black Mirror’s pessimism porn won’t lead us to a better future | Louis Anslow

A new progressivism, one that embraces construction over obstruction, must find new allegories to think about technology and the futureBlack Mirror is more than science fiction – its stories about modernity have become akin to science folklore, shaping our collective view of technology and the future.Each new innovation gets an allegory: smartphones as tools for a new age caste system, robot dogs as overzealous human hunters, drones as a murderous swarm, artificial intelligence as new age necromancy, virtual reality and brain chips as seizure-inducing nightmares, to name a few. Episodes most often channel our collective anxieties about the future – or foment new ones through masterly writing, directing, casting and acting. It is a must-watch, but must we take it so seriously? Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2025-04-10 07:00:24 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Black Mirror’s pessimism porn won’t lead us to a better future | Louis Anslow"

What we're buying: 'Typeset in the Future'

This week, Senior Editor Kris Naudus takes a look at a book that will please both sci-fi nerds and design geeks. 'Typeset in the Future' explores the typography and design in science fiction movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek, and more. Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2019-07-01 17:45:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Talking to Neal Stephenson, Whose New Novel, ‘Fall,’ is at No. 14

“Unlike some of my hard science fiction books, such as ‘Seveneves’ — where I sweated the details of orbits, rocket engines, etc. — ‘Fall’ is meant to be read as more of a fable,” he says. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2019-06-28 09:00:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Samsung, AT&T work to turn science fiction into reality inside 5G Innovation Center

Samsung and AT&T recently opened their collaborative 5G Innovation Center to much fanfare. Here is what the two corporate behemoths are actually working on within the secretive walls of Samsung's multibillion-dollar facility in Austin. Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2019-06-26 15:45:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Mark Zuckerberg brushes off 'break up' during Facebook safety check

Facebook issued its latest report on enforcing decency standards on the social network Thursday, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the opportunity to criticize calls for the company to be broken up by regulators. In its "Community Standards Enforcement Report" posted online, Facebook provided... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-05-23 19:54:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Harry Potter’s magical moving portraits could become a reality thanks to Samsung’s AI

No invitation to Hogwarts required. When Harry Potter first comes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he is stunned to see the portraits that line the school’s storied stone walls move and talk. Thanks to artificial intelligence, that just might be a reality some day.Read Full Story Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2019-05-23 12:27:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Observation review: Old science fiction meets New Weird in this 2001: A Space Odyssey homage

The camera whirs into focus. Distorts. Whirs into focus again. Scanlines and static make the scene hard to process at first, but they slowly fade. There’s an astronaut here—Emma Fisher, one of your crew. She sounds worried. “That wasn’t good. SAM, run your self diagnostic procedure. What... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2019-05-21 14:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Inside Facebook's New Robotics Lab, Where AI and Machines Friend One Another

The social network has a plan to merge the worlds of artificial intelligence and real-world machines, so that both may grow more powerful. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2019-05-20 10:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Facebook Research is developing touchy-feely curious robots

As a social media platform with global reach, Facebook leans extensively on its artificial intelligence and machine-learning systems to keep the site online and harmful content off it (at least, some of the time). Following its announcement at the st... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2019-05-20 10:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

How AI and Natural Language Processing Can Increase the Speed and Quality of Publishing

For quite a few years, artificial intelligence seemed like just another buzzy term with vague implications on the publishing industry. But now, publishers are putting it into action. Through a range of applications, AI and natural language processing are being used by publishers to streamline... Continue reading at Publishing Executive

[ Publishing Executive | 2019-05-03 19:33:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Diversity in science fiction needs action now

Tom Hunter, director of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, explores how science and speculative fiction publishing is dealing with the growing demand for diverse work. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

How science fiction and fantasy can help us make sense of the world

Speculative writers flesh out our passing thoughts into complete, functioning societies and explore how they might unfold. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2019-04-18 09:22:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Orion lands virtual reality thriller from Briggs

Orion has landed an adult thriller by children’s writer Andy Briggs, set in the near future where virtual reality has taken a dark turn. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Teasdale joins Angry Robot

Watkins Media’s science fiction and fantasy imprint Angry Robot has hired a new commissioning editor, Eleanor Teasdale, who joins from literary agency Greene and Heaton. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Frankfurter Buchmesse Stages a Conversation on AI During SXSW

Taking a talk to Texas, the Frankfurter Buchmesse's Holger Volland will be in conversation with Martina Mara of the Austrian Council on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence during SXSW on March 10. The post Frankfurter Buchmesse Stages a Conversation on AI During SXSW appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Tomi Adeyemi, Janelle Monáe and Boots Riley among this year's Nebula Awards nominees

The finalists for the 2018 Nebula Awards, considered some of the most prestigious in science fiction and fantasy, were announced on Wednesday, with novelists Tomi Adeyemi and Justina Ireland, filmmaker Boots Riley and musician Janelle Monáe among the nominees. Adeyemi and Ireland were nominated... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Margaret Atwood announces The Handmaid's Tale sequel, The Testaments

Sequel to the Canadian author’s bestselling feminist dystopia will be published around the world in September 2019Margaret Atwood has announced a sequel to her bestselling feminist dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, titled The Testaments. It will be published in September 2019.“Dear Readers,”... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

First Scottish SFF literary festival to launch next summer

A new book festival for fans of fantasy, science fiction and horror is launching in Edinburgh next summer featuring authors including Scottish sci-fi writer Ken MacLeod and The Bone Season's Samantha Shannon. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

‘People, not tech’: Trade’s digital leaders optimistic for future

Voice and artificial intelligence are the most likely candidates to further disrupt the book business, according to the results of a survey of the book trade's most innovative, the FutureBook 40, conducted ahead of FutureBook Live, The Bookseller's publishing conference taking place on 30th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

47North scoops Charnock's near-future novel

Amazon Publishing’s science fiction and fantasy imprint 47North has signed the recent winner of the Arthur C Clarke Award, Anne Charnock, for a further novel, set in the “disturbing near-future”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

PW Picks: Books of the Week, October 22, 2018

This week: inside the golden age of science fiction, plus the epic drama of our atmosphere. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this