The science fiction genre offers us a medium to play out elaborate thought experiments to test our alternative realities, unrealised technological possibilities or even to offer distorting perspectives of our current predicament. Douglas Lain’s writings use science fiction devices to explore issues of alienation, artificial intelligence, automation, augmented reality, religion, revolution and how we might get to a post-capitalist future. Douglas Lain is the author of fiction novels such as Billy Moon(Tor Books. 2013), After the Saucers Landed (Night Shade Books. 2015) and Bash Bash Revolution(Night Shade Books. 2018), the collection of stories Last Weeks Apocalypse (Night Shade Books. 2006) and the editor of In the Shadow of the Towers (Night Shade Books 2015) and Deserts of Fire (Night Shade Books. 2016). He is also a publisher and podcaster, and can be regularly found vlogging and podcasting on radical thought, politics and contemporary culture. In this session we will draw predominantly on his science fiction writings, but relating it to his thought more generally. We will explore what revolution might look like in our contemporary media and technological landscape, and how science fiction might help us envision it.
This session was recorded as part of the Exploding Appendix Avant-garde Art Practice and Research Group on the 24th August to be a part of future events, visit our events page (www.explodingappendix.com/exploding-ap…ated-events/) or message me at explodingappendix@gmail.com.