Month: May 2020

The Future Post-Covid19

As the pandemic continues, the future, or at least possible futures, seem to change with every passing day. Many commentators have noted that at such a time we have the opportunity to choose how we progress. We can decide to return to normal or we can choose a new direction. We have a chance to address issues such as inequality and healthcare but we can also tackle the biggest crisis we are likely to face: climate change. 

One of the key themes that returns to the futurists almost every month, though it is never expressly spoken about, is that the future is always up for grabs. We are constantly shaping what tomorrow will look like, whether this is a conscious decision or not. This is why talking about the future is so important. From our vantage point, anything is possible. 

In this podcast, the futurists team, Ahmed, Hannah, Ian, Caroline and Georgia discuss these important questions. We debate the pros and cons of the new NHSX app for tracking and tracing. We talk about how different approaches could advance our progress against climate change. We talk about how the pandemic has exposed inequalities within society. 

While we might not reach any particular conclusions within this podcast, we do hope to raise some interesting questions. Conversations about the future often start with “what if?” 

So, with that, here it is:

Podcast links

Archive.org page for the podcast and the direct download in mp3 format.

Links mentioned

NHSX

Inequalities

Environment

MCR Futurists lock down podcast with Chris Sizemore

Since the coronavirus has made getting together for our usual talk impossible, this month (April – we’re sorry we’re a little late!) we have decided to discuss our subject in a responsibly socially-distant manner. So, we are very proud to present the very first in a series of Manchester Futurists podcasts. 

Our guest this month was Chris Sizemore who has taken an interest in the notion of synthesized realities for a long time. The definition of synthesized realities is difficult to pin down but broadly speaking, a synthesized reality is constructed through a variety of synthesized means. So, a synthesized reality might include a visual component such as VR or AR, it might be purely auditory and geolocated to provide certain information at a certain point. 

Synthesized realities are already well established within our culture, whether we are aware of it or not. Literature, film and TV are often the best places to find examples but the most famous is probably The Matrix where the whole world has been fabricated. In these examples, the synthesized reality is often there to question what reality is or how people behave in different circumstances. Take a look at this compilation:

 

These synthesized realities are quite easy to spot and the characters are usually aware – at least in the end. But as the technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated there are real risks associated with synthesized realities. We should already be cautious about the information we trust on the internet but what happens when you just can’t tell whether a video is real or manipulated? 

In our podcast, we discussed all these ideas and more. As always, feel free to tweet us with your comments or raise some questions of your own @mcrfuturists 

Original meetup page

https://www.meetup.com/Manchester-Futurists/events/268861960/

Podcast links

Archive.org page for the podcast and the direct download in mp3 format.