In which Tobias and I converse about the release of the book 'Practices of Future Casting', the importance of events that gather thought leaders to spur creativity and career development in design and futures thinking, the compilation and production of the book, the value of speculative writing as a legitimate form of future making, the significance of in-person events for fostering impactful professional and creative relationships, the concept that imagination, like a muscle, must be exercised and integrated into both creative and professional contexts to drive meaningful change. We also ponder the challenge of replicating the studio environment digitally and stress that the embodied experience of shared physical spaces is vital for deep creative engagement.

Check out the book 'Practices of Future Casting': https://nearfuturelaboratory.com/library/2024/11/practices-of-futurecasting/

Check out our essay: https://nearfuturelaboratory.com/essays/2024/11/stories-to-imagine-alternate-futures/

Follow Tobias: https://tobiasrevell.com/

Support the podcast, join the community: https://patreon.com/nearfuturelaboratory

Phil Balagtas' book "Making Futures Work" is a comprehensive map of the work of futuring.

https://www.philbalagtas.com/

Learn how to get started with Futures Thinking. With this practical guide, Phil Balagtas, founder of the Design Futures Initiative and the global Speculative Futures network, shows you how designers and futurists have made futures work at companies such as Atari, IBM, Apple, Disney, Autodesk, Lufthansa, and McKinsey & Company.

This book demystifies the process of Futures Thinking into a language that's practical and useful for both designers and strategists. You'll learn about Strategic Foresight for using ideas about the future to anticipate and prepare for change; explore Speculative Design to deal with the relationship between science, technology, and humans; and Design Fiction to explore and critique possible futures.

Balagtas also shares stories from his journey to build a global community and describes how he works with clients to reshape the futures vocabulary. With this guide, you'll learn how to:

We discuss the challenges and triumphs of writing an all-encompassing book on futures practice, exploring the evolution of speculative design and the importance of imagination as a critical element in futures work. Phil shares his experiences from initial concept to publication, the personal and professional obstacles, and the intricate process of curating a methodologically rich and visually engaging text. We discuss the collaborative nature of futures work, the delicate balance of practicality and creativity, and the potential of immersive experiences to enhance learning and engagement in futures studies. Imagination, much like a muscle, needs to be exercised and nurtured through diverse techniques and collaborative efforts.

Please support the podcast by becoming a Patron over on https://patreon.com/nearfuturelaboratory which also gets you access to the Near Future Laboratory Discord server, a vibrant hub of engaged, thoughtful, creative generalists oriented towards creating more habitable near future worlds.

Please become a paid supporter over on Patreon. Your support helps keep the Podcast going and gets you membership in the Near Future Laboratory community on Discord.

A conversation with Troy Campbell who describes his journey from graduate school to becoming a professor and the Chief Scientist at On Your Feet, where he became passionate about the power of behavioral science.We talk about concepts like identity, memory, and mindset activation, and how they can be utilized across consumer, organizational, and personal contexts. Troy talks about how he fuses behavioral science with artistic practices like storytelling and applied improvisation. We also get into specific methods, such as using portals for easing transitions when imagining into possible futures, the kinds of warm-up activities that help foster creativity, and the importance of grounding ideas, understanding imperfections, and leveraging narrative to communicate effectively. Throughout we wonder about the interlinks between structured approaches and expansive creative exploration and how these in the right proportions can achieve meaningful, impactful, and wonderfully unexpected (innovative) outcomes.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-hiduke-campbell/

https://www.hidukehouse.com/

This is Episode N°093 of the Near Future Laboratory Podcast with filmmaker, director Gary Hustwit, the creative punk mind behind documentaries Rams, Helvetica and Objectified. We dive into his journey in independent filmmaking, his DIY ethos, and his bold ideas about storytelling in a digital world. Gary shares his approach to creating generative cinema—films that evolve and change with each viewing. We explore what it means to push against the boundaries of trad filmmaking, trad distribution, and the creative process. A deep and inspiring conversation about art, risk, and ways of imagining harder.

Read More 👉🏽 ⁠https://detroit.imaginesharder.com

Can you imagine your idea of the future of work, beyond Zoom calls from the beach?

• What is the Onboarding Guide for the Future of Work?

• What is the Resumé from the Future of Work?

• What does the equivalent of the ‘org chart’ look like?

Want to help create a reinvigorated future imaginary of what work could be? Want to try your hand at Design Fiction Worldbuilding?

Join me for Detroit Imagines Harder: Futures of Work, a 3-day Design Fiction Summit & Workshop held in real life in real Detroit.

Just a few spots left!

October 16-18, 2024.

Read More 👉🏽 https://detroit.imaginesharder.com

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