How Fantasy Worlds Can Spark Real Change | Annalee Newitz | TED

Summary

The speaker explores the power of escapism in science fiction to inspire real-world change. They discuss the 501st Legion, a Star Wars fan group that uses cosplay for charity, and share their own experience creating a sci-fi character, Scrubjay, to advocate for public transit. The speaker also highlights the Emerald Tutu project, which uses nature-inspired design to combat coastal flooding. The talk encourages embracing imaginative stories to fuel creativity and solutions for societal issues.

Takeaways

• 📚 Escapist stories, like those about wizards and far-off planets, can provide a temporary respite from the world's problems and offer a new perspective on reality.
• 🌟 Science fiction can nourish our relationship with the truth and help us see the real world with fresh eyes, inspiring us to build a better world.
• 🎭 The 501st Legion, a group of Star Wars cosplayers, demonstrates how fandom can lead to positive real-world actions, such as charity work and community engagement.
• 🛡️ The origin of the 501st Legion's charity work began with fans helping each other afford costumes, eventually expanding to support broader communities.
• 🚂 The character Scrubjay, a sentient flying train from the novel 'The Terraformers,' represents the potential for science fiction to advocate for public transit and community services.
• 🌿 The Emerald Tutu, an engineering project inspired by the goblincore aesthetic, showcases how escapist aesthetics can lead to innovative solutions for environmental challenges like coastal flooding.
• 🌊 The effectiveness of the Emerald Tutu's design in reducing wave force was proven through tests at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Lab, highlighting the practical application of imaginative concepts.
• 🌱 The integration of nature into urban planning, as seen with the Emerald Tutu project, is an example of how escapist stories can inspire real-world solutions for environmental issues.
• 🌐 Escapist stories can help us reimagine our relationships with each other and our communities, encouraging us to engage more deeply with the world around us.
• 💭 The power of imagination in escapist stories is a crucial first step in creating change; it allows us to envision a different world and work towards making it a reality.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's talk about escapism and its impact?

The main theme is that escapist stories, such as science fiction and fantasy, can nourish our relationship with the truth and help us see the real world with fresh eyes, potentially leading to positive action in the real world.

Why does the speaker believe that reading about glamorous wizards can be beneficial?

The speaker believes that reading about glamorous wizards can be beneficial because it provides an escape that allows them to temporarily step away from their problems, which can ultimately help them face real-world issues with a refreshed perspective.

What role do the 501st Legion play in the speaker's narrative?

The 501st Legion, a group of Star Wars cosplayers, are highlighted as an example of how fans of escapist stories can re-engage with the real world through charity work, challenging the stereotype of fans who might otherwise isolate themselves.

How did the 501st Legion's charity work begin, according to the speaker?

The charity work of the 501st Legion began as a way to help members of their community who couldn't afford the materials needed for their costumes, and eventually expanded to support broader community needs.

What is the significance of the character Scrubjay in the speaker's science fiction novel?

Scrubjay, a sentient flying train, is significant because the speaker created them to explore themes of public transit and community, using the character to invite readers to value public transit and envision a future where it plays a crucial role in society.

Why did the speaker consult with the head of the Department of Public Transit in San Francisco?

The speaker consulted with the head of the Department of Public Transit in San Francisco to understand what trains would do for fun, as part of the creative process for developing the character Scrubjay.

What is the Emerald Tutu project mentioned in the script?

The Emerald Tutu is an engineering project designed to mitigate the effects of coastal flooding. It consists of a distributed network of floating gardens that act as a permeable barrier to dampen the force of storm waves.

How does the Emerald Tutu project connect to the concept of goblincore?

The Emerald Tutu project was inspired by goblincore, an escapist internet aesthetic that celebrates nature and a more organic, less industrialized world. This aesthetic influenced the team to think about using natural elements to address the problem of coastal flooding.

What lesson does the speaker draw from the example of the Emerald Tutu project?

The speaker suggests that the process of changing the world often begins with a fantasy or an imaginative vision, and that the Emerald Tutu project is an example of how an escapist aesthetic can inspire practical solutions to real-world problems.

What is the speaker's final call to action for the audience?

The speaker encourages the audience to hold onto the sense of infinite possibility that comes from escapist stories and to apply it in their own lives by getting involved in their communities and local projects to address issues like climate change.