Perhaps shoes that don't explode and planes that don't nose dive?
That all seems right in line with your typical sci-fi dystopian worldview, though
Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
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Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#12“capitalism incarnates hyperstitional dynamics at an unprecedented and unsurpassable level of intensity, turning mundane economic ‘speculation’ into an effective world-historical force” "Hyperstition is a positive feedback circuit including culture as a component. It can be defined as the experimental (techno-)science of self-fulfilling prophecies. Superstitions are merely false beliefs, but hyperstitions – by their…
Not sure about that whole link but I find the idea very interesting. I often wonder how much of these things are self fulfilling prophecy since these large corps don't exactly have a large imagination and take from where they can.
Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#13In the novel Footfall by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, the government employs science fiction writers to help them understand the invading aliens and predict what they'll think and do.
The US Government convened Hollywood action film writers and producers to speculate on terrorist attacks they hadn't foreseen:
https://www.foxnews.com/story/army-looks-to-hollywood-for-sc...
Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#14In the novel Footfall by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, the government employs science fiction writers to help them understand the invading aliens and predict what they'll think and do.
My first thought was this book. But the book treated this idea almost tongue in cheek. (the writers in the book were treated like royalty) And as a teen I thought this was a good idea, but as an adult I feel this is a marketing gimmick. :P
Both Niven and Pournelle are part of the SIGMA Forum, which is a real-life consortium of science fiction writers who consult with the government. While the Pentagon and the White House have flirted with the concept over the years, they generally haven’t had any significant policy impact, SDI aside.
Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#15Perhaps shoes that don't explode and planes that don't nose dive?
Exactly. May be have good documentation, engineering practices and don't oversell a new model claiming "works exactly like the earlier model"?
actually I would like that for my running shoes, I live in fear that changing shoe model would re-trigger knee issues, and I almost would like to always buy the same shoes.
Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
My first thought was this book. But the book treated this idea almost tongue in cheek. (the writers in the book were treated like royalty) And as a teen I thought this was a good idea, but as an adult I feel this is a marketing gimmick. :P
Both Niven and Pournelle are part of the SIGMA Forum, which is a real-life consortium of science fiction writers who consult with the government. While the Pentagon and the White House have flirted with the concept over the years, they generally haven’t had any significant policy impact, SDI aside.
A humours note on SDI, I read somewhere there Reagan made this up almost on the spot (or it was only ever "discussed" nothing actually planned in meetings) and left people in his administration scrambling to explain what he was talking about. (ie, he "announced" the star wars system in 83' but SDI didn't even get started until 84')
Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#17In the novel Footfall by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, the government employs science fiction writers to help them understand the invading aliens and predict what they'll think and do.
The US Government convened Hollywood action film writers and producers to speculate on terrorist attacks they hadn't foreseen: https://www.foxnews.com/story/army-looks-to-hollywood-for-sc... https://www.wired.com/2007/03/foiled-by-foia-/
That gives a new meaning to "security theater."
Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#18... not just their training materials?
Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#19This is nothing new.
I know a number of other SF writers who are professional futurists, with selling books as their side hustle; others who do consulting gigs for industry from time to time. In general, corporations pay more than publishers …!
Re: Nike and Boeing Are Paying Sci-Fi Writers to Predict Their Futures
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
Exactly. May be have good documentation, engineering practices and don't oversell a new model claiming "works exactly like the earlier model"?
actually I would like that for my running shoes, I live in fear that changing shoe model would re-trigger knee issues, and I almost would like to always buy the same shoes.
Same for my hiking shoes. When some shoes work well, I buy several pairs out of fear of a new model replacing it.