Our Opinions Are Correct

Forced Feminization and Cute Robots Feb 20, 2025

We're catching you up on all the movies we've been watching recently, from The Substance to The Wild Robot, and a few themes emerged. One is that there are an awful lot of feminists who are mad about being forced to be and act feminine. And the other is that cute robots might eventually destroy you. Enjoy! Show notes, as always, are here: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

No, We Don't Live in a F---ing Simulation! Feb 06, 2025

It's a fun thought experiment: what if the universe is a simulation, and nothing around us is real? But lately, some of the most powerful people in tech (and politics) have been saying they believe this is true. Why would they think that? To understand, we talk to Damien P. Williams at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Paris Marx, host of the Tech Won't Save Us podcast. Spoiler alert: anyone who'd trap us in a simulation would have to be a total sociopath.

Never Forget Where We Came From (with Tananarive Due and Nicola Griffith) Jan 23, 2025

History is on our minds lately. In this episode, we talk to two incredible authors who recreate history in their work. Tananarive Due draws on her own family's experience in her award-winning novel The Reformatory, while Nicola Griffith uncovers the secret history of medieval England in Hild and Menewood. We discuss researching history, and why understanding history is important to building the future. We had an incredible conversation with these two legends.

The Truth About Gigantic Objects in Space (with Sarah Parcak) Jan 09, 2025

From Ringworld to Rama, space is full of mysterious giant objects created by ancient civilizations. Do these gorgeous macrostructures bring poetry to the prosaic genre of space opera? Or do we love them for some other reason? Also, we talk to archeologist Sarah Parcak about space archeology and what it teaches us about ancient civilizations.

Encore Episode: Fascism and Book Bans (with Maggie Tokuda-Hall) Dec 26, 2024

Here's one of our favorite episodes from 2024 — it's about the mass psychology of fascism, plus how to fight book bans. We talk to friend of the pod Maggie Tokuda-Hall from the wondrous organization Authors Against Book Bans. We'll be back in two weeks with another brand new episode! Meanwhile, happy holidays! <3

Manufacturing loneliness Dec 12, 2024

Are we getting toxic messages from speculative fiction about what it means to be alone? We're tackling troubling tropes and eviscerating myths about where loneliness comes from. Later in the episode, we're joined by Peter Pomerantsev, a researcher who studies authoritarianism and propaganda. He’s the author of How to Win an Information War, and he offers us some tantalizing ideas about how to defeat fascist propaganda.

These Books Will Help You Get Through the Cold, Cold Winter Nov 27, 2024

The holidays are here once again, and that means one thing: time to stock up on books to help you get cozy and distract yourself from the cold weather (and the state of the world.) Here's our annual roundup of some of our favorite reads — both fiction and non-fiction. Happy reading!

Why Fantasy Is Going To Extremes (With Nghi Vo) Nov 14, 2024

Lately, it feels as though a lot of fantasy books come in two kinds: cozy, or extremely dark. During a scary time in the world, we seek either comforting sweetness, or violent catharsis. To find out more, we talked to Nghi Vo, whose recent books include The City in Glass and The Brides of High Hill. Plus we talk about how to include white characters in a story without centering whiteness.

10 Years After "Over the Garden Wall" Oct 31, 2024

We're taking a cozy, autumnal trip back in time to "peak television," when animation was truly feral and we had shows like "Over the Garden Wall." We'll talk about this otherworldly tale of singing frogs, sibling rivalry, and nice witches, as well as the ways that animation has changed since the mid-teens. Plus we talk to Michele Tracy Berger, author of the new horror story collection Doll Seed, about why being experimented on is so damn scary.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Every Town Deserves a Library (with Ken Liu) Oct 17, 2024

Science fiction and fantasy are full of wondrous libraries containing everything from powerful artifacts to some dang good reads. How does the idealized view of libraries in speculative fiction compare with the real-life libraries, which are under attack by would-be censors and culture warriors? Also, we talk to award-winning author Ken Liu about his brand new translation of the classic Daoist text, the Dao De Jing.

Shownotes and more info at https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

How to Raise the Stakes without Ruining Your Story Oct 03, 2024

It's time for some writing advice! We talk about how to raise the stakes in a story without wrecking it. What exactly do we mean by "stakes," anyway, and does raising them always involve some kind of plot twist? Later in the episode we talk to the creators and musicians behind the blog Women of Noise to learn more about the women who rule electronic music, and why there is an overlap between noise music and science fiction.

Shownotes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com

Science Fiction is a normalization machine (with Rob Cameron) Sep 19, 2024

Science fiction is great at helping people get used to strange concepts — or people — and making us see them as more "normal." But what does "normal" mean, and is it always a good thing? Later in the episode, we talk to Rob Cameron, author of the new novel Daydreamer, about writing neurodivergent characters.

When Fiction Becomes a Microaggression (with Evelyn Douek) Sep 05, 2024

When someone disrespects you in a subtle way, with plausible deniability, it can do just as much damage as overt bigotry. So we're talking about microaggressions — what they are, and how science fiction explores them but also perpetuates them. And later in the episode, we talk to Stanford professor Evelyn Douek about what's next for content moderation on the internet.

Encore Episode: Nationalism is science fiction, with Wajahat Ali Aug 22, 2024

In one of our favorite episodes from 2021, we talked to TV news commentator and author (and scifi fan!) Wajahat Ali about nationalism in science fiction. It's feeling relevant again. We'll be back in your feeds with brand-new episodes starting in two weeks!

Our Advice Is Correct Aug 08, 2024

Dearest Listeners, you asked us for advice, and now we've got the definitive answers! From writing and relationship questions, to concerns about the best way to alter the timeline, we tackle it all.

Dinosaurs and Furries, with Riley Black Jul 25, 2024

We're learning so much about dinosaurs lately — there are incredible new species, discoveries about how they had sex, and more detailed evidence about what happened during their final days on Earth. To find out more, we talk to Riley Black, author of the award-winning book The Last Days of the Dinosaurs. Riley also tells us about being a furry, and dispels some common misconceptions about furries.

Shownotes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Immigration law in space, with Victor Manibo Jul 11, 2024

What is the point of absurdist storytelling in a world that feels absurd? We talk about science fiction that gets silly, satirical, and weird -- and why we need it desperately. From The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to The Onion, we analyze absurdism as readers and writers. Then we're joined by Victor Manibo, author of the brilliant new novel Escape Velocity, who tells us about how his background in immigration law helped him write an anti-billionaire space opera.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Secrets of the Planet of the Apes with Josh Friedman Jun 27, 2024

The Planet of the Apes franchise spans decades and formats: it started as a French novel in 1963, and then jumped the Atlantic to become a long-running series of movies, TV shows, a cartoon, and even videogames. We talk about the politics of the story, and why some versions succeed while others fail. Then we're joined by Josh Friedman, who wrote Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and get some interesting backstory on the latest film in the franchise.

Shownotes: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Romancing the Dragon, with Moniquill Blackgoose Jun 13, 2024

We’re obsessed with dragons, and for good reason. These gigantic creatures soar through many cultures and genres — and they feel more relevant than ever today. We talk to author Moniquill Blackgoose about why, and discuss her Nebula-award winning novel To Shape A Dragon’s Breath. Then we have a completely non-awkward conversation about dragons and sex.

Shownotes are at: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Summer Entertainment Guide: What to Watch and Read this Summer! May 29, 2024

The summer entertainment season is upon us! Many of our favorite TV shows are back, and there are a few movies we're excited about as well. Not to mention a flood of truly incredible books by many of our favorite authors. Here's our select guide to the stuff we're most pumped about this summer, and all the latest trends in entertainment.

How Surveillance Dystopias Came True (with Wole Talabi) May 16, 2024

You are being watched. Pop culture used to be full of vivid warnings about Big Brother watching you. What does it mean that we're now under constant surveillance for real? Plus we talk to Wole Talabi about his new story collection Convergence Problems.

How to turn a story into a deadly weapon May 02, 2024

Psyops are used by the military against foreign enemies, but now these dangerous weapons of demoralization and chaos are being used in culture wars between Americans. In this episode, Annalee tells us about their new book Stories Are Weapons, a history of psychological warfare in the U.S. (yes, it includes scifi!) -- and an exploration of the ways people resist psyops and protect their communities from propaganda. Plus we answer questions from you, our beloved listeners!

Fascism and Book Bans (with Maggie Tokuda-Hall) Apr 18, 2024

Science fiction has been warning us about fascism for decades — so why haven't we listened? How did Nazis become just another monster in our stories, like werewolves or cyborgs? Plus we talk about the new wave of book censorship with Maggie Tokuda-Hall, co-founder of the new organization Authors Against Book Bans. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

The Turing Test is bullsh*t (w/Alex Hanna and Emily M. Bender) Apr 04, 2024

We're talking about the Turing Test, the grandmother of all tests for AI sentience. Joining us are AI researchers Alex Hanna and Emily M. Bender, hosts of the Mystery AI Hype 3000 podcast. We discuss why the Turing Test is so influential in both fiction and reality – and why it is completely wrong. Later in the episode, we’ll talk about another thing that humans got wrong when it comes to non-human intelligence: dog breeding.

Queer Horror! (with Dr. Chuck Tingle) Mar 21, 2024

It's a scary time for LGBTQIA+ folks — and many of us are turning to horror stories that take our real-life terrors and make them even more monstrous. To find out why, we talk to Dr. Chuck Tingle, the author of Camp Damascus and Bury Your Gays, and we geek out about why queers love to be scared. Also, we talk about horror movie soundtracks — and the 1970s prog rock experiment that changed horror movie music forever.

Shownotes: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Videogame movies are officially better than comic book movies Mar 07, 2024

At last, videogame movies have defeated comic book movies. We learn about why from Evan Narcisse, who writes for comic books and videogames, as well as being a journalist and critic. Then we rant about why so many people are obsessed with psychoanalyzing villains, and are flocking to stories that reveal the innermost traumas of bad guys. Why do we keep humanizing awful people? It's a problem.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Encore Episode: Let's Obsess Over the Politics of Dune! Mar 04, 2024

The long-awaited Dune sequel is in theaters now — and it's a huge hit. To celebrate, we're resurfacing one of our favorite episodes from the past. Is Dune a white savior fantasy? A subversive eco-parable? To find out, we talk to Haris Durrani, author of an influential essay about Dune.

We Don't Give a F*ck About Canon Feb 22, 2024

Science fiction and fantasy fans love to argue about canon — both meanings of the word. Which stories in a fictional universe really "happened"? Which stories deserve to be enshrined as the best of the genre? We don't think either of those things is worth yelling about! Also, did you know that tsunamis can happen in lakes, rivers and even creeks? We talk to Aggeliki Barberopoulou with the USC Tsunami Research Center to learn more...

The world's humblest heroes, from plumbers to tardigrades Feb 08, 2024

Inspired by The Super Mario Bros Movie, we're talking about a humble class of heroes whose lives are devoted to infrastructure maintenance and repair. There are heating engineer rogues and space janitors and, of course, plumbers. Later in the episode we’ll head down to Antarctica, where our guest Ariel Waldman spent her summer vacation studying the environment and the tiny creatures who live there – including tardigrades, the world’s greatest microscopic animals!

Encore Episode: The Incredibly Strange Career of Anne Rice Jan 25, 2024

Anne Rice is best-known for her Vampire Chronicles, which began in the 1970s with her novel Interview with the Vampire. But did you know she also wrote bestselling BDSM erotica and two novels about Jesus? In this episode, we do a deep dive into Rice's strange career, including that time she unleashed her fans against Tom Cruise. We also discuss the fantastic new Interview with the Vampire series.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Encore Episode: Science Fiction Keeps Trying To "Fix" Disabled People with Elsa Sjunneson Jan 11, 2024

Science fiction and fantasy are full of portrayals of disabled bodies, some of which are nuanced and positive, and many of which... aren't. Join us as we talk about disability tropes and the realities of disabled life with Elsa Sjunneson, author of the brand new book Being Seen. Plus we answer reader questions from our Patreon!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Alien ecosystems and the algae menace Dec 28, 2023

All of us live embedded in webs of life known as ecosystems, and that can get pretty creepy -- or astonishingly beautiful. Inspired by the mind-blowing new animated series Scavengers Reign, we're talking about some of the best examples of alien ecosystems in science fiction. Then we dive into some real-life ecosystems on Earth, and reveal two important ways that scientists study environmental changes. Along the way, you'll find out why algae is literally sucking the life out of coastal ecosystems. Plus, shouldn't salt marsh grass have rights?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

How Doctor Who Stood the Test of Time Dec 14, 2023

How does Doctor Who remain cool after sixty years? By constantly updating and reinventing itself. We've been loving David Tennant's triumphant return, and we're so pumped for Ncuti Gatwa. But we're wondering... are there lessons from Doctor Who's longevity that could apply to other venerable series and universes? Heck yeah, there are. Allons-y!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 142: Books That'll Get You Through The Winter Months Nov 30, 2023

There's no company as soothing as a good read when the days get shorter and the air gets colder. So here's our annual list of recent books that'll help get you through those nasty winter months. (Or if you're listening to this in the Southern hemisphere, here are some summer beach reads!) The good news? We're lucky to have a wealth of amazing reads right now.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 141: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Zines Nov 16, 2023

Zines are DiY publications that grew to prominence in the early twentieth century scifi fan community, then morphed into a punk subculture in the 70s and 80s ... and now they're back! We talk with two guests who take us deep into the history and future of zines: Lynn Peril, who created the iconic zine Mystery Date in the 1990s, and Lawrence Lindell, author of the new graphic novel Blackward, about queer Oakland teens who organize a Black zine fest.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 140: Silicon Valley is doomed to misunderstand the future, with Dr. Joy Buolamwini Nov 02, 2023

Silicon Valley markets itself as the place where futures are born, and yet tech corporations have no real understanding of where our civilizations are headed. We are wrapping up our Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction series with some final thoughts on why this might be. Then we talk to AI developer, ethicist, and poet Dr. Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League and author of a new book called Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 139: How To Write About Violence (with Fonda Lee and Lauren Beukes) Oct 19, 2023

Battles and smackdowns are a key part of many science fiction and fantasy stories — but how do you do them right? Do you have an obligation to show the cost of violence? And what does a good fight scene look like? To find out, we talked to authors Fonda Lee and Lauren Beukes. (Note: This episode was recorded Sept. 23 at Rose City Comic Con in Portland, OR.)

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 138: Battlestar Galactica, 20 Years Later Oct 05, 2023

One of the greatest science fiction shows on TV debuted twenty years ago: the rebooted version of Battlestar Galactica. This show broke new ground in depicting realistic politics — and a nuanced view of a society of artificial people. How does it hold up? To find out, Charlie Jane went back and watched the entire series — here's what she found.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 137: The Creativity Fallacy Sep 21, 2023

What does it mean to be a creator at a time when creativity is completely commodified? We’ll talk about the status of the author, and how audiences have idealized artists while also celebrating the so-called death of the author and rise of the reader. We’ll talk about how AI converts our minds into apps, and also why the intentional fallacy blew up the literary world in the 1940s! Later in the episode we’re joined by Mary Anne Mohanraj, an author and professor of literature at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who tells us about using AI in the college classroom.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 136: Who Wants to Live on an Eyeball Earth? With Aomawa Shields Sep 07, 2023

We've learned so much about the planets outside our solar system in the past ten years, and we're poised to learn even more. What kind of life could live on eyeball Earths, and other types of tidally locked worlds? To find out, we asked Aomawa Shields, astrophysicist and author of the science memoir Life on Other Planets. Plus Aomawa talked to us about why burnout is such a huge problem for Black women in STEM.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 135: The Myth of Free Speech Aug 24, 2023

Tech companies love to trumpet about how their products are free speech machines. But how can we have free speech when we don't have freedom? That's what we're asking in today's episode, the latest in our Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction series. We take a deep dive into 1984, the science fiction novel that started a lot of today's discourse about speech and authoritarianism. And of course, we talk about the company formerly known as Twitter, and much more!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Encore Episode: Work Is Not Your Friend, with Alan Henry Aug 10, 2023

People have been paid for labor for at least 5,000 years, but the modern 'workplace' is a pretty recent invention. We look at how science fiction has dealt with the transformation of labor — plus we talk to Alan Henry, author of the new book Seen, Heard and Paid.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Encore Episode: We're in the wrong timeline, with Connie Willis and R.F. Kuang Jul 27, 2023

We've all been feeling like something is wrong with the timeline. In this episode, we ask what alternate history, fake history, and secondary world history can teach us about the present. Does exploring the past in fiction help us learn from history or are we doomed to repeat it? History-obsessed authors Connie Willis (Blackout, Doomsday Book) and R.F. Kuang (The Poppy War) offer their thoughts too. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 134: The State of the Galaxy Jul 13, 2023

It's time for our state of the galaxy address. We’ll be talking about how humans figured out that we are living in a galaxy, and how science fiction represents other galaxies. We're also joined by Molly Peeples, an astronomer with the Space Telescope Science Institute and Johns Hopkins University, who studies where galaxies come from, and what they’re actually made of.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 133: Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction: Ayn Rand Jun 29, 2023

One science fiction author has influenced the leaders of the tech industry more than any other: Ayn Rand, who preached radical selfishness in Atlas Shrugged and the Fountainhead. How has Rand's vision shaped the technology we use today? To find out more, we talk to philosopher Matt Zwolinski and author Matt Ruff.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 132: A Sense of Place with Jessica Johns Jun 15, 2023

Sometimes, a story is set in a place that isn't just a location. It's a character. How do places come alive? We discuss hauntings, homelands, and what it means to write a landscape that is more than backdrop. Joining us is Jesscia Johns, author of Bad Cree, to talk about how place figures into her novel about a monster who stalks Treaty 8 territory in Alberta, Canada. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 131: The State of Star Trek, with Mike McMahan Jun 01, 2023

Star Trek is back in a big way: we've had three live-action TV shows and two animated shows recently, with more stuff on the way. But what does Star Trek mean to us now? And what do we want from Star Trek today? To get deeper into these questions, we did a mind meld with Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 130: What to Watch and Read This Summer! May 18, 2023

Summer is almost here, and there's no shortage of amazing books, movies and TV shows to read by the pool. (Or wherever you consume your entertainment. We don't judge.) How can you make sense of all these options? We have you covered. Here's our totally correct guide to all the best science fiction and fantasy to check out!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 129: Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction: Smart Home Nightmares May 04, 2023

Ten years ago, Silicon Valley promised us smart houses that would light rooms as we walked into them, turn on the music, and do our shopping. And it never happened. We talk about how the smart home has its roots in Charlie Chaplin movies, sewing machines, and home economics classes. Guest Jacqui Cheng, former editor-in-chief of gadget guide Wirecutter, joins us to us to discuss the culture of smart home electronics.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 128: Dungeons & Dragons Gets Cozy Apr 20, 2023

Games are packed with astounding worldbuilding, and Dungeons & Dragons is perhaps the worldbuildiest of all. We take a deep dive into the game’s transformation from from a Satanic threat in the 1980s, to a wholesome, cozy world that has inspired a swashbuckling new movie and adorable novels like Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes. And then we’re going to talk about worldbuilding in Charlie Jane’s Unstoppable trilogy. The third and final book, Promises Stronger than Darkness, came out this month!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 127: Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction: "Difficult Geniuses" Apr 06, 2023

When tech whizkids are caught behaving badly, they're just being "brilliant jerks." And the figure of the charismatic-but-bratty genius inventor is everywhere these days. We look at how the isolated, tormented mad scientist in science fiction evolved into the sexy asshole that everyone wants to be. And we talk to Christopher Cantwell, co-creator of Halt and Catch Fire and recently writer of the Iron Man comic, about how Tony Stark has changed.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 126: It's a Great Time to Read (and Write) Short Stories! Mar 23, 2023

If you haven't read any short stories in a while, it's a great time to get back into them. A ton of truly excellent books of short speculative fiction came out recently, and wondrous new tales are appearing in magazines all the time. We talk about some of our favorite new books of short stories — and we offer some tips for writing some short fiction yourself.

Works mentioned:

All the Hometowns You Can't Stay Away From by Izzy Wasserstein

Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, ed. Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Zelda Knight

New Suns 2, ed. Nisi Shawl

White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link

Falling in Love With Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson

Drinking From Graveyard Wells by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu

Lost Places by Sarah Pinsker

Evil Flowers by Gunnhild Øyehaug

The Wishing Pool by Tananarive Due

Never Too Old to Save the World: A Midlife Calling Anthology, edited by Alana Joli Abbott and Addie J. King

Sunday Morning Transport

Escape Pod Podcast

Starship Sofa Podcast

Asimov's Science Fiction

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

Analog Science Fiction

Lightspeed Magazine

Uncanny Magazine

Strange Horizons

Tor.com

Clarkesworld Magazine

NIghtmare Magazine

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 125: Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction: ChatGPT Mar 09, 2023

This is the first in a series of monthly episodes we’ll be doing about how Silicon Valley appropriates and misinterprets science fiction. Silicon Valley executives claim to be inspired by SF, but mostly they use it retroactively to justify their products, often missing the more complicated, nuanced ideas embedded in the original stories. Today we’re going to tackle the hype cycle around A.I., which borrows liberally from the post-scarcity, post-human visions of Iain M. Banks in his Culture novels. It’s time for … the Culture vs. ChatGPT!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Encore Episode: Four Technologies That Nobody Realizes Will Change the Future Feb 23, 2023

Everybody obsesses about A.I., nanotech, space travel and robots. But the technologies nobody pays much attention to could have an equally significant impact on our world. Like artificial wombs, smart toilets, new forms of public transportation, and new cleaning machines.

Show notes: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/2019/12/5/episode-46-four-technologies-that-nobody-realizes-will-change-the-future

Encore Episode: Gender Essentialism Feb 09, 2023

Gender essentialism is the idea that there is something eternal and innate about people's gender identities, and nothing can change that. Popularized during the 1970s, it affected how science fiction stories represented gender -- and it spawned new academic disciplines devoted to scientific misogyny. We talk about all this, and do a deep dive on the "What Women Want" franchise.

Show notes: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/2021/7/15/episode-88-how-gender-essentialism-warped-our-view-of-science

Episode 124: How To Build A Planet Jan 26, 2023

We're going to ask a few very small questions in this episode, like how to build a planet from scratch -- and then, how to build governments on that planet. What makes an imaginary world feel believable? Annalee explains what they did to research their new novel The Terraformers (coming out 1/31). Expect some gritty details about worldbuilding, moose romance, public transit, and making sure that every revolution has a core of joy.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 123: Why We Disagree About Avatar Jan 12, 2023

Avatar: The Way of Water has already become one of the most successful movies of all time. This long-awaited sequel gives us a lot to think about — from the ongoing white savior narrative to an unexpectedly disturbing interstellar whaling industry. But when it comes down to how we feel about this movie, we disagree quite a bit.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 122: The Incredibly Strange Career of Anne Rice Dec 29, 2022

Anne Rice is best-known for her Vampire Chronicles, which began in the 1970s with her novel Interview with the Vampire. But did you know she also wrote bestselling BDSM erotica and two novels about Jesus? In this episode, we do a deep dive into Rice's strange career, including that time she unleashed her fans against Tom Cruise. We also discuss the fantastic new Interview with the Vampire series.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 121: Books to Devour This Winter Dec 15, 2022

The winter holidays are coming up, and it's a great time to hide away with a stack of books. Good thing we've got you covered! Here's our roundup of our favorite recent books, including some you probably haven't heard much about yet. Plus we geek out about the themes and common ideas we've been seeing in the books we've read in 2022. Get ready to grow your TBR pile!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 120: Who Owns Epic Fantasy? Dec 01, 2022

Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy supercharged the genre of epic fantasy, giving rise to countless stories of heroic quests in settings that looked like Medieval Europe. How do we expand the map of heroic fantasy so it includes everybody who was marginalized, or left out completely, in those tales? Plus we talk to Tolkien scholar Helen Young about the racist backlash against the new TV show Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 119: The Myth of Progress with Brad DeLong Nov 17, 2022

One of the most cherished tropes in science fiction is the idea that technology, science, and civilization are always getting better -- and the future will be wealthier and fancier than the present. Call it the myth of progress. We explore where the myth comes from, and how it influenced scifi authors from HG Wells to NK Jemisin. Plus we’re joined by economist Brad De Long, whose new book Slouching Towards Utopia is all about economic progress in the twentieth century – and why that progress stopped in 2010.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 118: F*ck Your Space Empire! with Naseem Jamnia Nov 03, 2022

Classic science fiction wears its love of colonialism on its sleeve, from heroic explorers to space empires that keep the peace. Why are empires such a major part of the genre, and how do we break free? Plus we talk to Naseem Jamnia about their new book, The Bruising of Qilwa.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Encore Episode: The Bomb is Back (Again) Oct 20, 2022

Fears of nuclear war are in the news again. We revisit a 2019 episode about how science fiction has dealt with atomic weapons, and how twenty-first century writers will represent the dangers of nuclear war.

Shownotes: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/2019/2/28/episode-26-the-bomb-is-back

Episode 117: What Makes a Story Feel "Fast" Or "Slow"? Oct 06, 2022

People talk about "pacing" all the time when it comes to storytelling — but what does "pacing" mean? How do you make a story feel like it's moving faster or slower, and why does this matter? And how do you figure out what pace your own story needs to move at?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 116: Water Disasters Sep 22, 2022

Floods. Sea level rise. Superstorms. Droughts. All over the planet, people are being hit by disasters caused by too much water or not enough, and it's only going to get worse. We talk about why science fiction has been focused on water disasters for over a century, from Princess of Mars to Dune and Mad Max: Fury Road. We're also joined by flood geologist Kyle House, who tells us about ancient floods -- and the recent one that inundated his neighborhood in Arizona.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 115: Therapy, Good And Bad, with Theo Germaine Sep 08, 2022

It's time to get some therapy, with some help from speculative fiction. In this special live recording from WorldCon, we talk to actor/creator Theo Germaine about fictional therapists (good and evil), and what makes a story therapeutic. Plus, we discuss their recent scary therapy movie They/Them, as well as their role in the show "Work in Progress." Can a story actually heal us? And what happens when stories hurt us instead?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 114: Damnation Arcs Aug 25, 2022

We hear a lot about redemption arcs, but what about damnation arcs, where characters go darkside? In this episode, we talk about the "villain's journey," or the tropey route followed by characters like Anakin Skywalker on his trip to Darth Vader-hood. But what happens when the script is changed, and characters hover between hero and villain? Neon Yang, author of The Genesis of Misery and the Tensorate series, joins us to talk about how to feels to turn a character bad.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 113: Let's Get Sweetweird! Aug 11, 2022

Recently Charlie Jane came up with a new term for stories she's been enjoying: Sweetweird. What does this mean, and is it a subgenre or an aesthetic? And also, why do we enjoy inventing and debating new genre terms so much?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 112: Plastic Problems, with William Gibson Jul 28, 2022

Plastic was once a symbol of our shiny future, and now it represents our trashed, polluted present. What's the future of this fossil-fueled polymer? We talk about what makes plastic so scary -- in science and fiction. And then we call up William Gibson, who has thought a LOT about plastic, in fiction and real life.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 111: Escape Into Musicals, with Laser Jul 14, 2022

Musicals transport us to another world through song and dance — but how can we use their otherworldly power to tell stories about robots and monsters? To find out, we talk to playwrights MJ Kaufman and Reina Hardy. Plus Laser from the Doubleclicks tells us about their new musical, Teaching a Robot to Love!

Topics discussed:

Our formative memories with Xanadu and Can't Stop the Music

The roots of musicals in comic opera and burlesque

The wonder of director/choreographer Kenny Ortega

MJ Kaufman and Reina Hardy talk musicals and escapism

Laser explains the origins of Teaching a Robot to Love

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 110: The Future of Pizza! And Other Listener Questions Jun 30, 2022

In this special episode, we answer questions from our wondrous Patreon supporters. We discuss how to write convincing non-human characters, where people will live in 10,000 years, and why Dungeons & Dragons has become so popular. Plus why we love Canada!

Shownotes: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 109: Work Is Not Your Friend, with Alan Henry Jun 16, 2022

People have been paid for labor for at least 5,000 years, but the modern 'workplace' is a pretty recent invention. We look at how science fiction has dealt with the transformation of labor — plus we talk to Alan Henry, author of the new book Seen, Heard and Paid.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 108: How Science Fiction Sold Us the Automobile Jun 02, 2022

Cars have made our lives better in many ways, but they also kill a lot of people and damage the environment. Science fiction has worked hard to help us fall in love with the automobile, to the point where we can't imagine a future without it. Why do most of our favorite stories celebrate cars? And how can we break free from these car-centric narratives?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 107: Academia, Dark and Light May 19, 2022

Why has darkness descended upon the university? We talk about the dark academia aesthetic, from Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" to the show "Dear White People." What defines this aesthetic, and how does it shed light on current traumas within the academy? Also -- why is it so gay? Academic Ana Quiring joins us to discuss all this and more.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Encore Episode: The Future Of Birth Control May 12, 2022

With the U.S. Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark court case that made abortion legal in this country, our future is looking very different. In this encore episode, we talk about the future of reproductive rights -- our hopes and our fears.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 106: Waking up from the Illusion of Change May 05, 2022

Nothing is ever permanent in pop culture: people die and come back to life all the time, huge changes get retconned, and Spider-Man is always a young guy who's just starting out. Why are we stuck with the "illusion of change," and what happens when this goes on for several decades? And how do we find a way to move forward?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 105: Ghosts of the Cold War Apr 21, 2022

Paranoia’s back, baby. We talk about two Cold War obsessions — space combat and brainwashing — and how they’ve returned in a big way. Cold War tropes are haunting our science fiction and dominating political discourse in the United States. Why now?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 104: Action Princesses! Apr 07, 2022

Princesses used to be helpless damsels, but these days they're more likely to pick up a sword than wait to be rescued. Why do we love princesses who fight back? Does it have something to do with our hang-ups about femininity? Plus we talk about Charlie Jane's new book Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 103: What Are Animals Trying To Tell Us? with Arielle Duhaime-Ross Mar 24, 2022

Humans have been trying to communicate with non-human animals for thousands of years. We have stories about magical talking animals, and tales of scientists who use technology to turn wild dolphins into friendly co-workers. What do these stories say about us, and what happens when we try to make them come true? Also, science reporter Arielle Duhaime-Ross joins us to talk about their latest podcast, which is all about teaching apes to use sign language.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 102: Money Is a Fantasy Mar 17, 2022

Why is it so hard to imagine money being different in the future? We talk about the problem of money in science fiction, the ancient history of spade coins, and cash that spies on you. Plus, we're joined by guest Stacy Marie Ishmael, managing editor for crypto at Bloomberg News, to talk about where money is headed in the future. Watch out for Bitcoins!

Encore Episode: Has JK Rowling destroyed Harry Potter fandom? Mar 10, 2022

JK Rowling has become an anti-trans activist on social media. This news has sent Harry Potter fandom -- always full of queers and trans people -- into mourning. We talk to author/publisher (and longtime Slytherin) Cecilia Tan about how to ignore Rowling and take back Harry Potter.

Episode 101: Hell Yeah, We Want To Change the Timeline Feb 24, 2022

Many people claim that if you traveled back in time, you could never succeed in changing the past---but our favorite time travelers break that rule. Why is it so fun to rewrite history? To find out, we talk to Keto Shimizu, showrunner of Legends of Tomorrow, and Terry Matalas, showrunner of Star Trek: Picard.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 100: Journalist Superheroes Feb 10, 2022

Science fiction is full of heroic journalists, and the real-life world of journalism is filled with people who have been deeply influenced by ideas from science fiction. In this episode, we talk about the love affair between Superman and muckrakers — and the deep connection between cyberpunk and media criticism. Plus, how did the 1970s movie Network predict memes and cable news?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 99: Gender Is Magic in the Wheel of Time, with C.L. Clark Jan 27, 2022

The Wheel of Time is one of the biggest fantasy shows of all time, and now it's a huge TV show. How does the TV version handle the rigid gender divisions of the books? And how do the show's characters challenge gender stereotypes? To get some answers, we talk to C.L. Clark, Wheel of Time fan and author of The Unbroken.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 98: Will the United States Survive Another 50 Years? We Ask Jamelle Bouie Jan 13, 2022

The United States is growing more dysfunctional, and it's increasingly obvious that our political systems are designed to fail. Can we continue to exist as a unified country for another fifty years? Or will our future look like the Hunger Games, with an unrecognizable USA? To find out, we asked New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Bonus Episode: The future of farming with Armando Elenes Jan 06, 2022

This week we're bringing you an episode of Deep Futures, a podcast hosted by Annalee and produced by Campside Media and Mailchimp. In this episode, Annalee talks to United Farm Workers organizer Armando Elenes about unionizing essential workers -- and what he hopes the future holds for farm workers and union labor. You can find more episodes of Deep Futures wherever you get your podcasts!

Encore Episode: Why Science Fiction Needs Romance Dec 30, 2021

We're still on hiatus until the new year, so here's one of our favorite episodes from the past. Romance and science fiction have always been closely connected, but lately some of the best SF writing is in the romance genre. We talk to Alyssa Cole, author of the A.I. Who Loved Me, about the love affair between SF and romance.

https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/2020/5/7/episode-56-why-science-fiction-needs-romance

Bonus Episode: The future of crime solving with Dr. Raychelle Burks Dec 23, 2021

This week we're bringing you an episode of Deep Futures, a podcast hosted by Annalee and produced by Campside Media and Mailchimp. In this episode, Annalee talks to chemistry professor Raychelle Burks about forensics -- and how we'll use chemistry to solve murders in the future. You can find more episodes of Deep Futures wherever you get your podcasts!

Episode 97: The internet is still weird, with Vinny Thomas Dec 16, 2021

Sometimes the internet feels like a bubbling cauldron of scum, but it can still make us laugh. Joining us to talk about humor in the social media age is comedian Vinny Thomas, whose video bits skewering science fiction and animal biology are wildly popular on Twitter. We talk about internet humor fails, why comedy is always political, and which non-human animals are secretly mocking us.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Bonus Episode: The Future of Cities with Sarah Parcak Dec 09, 2021

This week we're bringing you an episode of Deep Futures, a podcast hosted by Annalee and produced by Campside Media and Mailchimp. In this episode, Annalee talks to archaeologist Sarah Parcak about the deep history of Egyptian urbanism and the future of cities. You can find more episodes of Deep Futures wherever you get your podcasts!

Encore Episode: Social Media Must Die! Dec 02, 2021

Social media has become one of the biggest problems of our time, so we decided to re-up one of our favorite episodes from the past. How does science fiction deal with the rise of social networks---and how is this different from the way the real-life news media talks about it? And what does the future look like after social media dies?

https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/2019/4/25/episode-30-social-media-must-die

Episode 96: Nationalism is science fiction, with Wajahat Ali Nov 18, 2021

A lot of science fiction takes place on other worlds, or deep in the future, and yet still contains recognizable nations and national stereotypes. In this episode, we talk about how science fiction stories are used to promote American nationalism -- and to push back against it. Plus, we're joined by author and pundit Wajahat Ali to explore how science fiction deals with the war on terror.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 95: Science Fiction Keeps Trying To "Fix" Disabled People Nov 04, 2021

Science fiction and fantasy are full of portrayals of disabled bodies, some of which are nuanced and positive, and many of which... aren't. Join us as we talk about disability tropes and the realities of disabled life with Elsa Sjunneson, author of the brand new book Being Seen. Plus we answer reader questions from our Patreon!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Encore Episode: Let's Obsess Over the Politics of Dune! Oct 21, 2021

The long-awaited movie of Frank Herbert's Dune is arriving in theaters this weekend. To celebrate, we're resurfacing one of our favorite episodes. Is Dune a white savior fantasy? A subversive eco-parable? To find out, we talk to Haris Durrani, author of an influential essay about Dune.

Episode 94: Big biotech is watching you Oct 07, 2021

Why do healthcare and medical devices bring up so many fears about surveillance? We dive into the history of a scientific nightmare, and explore what early 20th century eugenics has to do with stories like Brave New World, Gattaca, and Made for Love. Plus we talk to journalist Maia Szalavitz about a secret algorithm that's preventing patients from getting pain medication when they need it most.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 93: Lucifer Is Our Therapist Now Sep 23, 2021

Lucifer just came to an end after six seasons, and to celebrate we're talking to showrunners Ildy Modrovich and Joe Henderson about all the ways this Satanic procedural was really all about therapy. Are you ready to self-actualize and embrace your true desires? Plus we talk about three of our all-time favorite stories about Satan, which show very different sides of the Prince of Darkness. Warning: spoilers for season six ahead!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 92: How to imagine the next political uprising Sep 09, 2021

Science fiction and fantasy are the perfect genres for exploring what political uprisings might look like in the future, or an alternate present. We discuss Blake’s 7, a subversive 1980s TV series from the UK, and how it offers us a realistic portrait of political revolutionaries — flawed, dangerous, and full of hope. Claire Light (AKA Jadie Jang) also joins us to talk about her new novel, Monkey Around, about shapeshifters during the Occupy movement.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 91: Three Simple Tests That Reveal A.I. Consciousness Aug 26, 2021

One question has plagued both scientists and science fiction authors for centuries: Will humanity ever build artificial beings who are conscious the same way we are? Spoiler alert: No. But we may one day work alongside sentient robots. In this episode, we talk about the tests people have devised to see if a computer is self-aware, some of which are totally bonkers. We'll also talk to Chen Qiufan, co-author of the brand new book A.I. 2041.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 90: How To Use Research To Make Your Fiction Even More Irresistible Aug 12, 2021

Even when you're making up your own story, you still need to do tons of research. But the good news is, research is super fun. We talk about how to bring a dose of reality to your imaginary people and places. And we also discuss Charlie Jane's brand new book about how to write yourself out of the bad times!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 89: Do you suffer from historical amnesia? Jul 29, 2021

Have you noticed how hard it is to remember the past 18 months? You might be dealing with historical amnesia, the process by which we collectively forget traumatic events in the past. Storytelling is a major driver of historical amnesia -- in science fiction, and in political rhetoric too. We also talk to Ayanna Thompson, author of a new book called Blackface, about how people have forgotten the history of minstrelsy in the US -- and why that's a problem.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 88: How gender essentialism warped our view of science Jul 15, 2021

Gender essentialism is the idea that there is something eternal and innate about people's gender identities, and nothing can change that. Popularized during the 1970s, it affected how science fiction stories represented gender -- and it spawned new academic disciplines devoted to scientific misogyny. We talk about all this, and do a deep dive on the "What Women Want" franchise.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 87: The Psychology of Loki Jul 01, 2021

Loki has been one of the best characters in the Marvel movies for a long time — but what is his new TV show revealing about the God of Mischief? We delve into his character, and the neuroses that drive him. Plus we talk to Maria Konnikova, author of The Confidence Game and The Biggest Bluff, about what real-life con artists are like.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 86: Becoming One with the Hive Mind Jun 17, 2021

Why are there so many science fiction stories about hive minds, or vast networks of interconnected brains, thinking together? In this episode, we discuss the pleasure and danger of merging consciousness with another person -- or a whole planet. Plus, we talk to Benjamin Rosenbaum (The Unraveling) and Elly Bangs (Unity) about hiveminds in their new novels!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 85: Science Criminals! Jun 03, 2021

True crime is a giant pop culture obsession ... but what about true science crime? In this episode, we look at the long history of scientists who were called criminals, going back to Galileo. And we discuss crimes committed in the name of science, whose bloody legacies are still with us today.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 84: The eldrich horror of gentrification May 20, 2021

Recently there's been a rise in horror stories that deal with gentrification. We talk about real-life urban displacement, and the fictional tales that turn it into cosmic incursions and body-swapping nightmares. Plus, we talk to Sam J. Miller about his new novel The Blade Between, and how he used monsters to explore what happens when a small town in upstate New York gets taken over by urban hipsters and techies.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 83: Summer Preview! What We're Pumped to Watch and Read This Season May 06, 2021

Summer is here—and that means a glorious new flood of movies, TV shows and books. We may actually get to go inside a movie theater again! Here's everything we're looking forward to this season, plus some thoughts about how entertainment has changed after a year in lockdown.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 82: The resistance is not dead Apr 22, 2021

We’re talking about resistance in real life and science fiction. First we do a deep dive into the history of New York City’s African Burial Ground, used by enslaved people during the 18th century. Michael Blakey, who headed the excavation, tells us how these people resisted their enslavement. How do stories of resistance shape our history -- and change the way we conceive of possible futures?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Deep Futures: Democracy of Tomorrow Apr 15, 2021

We're sharing the first episode of Annalee's podcast miniseries, Deep Futures, which spotlights six people who are trying to change the world for the better. Here, Annalee talks to science fiction author Malka Older about the future of democracy.

Listen to the whole season here: https://mailchimp.com/presents/podcast/deep-futures/

Episode 81: Space Fantasy is a Thing. Deal With It! Apr 09, 2021

Ever since Star Wars introduced space wizards with laser swords, we've been in love with space fantasy. Most space opera contains a certain amount of magical hand-waving, but there's something truly wondrous about an epic that embraces the potential of magic among the stars. Plus Charlie Jane talks about her brand new young-adult novel, Victories Greater Than Death!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

An Exclusive Sneak Peek at Victories Greater Than Death! Apr 01, 2021

Just for our amazing subscribers, here's an exclusive sneak peek at the audiobook of Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders, read by Hynden Walch. Coming on April 13, 2021, available wherever audiobooks are sold!

Episode 80: How to write a fight scene Mar 25, 2021

What makes a good fight scene work? Is it the pacing, the characters, or where it happens in the story? We talk about our favorite fight scenes, and why they are oddly similar to dance numbers. Plus, we're joined by battle mastermind Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga, who explains why a fight scene has to change everything.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 79: The War on Viruses Mar 11, 2021

We've been waging a desperate battle against deadly viruses, in both reality and fiction. In this episode, we talk to Sarah Zhang, a staff writer with the Atlantic, about what we've learned from the fight against COVID-19. And we talk about the scariest and weirdest viruses in science fiction.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 78: Godzilla vs. Kong vs. America Feb 25, 2021

It's time to talk about the politics of kaiju. With the new Godzilla vs. Kong movie stomping our way soon, we're discussing the long history of giant monsters in pop culture, and the truly strange cinematic backstory of the original King Kong vs. Godzilla flick. What do kaiju represent, and why are they connected to nationalism? And when does a kaiju get to be a protagonist rather than a monster?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 77: The Stories That Are Helping Us With Our Collective Trauma Feb 04, 2021

We're all super-traumatized by everything we've been through lately—so what kind of storytelling can we use to cope with our shared PTSD? And how will our collective trauma be reflected in pop culture? To get some answers, we talk to Sarah Gailey, author of The Echo Wife.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 76: The Truth About Lost Cities Jan 28, 2021

We keep telling stories about lost cities. Pop culture is full of tales about great metropolises that disappeared, only to be rediscovered by adventurers. But the reality of ancient abandoned cities is way more complicated and weird. To celebrate the release of Annalee's book Four Lost Cities, we delve into the fantasies and correct the misconceptions about urban places that were lost to time.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 75: Has JK Rowling destroyed Harry Potter fandom? Jan 14, 2021

JK Rowling has become an anti-trans activist on social media. This news has sent Harry Potter fandom -- always full of queers and trans people -- into mourning. We talk to author/publisher (and longtime Slytherin) Cecilia Tan about how to ignore Rowling and take back Harry Potter.

Shownotes here: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 74: Disobedient Bodies Jan 02, 2021

Science fiction and fantasy are full of bodies that just won't behave. Either they're overpowered, or they're trying to consume everything in the world. We talk about why some bodies are so problematic in science fiction. Plus we talk to Meg Elison, author of the new novel Find Layla, about fatphobia and fat-fetishism.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 73: The rise of the cute ~aesthetic~ Dec 17, 2020

Suddenly, everything is cute again. Animation, pop music, and the internet are packed with adorable sparklefest feelings. What is behind the new wave of cute aesthetics? We talk about why hard times drive us to comfort content -- and whether the cuteocracy is a protest against dystopia. Plus, can things get TOO cute?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 72: Birth Control of the Future Dec 03, 2020

How will people make babies and prevent unwanted pregnancies in the future? We look at everything from artificial wombs to birth control for people with sperm. And we imagine how new technologies and changes in social attitudes could radically transform the way we think about human reproduction.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 71: Books That Will Get You Through the Winter Nov 19, 2020

It's been a long year, and it's going to be a rough winter. But the good news is, there are so many amazing books to lose yourself in! In this episode, we talk about our favorite books that were published in 2020, and we recommend some perennial favorites. And we talk about what makes something a great winter read.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 70: The nightmare of history Nov 05, 2020

What happens when you bring real history into fantastical stories about monsters and magic? We talk about movies, books, and TV where the result is a more compelling, emotional -- and even truthful -- representation than literal history can provide. Plus, we talk to author and historian P. Djèlí Clark about his teaching and writing, especially his latest historical horror novella, Ring Shout.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 69: Let's Obsess Over the Politics of Dune! Oct 22, 2020

Dune, Frank Herbert's sprawling masterpiece, remains one of the most influential works of science fiction. And with a new movie on the way, we are once again debating the meaning of this story. White savior narrative? Subversive eco-parable? To help us untangle the mystery, we turn to Haris Durrani, the author of an influential new Dune essay.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 68: Everything is literally on fire Oct 08, 2020

Fires. Floods. Heat waves. Zoonotic disease. The climate is changing. But are we going to change with it and survive? And how can storytelling help us understand our impact on the planet? We're talking about the disaster movie that is our lives with environmental journalist Maddie Stone.

Shownotes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 67: King Arthur Must Die Sep 24, 2020

Arthurian legends are everywhere lately, from Netflix's Cursed to a host of new books. We talk to Tracy Deonn, author of the brand new young-adult novel Legendborn, about why we're all still obsessed with Camelot—and how Arthurian lore is really just the original fanfic.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 66: Portal Fantasies Are So Gay Sep 10, 2020

In a portal fantasy, your protagonist goes through a magical door, down a rabbit hole, or into a wardrobe ... and comes out in an enchanted world. We talk to Na'amen Tilahun, author of The Wrath & Athenaeum trilogy, about portal fantasy tropes and what makes these stories such powerful allegories for the queer experience. This episode was recorded live (online) at the OutWrite 2020 LBGT lit festival.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 65: We're Officially Done with Lovecraft and Campbell Aug 27, 2020

H.P. Lovecraft and John W. Campbell were writers and editors who ruled science fiction in the mid-twentieth century. Their names graced some of the genre's biggest awards. They ran influential magazines. And they were also racist, authoritarian jerkwads who alienated generations of writers and fans. We talk about the rise and fall of these two men, and how to deal with their legacies. Joining us is Alec Nevala-Lee, author of a new book about Campbell and his circle called Astounding.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 64: How Science Is Redefining the Penis Aug 11, 2020

The penis isn't what you think it is. We talk to Emily Willingham, author of Phallacy: Life Lessons From the Animal Penis, about what the incredible diversity of reproductive organs among non-human animals can teach us about our own junk. It turns out the human penis was made for love, not war.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 63: What is Indigenous Futurism? Jul 30, 2020

Stories about indigenous people in the Americas often focus on the past, as if there aren't hundreds of indigenous communities alive today. We talk to author Rebecca Roanhorse and journalist Julian Brave NoiseCat about the movement to explore the indigenous future, in science fiction and activism.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 62: Help! I'm in love with my starship! Jul 16, 2020

You can't really be a starship captain without falling in deep romantic, and possibly sexual romances with your ship. From Star Trek to A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, starship computers take on personalities and even humanoid bodies. Why do we fantasize so much about love affairs with our vessels?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 61: The Reality of Virtual Reality Jul 03, 2020

Virtual reality has been a mainstay of science fiction for a hundred years, but now it's finally a real technology. How does real VR change the stories we tell? Plus we talk to Fivestar, a porn director who's been working on virtual reality porn, to learn the truth about real-life VR sex. Warning: the second half of this episode contains discussions of explicit sexual content.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 60: Why stories need good dialogue Jun 18, 2020

When two characters have an intense conversation, it deepens a story the way nothing else can. Dialogue is key to worldbuilding, and in this episode we talk to illustrious TV writer and showrunner Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman, Lost, The Dark Crystal) about how to do it right. We explore quippy barbs, fake accents, and what happens when every character in a story talks like they are the same person. That’s right: We’re having a dialogue…about dialogue. And yeah, it’s going to get meta.

Shownotes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 59: The Limits of Escapism Jun 04, 2020

We love escapism, and being able to escape into imaginary worlds is a super important survival strategy in the midst of oppression, pandemics, state-sponsored violence. But what if a story is escapist for some people, but not for others? And how dark can a story get and still be escapist? Let's talk about escaping AND fighting for justice.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 58: The nerd vs. jock fight was always a lie May 21, 2020

We're sick of the nerds vs. jocks trope in pop culture. In this episode we unpack how that trope came to be, and how to get beyond high school PE trauma. We talk about science fiction that fetishizes workout routines (Arrow's salmon ladder!?), and portrays nerds as physically weak. Plus, we're joined by trainer Robyn Warren, creator of Geek Girl Strong, who explains how to build exercise into your nerdy life -- and why PE classes need to change.

Show notes here: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 57: Why Science Fiction Needs Romance May 07, 2020

Romance and speculative fiction have always been closely connected, ever since the days of the pulps. But nowadays, some of the best science fiction and fantasy writing is happening in the romance genre. We talk Alyssa Cole, author of the Off the Grid series, the Loyal League series and the A.I. Who Loved Me, about the love affair between SF and romance.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 56: 9 new shows you should be watching right now Apr 23, 2020

In these tough times, we need great TV shows more than ever. We have lots of opinions about nine new series that are making us happy because they're smart, fun, and -- best of all -- colorful! Plus, we've got recommendations for over a dozen more not-so-new shows that are worth digging up from last year, or last century. Stay safe at home and plunge your mind into dazzling new worlds.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 55: How to write a plot that sucks people in Apr 09, 2020

Plots are one of the most important parts of storytelling. They carry our characters forward, and they force our heroes to make choices and to change along the way. Every story has a plot, whether it's about saving the world of making a cup of tea. So why is it so hard to come up with a decent plot? We talk about good and bad plots, and offer advice about how to write the best ones.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 54: Science fiction didn't prepare us for the pandemic Mar 26, 2020

Pandemics are a recurring trope in science fiction, but this turns out to be surprisingly unhelpful when we're facing a contagion in reality. We talk to Mike Chen, author of the new pandemic novel A Beginning at the End, about how science fiction uses disease as an allegory for almost everything except, well, disease. Mike wrote his novel over a year before the COVID-19 outbreak, and tells us what it's like to make a prediction that comes true--sort of.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 53: F*ck Your Nihilism! Mar 12, 2020

Everything is bloody terrifying right now, what with the pandemic and the would-be strongmen and the natural disasters. So it's easy to retreat into nihilistic storytelling, which revels in the destruction of civilization. But screw that --- when you root for the destroyer, you're rooting for unimaginable suffering and death. Here's why we don't want your f--ed-up nihilism.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 52: Comedy, Death, and "The Good Place" Feb 27, 2020

We would need an eternity to discuss everything that was great and groundbreaking about "The Good Place," which just aired its series finale. We talk about how this weird afterlife comedy combined the workplace sitcom with weighty questions about ethics, psychology, and capitalism. Then we get metaphysical and ask why the afterlife is so funny. Also, why is it easier to imagine the bad place than it is to imagine the good one?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 51: The Delicious Significance of Food in Science Fiction Feb 13, 2020

Science fiction and fantasy are full of feasts, from the banquets in Game of Thrones to all those Klingon delicacies. Why is food so important in SF? To find out, we talked to Mary Anne Mohanraj, author of The Stars Change and the cookbook A Feast of Serendib: A Sri Lankan-American Cookbook.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 50: The Power of Names Jan 30, 2020

Science fiction and fantasy are full of stories about the power of knowing someone's true name, from the Doctor on Doctor Who to the wizards in Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea. But why are names so important and powerful? And what do they tell us about the characters we love?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 49: What's the matter with Star Wars? Jan 16, 2020

The nonology is over. Baby Yoda ate the internet. Fans are screaming about everything. How did Star Wars go from a campy space opera to a trigger for political conflict? We talk to guests Annalise Ophelian, director of the new Syfy documentary series Looking for Leia, and Elena Rose Vera, minister and activist, about the meaning of Star Wars in 2020.

Shownotes here: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 48: How Pulp Magazines Conquered Publishing Jan 02, 2020

The phrase "Pulp Fiction" brings to mind Quentin Tarantino's movie of the same name. But real-life pulp fiction is much stranger, and more colorful, than you ever realized. We talk to pulp historian and author Jess Nevins about the weird and sometimes problematic history of the pulps.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 47: The legacy of scientific racism Dec 19, 2019

Scientific racism means using science to justify racist beliefs or ideas, and it has a long history. In this episode, we explore the origins of scientific racism, and how it's still affecting both evolutionary biology and fantastical stories about "other species" like the X-men's Homo superior or Underworld's vampires. Plus, we've got an interview with journalist Angela Saini, author of the recent book Superior: The Return of Race Science.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 46: Four Technologies That Nobody Realizes Will Change the Future Dec 06, 2019

Everybody obsesses about A.I., nanotech, space travel and robots. But the technologies nobody pays much attention to could have an equally significant impact on our world. Like artificial wombs, smart toilets, new forms of public transportation, and new cleaning machines.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 45: Worldbuilding For Beginners Nov 21, 2019

Speculative fiction writers talk endlessly about worldbuilding, which sounds like it ought to involve a near-infinite amount of drywall. What is worldbuilding? And why is it so important? Plus we talk to author K. Tempest Bradford about the Writing the Other workshops and her brand new genre, Pyramidpunk!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 44: What Killed the Terminator? Nov 07, 2019

Terminator: Dark Fate barely made a dent in the world of pop culture, despite the fact that Terminator 2 changed the course of blockbuster cinema back in 1992. What made this series so electrifying in the twentieth century, and what's different now? Why did the new Star Wars trilogy reboot succeed using the same formula that made Terminator: Dark Fate fail? Also, what are the kinds of robot uprising stories we'd like to see in 2019 and beyond?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 43: The Myth of Rugged Individualism Oct 24, 2019

The idea of the "rugged individual" is all over the place in science fiction--especially in the United States. Who is this loner hero, and why are there so many stories about how personal freedom is more important than the public good? We explore the idea of rugged individuals in science fiction, and talk about how this myth has shaped everything from how we make technology, to why we value privacy.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 42: It's time to stop quoting Clarke's Third Law Oct 10, 2019

We've all heard Arthur C. Clarke's third law, which states that sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic. What did Clarke mean by this, and how are people using his law to take the mystery out of fantasy stories? Plus we look at popular stories where magic is explained by science, including Star Wars and Dune.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 41: The Multiverse Problem! Sep 26, 2019

Multiverses are everywhere lately, from superheroes to fantasy novels. But there's one huge downside to multiple realities: you can’t change the past, and if you try, you just create a new universe. Also, we talk about The Future of Another Timeline, Annalee's brand new time-travel novel, in which there's only ONE universe, and everyone plays for keeps.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 40: What is TV criticism, anyway? Sep 12, 2019

People have a lot of opinions about what it means to have opinions about TV. Who is allowed to criticize TV, and how do you do it well? In this episode, we talk to TV critics Inkoo King (Slate) and Nina Shen Rastogi (Vulture) about what it means to analyze TV in 2019. We're at Peak TV, everything is political, and we are still processing our feelings about Game of Thrones. Also, recaps are dead. Let's talk about TV!

Shownotes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 39: Monstrous Women and Women Who Make Monsters Aug 29, 2019

Why do so many horror movies and stories feature terrifying women? Why do male creators treat female bodies and women's sexuality as intrinsically terrifying? And what happens when women get to create their own monsters and horror narratives? Plus we talk to Mallory O'Meara about her new book The Lady from the Black Lagoon.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 38: The new anti-capitalist science fiction Aug 15, 2019

There’s been a renaissance of anti-capitalist stories in science fiction and fantasy in the U.S. But these aren't tales of violent revolution or faceless corporations. We discuss Utopia, community, and how group therapy is the opposite of authoritarianism. Also, we’re joined by K.M. Szpara, who talks to us about his steamy forthcoming novel Docile, whose tagline is, “There is no consent under capitalism.”

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 37: The history of Afro-futurism Aug 01, 2019

Afro-futurism is on the rise again, thanks to the popularity of movies like Black Panther, and creators such as Janelle Monae and N.K. Jemisin. But Black-centered futurism has a long history in the U.S., and it's changed a lot over the past century. We sit down with critic and scholar Shawn Taylor, co-founder of TheNerdsOfColor.org, to talk about Afro-futurisms of yesterday and tomorrow.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 36: The Laws of the Future! Jul 18, 2019

Real-world law is becoming science fictional. We talk about the future of surveillance and digital policing with guest Cyrus Farivar, a journalist who covers law and technology for NBC News. He's also the author of Habeas Data, a book about landmark privacy cases. We discuss where our current laws are going, and what science fiction has to say about it -- especially Star Trek, a show lawyers love for a reason.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 35: When science fiction gets censored Jul 04, 2019

There's nothing quite so dystopian as censorship: the suppression of knowledge, or works of art, that challenge the ruling order. We look at how science fiction, fantasy and horror have been censored. But also, what does science fiction teach us about how to resist censorship? And we talk to Ron Turner, publisher of Last Gasp, about the underground comics scene and his struggles with official censorship.

Show notes: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes/

Episode 34: How to Write a Good Ending Jun 20, 2019

Everybody knows that endings are hard, and we all love to complain about the way our favorite TV show or movie ended. But with both Game of Thrones and the Avengers movies coming to an end, this is a perfect time to think about what makes for a good ending. And how the heck do you write one?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 33: Science fiction explains our messed-up economy Jun 06, 2019

We talk to economist Noah Smith about how different theories of economics show up in science fiction -- and how economics is also an exercise in speculative worldbuilding. How do ideas about "rational actors" make their way into space operas, and why is everyone so obsessed with game theory? Plus what is the deal with Ayn Rand?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 32: You're doing camp wrong! May 21, 2019

Lately the camp-themed Met Gala got us talking about camp again. What is camp? And how is it different in 2019 than in 1969? And most importantly, why is science fiction so deathly terrified of seeming campy? We're going to have a Kiki about this.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 31: Getting out of the Utopia/dystopia binary May 09, 2019

We're living in an age of dystopian stories, while real-life social issues are getting pretty dystopian too. What's the point of telling dark stories in a dark time? Also, we discuss how Utopian stories and dystopian stories are actually quite similar -- just two opposite extremes -- and how the best science fiction exists in the nuanced gray area between the binary poles. Plus: what stories are giving us hope right now?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 30: Social media must die! Apr 26, 2019

Social media has become one of the biggest problems of our time. How does science fiction deal with the rise of social networks---and how is this different from the way the real-life news media talks about it? And what does the future look like after social media dies?

Shownotes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 29: Real talk about the end of the universe Apr 11, 2019

For our first-ever live podcast, recorded in March on the JoCo Cruise, we talked to cosmologist Katie Mack about how the universe will end. Will it be heat death or vacuum decay? We also talk about how rarely science fiction deals with the end of the universe, as opposed to the end of our planet or species. Also, why do we think the ultimate apocalypse is so funny, and will we survive it?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 28: What's the Matter With Westeros? Mar 28, 2019

Game of Thrones comes back in a couple of weeks, so we're thinking about the politics of George R.R. Martin's fantasy world. What would a satisfying ending to this show look like? Can our heroes defeat the ice zombies AND solve Westeros' crisis of governance? And how exactly does the Iron Bank function?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 27: The future of futurism Mar 14, 2019

Is there a way to predict the future accurately, using data and science? In this episode, we talk to Rose Eveleth, host of the Flash Forward podcast, about the idea of futurism. We explore its history and dark roots in fascism, as well as its connection to environmental politics and the tech industry. And we talk about how Afrofuturism is changing the way we imagine tomorrow.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 26: The Bomb is back Feb 28, 2019

Back during the Cold War era, we were awash in stories about nuclear armageddon: either living through it, or trying to prevent it. And now, experts say the threat of nuclear holocaust is the worst it's been in over two decades. So how will pop culture respond? We talk about what a 21st century nuclear-war story might look like.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 25: Peering into the deep future of humanity Feb 14, 2019

A lot of science fiction takes place in the near future, somewhere in the next century or so. But what about the far future in 10,000 years, or a million? How do writers and creators imagine deep time and make it plausible? We discuss our favorites and some misfires. Then Charlie Jane talks about her new novel, The City in the Middle of the Night (out now!), which explores a human society thousands of years from now.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 24: We Have Many Feelings About Steven Universe Jan 31, 2019

We love the show Steven Universe now, more than ever. This cartoon about a magical child has gone through a lot of changes in the past couple of years, and now its cosmic mythos has become a lot more complex—and the theme of identity has only gotten stronger. In this episode, we pull apart the show's themes, including colonization, non-toxic masculinity, and the power of families.

Show notes here: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 23: Sex, Lies, and Science Fiction Jan 17, 2019

Let's talk about sex! In this episode we explore sci-fi tropes about where sex is going in the future, where it seems that we're doomed to become aromantic hedonists or asexual drones. We also talk about the greatest hits of scifi and fantasy sex. Special guest Lux Alptraum talks about her new book, Faking It, about the lies women tell about sex in real life, and where we see those lies popping up in science fiction too.

See links and show notes at: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 22: Can science fiction still give us hope for the future? Jan 03, 2019

We need hope now, more than ever. So it's a good thing that more and more SF creators are trying to write hopeful stories---but what does it mean to be hopeful? Is hope a genre, or just a theme? And what the heck is "hopepunk" anyway? We talk about the books, movies and TV shows that are giving us hope, and what it's like to write a story about striving for a better tomorrow.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 21: Pop culture nostalgia, or branding your memories Dec 20, 2018

We know you just want to curl up by the fire and bask in pop culture of yesteryear this holiday season. But too bad. We're here with special guest Katharine Trendacosta to interrogate the meaning of nostalgia in science fiction. We discuss remakes, reboots, rebranding, historical references, and traumatic memories--and how all of these are shaping the future of the genre. Plus Disney. We have many thoughts on Disney.

As always, you can find show notes, references, and transcripts on www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 20: Why we're excited about Doctor Who again Dec 06, 2018

Doctor Who is a brand new show this year. Not only is there a lady Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, but the show's whole format feels totally different. Three companions! All new monsters! But even more than that, the show has a new, more upbeat attitude. And it's tackling new themes, including the meaning of family and the dangers of capitalism. Join us as we go deep into the time vortex to unravel the meaning of Doctor Who in 2018.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 19: What's so bad about cultural appropriation? Nov 22, 2018

This holiday season, let's add everyone's biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Or hey--let's not! In this episode, we talk with scholar and editor Jaymee Goh, whose doctoral research focused on cultural appropriation and steampunk. She tells us what cultural appropriation is, and why it's become a source of political debate in fantasy and science fiction. Also: we discuss that one terrible scene in Back to the Future. You know the one.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 18: Alien minds Nov 08, 2018

It's easy to stick prosthetics on someone's face and call them an alien. But how do we represent a truly alien form of consciousness? In this episode, we talk about science fiction that succeeds (or fails) to evoke alien minds--whether they hail from other planets, or evolve inside our computers. Plus, we talk to guest Lisa Margonelli about her new book Underbug, which explores termite society. Did you know that termites socialize using butt juice? Learn all about that and more!

See our full show notes at www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com

Episode 17: Democracy and its discontents Oct 25, 2018

With the U.S. midterm election coming up, it's time to look at representations of democracy in science fiction. The genre is often skeptical or satirical when it comes to democracy--you can see this in everything from episodes of The Prisoner to the movie Idiocracy. But science fiction is also a testbed for dramatic re-imagingings of this political system, offering a hopeful look at a more egalitarian world. Our guest Malka Older, a human rights worker and author of the novel Infomocracy, talks to us about how to improve democracy with storytelling.

Full show notes and links at www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com.

Episode 16: Can we survive capitalism? Oct 11, 2018

Anti-capitalism is having a moment in the West, and especially in the U.S. political scene. But science fiction has been grappling with the promises and savage realities of capitalism since its very inception. In this episode, we talk about anti-capitalism in stories like The Matrix and The Space Merchants. We wonder why it’s so hard to imagine what comes after capitalism. Are our only options a post-scarcity Star Trek wonderland vs. Hunger Games’ neo-Feudalist nightmare?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 15: The future of the city Sep 27, 2018

Cities lurk in the background of many futuristic stories, but they can also be characters in them. In this episode, we talk about how cities might evolve, and whether it's inevitable that they'll become cyber-noir dystopias. Also on our minds: Why social scientists are talking about the rise of "global cities," and how Wakanda is one of the few Utopian metropolises on screen. Plus: Sci-fi mapmaker Burrito Justice joins us and explains how he crunched the GIS data to make an accurate map of San Francisco after 100 feet of sea level rise.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 14: The rise of transgender science fiction Sep 13, 2018

Transgender people have always been part of science fiction and fantasy, but the past few years have seen a whole new generation of trans creators bursting onto the scene. Why are so many trans people flocking to SF and what kind of stories are they telling? Also, we delve into the controversy over Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria, and explain why so many people are questioning the science behind this concept. Why can't teenagers shape their own identities without being accused of some mysterious new malady?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 13: The Wiki-ization of television Aug 30, 2018

Binge watching. Peak TV. Water-cooler shows. We have many names for it, but they all mean that we've got way too much television. There were 487 scripted shows on the air in 2017, and 2018 is just as packed. In this episode, we talk about the history of peak TV, and what it's done to the way we tell stories. Some TV shows have been Wiki-ized, getting so complex that you need multiple fan wikis to keep up. Others have gotten ultra-bland or egregiously weird just to stand out. Is everything terrible, or is there a silver lining?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 12: Why Are Utopias So Hard To Imagine? Aug 14, 2018

In this episode, we look at Sense8, the globe-spanning show about mentally linked psychics from Lana and Lily Wachowski, and we celebrate its uplifting vision of people coming together and letting go of ego. But one of the most fascinating things about Sense8 is that its vision is fundamentally utopian. Why are utopias so rare in speculative fiction—and what makes them so hard to do well?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 11: We're in the wrong timeline Aug 02, 2018

We've all been feeling like something is wrong with the timeline. In this episode, we ask what alternate history, fake history, and secondary world history can teach us about the present. Does exploring the past in fiction help us learn from history or are we doomed to repeat it? History-obsessed authors Connie Willis (Blackout, Doomsday Book) and R.F. Kuang (The Poppy War) offer their thoughts too.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 10: Deep in the heart of fandom Jul 19, 2018

We've all witnessed the awesome power of fandom: saving beloved TV shows from cancellation, creating beautiful fan art and fan-fiction, and creating brilliant communities. But the dark side of fandom is also powerful, and can lead to actors and creators being harassed and driven off the internet. How is fandom changing as science fiction and fantasy go mainstream, and how can we keep interactions between creators and fans constructive? We talked to authors Delilah Dawson and Naomi Novik about their experiences with fandom, and what it's like to go from geeking out about stories to creating their own canon.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 9: Horror of the One Percent Jul 05, 2018

Rich people want to eat you. That's the literal plot in a lot of horror movies, and the subtext of many more. Inspired by The Purge saga, we're talking about movies and TV where class warfare becomes a blood-soaked battleground. From recent standouts Get Out and Crimson Peak, to cult classics Human Centipede and Society, these stories evoke a very real fear, which is that the ultra-rich are predators and everyone else is prey.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 8: Science fiction has always been queer Jun 21, 2018

It's queer pride month, and we're talking about how LGBTQIA+ got into our SFF. We time warp back to the lesbian vampires of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla and the utopian world of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Herland, and catch you up on modern classics. Plus, we explore Torchwood, Sense8, Battlestar Galactica, and more! Along the way we ask why vampires and time travelers are so gay, and how queerness crept into fandom. Do fantastical stories help queer people cope with dark times? Yes! So much yes!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 7: Imaginary immigrants and time-traveling refugees Jun 07, 2018

Immigration is a major theme in science fiction, both in subtext and straightforward plot arcs. Creators often tell stories about new arrivals on Earth from other worlds, other dimensions, and other timelines. Poet and performer Baruch Porras-Hernandez joins us to discuss what these stories say about the fears and aspirations of real-life immigrants. Can scifi help people accept neighbors from far away, or are we doomed to live in a world where mutants are exiled to distant islands?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 6: Animal companions and magical beasts May 24, 2018

Special guest Maggie Tokuda-Hall, author of the children's book Also An Octopus, joins us to talk about what happens when animals become characters in science fiction and fantasy. Animals get to speak in fairy tales, Disney movies, and stories of "uplift." But are we really listening?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 5: Fear of robots May 10, 2018

Fear of robots is on the rise -- in science fiction and the tech industry. What causes this anxiety in real life, and how does science fiction imagine the future of human/robot relationships? Are we going to be raw materials for a future AI civilization, or become robots ourselves? It's possible that our fantasies of robots are getting in the way of understanding the true risks and rewards of new technology.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 4: Crisis on infinite superheroes Apr 27, 2018

With Avengers: Infinity War about to hit theaters, we needed to talk about superheroes. What is it about these larger-than-life characters that fascinates us so much? Why can't we eliminate campiness and silliness from superhero epics? And have the ginormous superhero crossovers and shared universes finally gone too far?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 3: Books that stand the test of time Apr 12, 2018

Some science fiction books are still fascinating after 200 years, while others make us wince after just a decade on the shelf. What makes an SF book stay relevant? Hint: it's not the book's ability to predict the future. Your hosts Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders talk about the themes and ideas that make books last, and offer lots of suggestions for your summer reading lists!

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 2: Propaganda and mind control in science fiction Mar 29, 2018

There's something distinctly science fictional about how Facebook has been used by governments, politicians, and private companies to manipulate people's perceptions--and even affect the outcomes of elections. In this episode, we talk about how science fiction stories from 1984 to They Live deal with the idea of digital propaganda. Often, stories about propaganda merge with stories about mind control. Indeed, the concept of psychological warfare was invented by a science fiction author, while he was working for the US military. What does scifi tell us about how propaganda works, and how we can stop it?

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

Episode 1: Hope, dread, and Star Trek: Discovery Mar 15, 2018

Join authors Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz to explore storytelling, science, and cultural meaning in science fiction. In our first episode, we discuss the inaugural season of Star Trek: Discovery.

Is Michael Burnham the greatest hero? Why did we have to stay in the Mirror Universe so long? How does this show fit into the Star Trek pantheon? Is there too much fan service in this series? What is a Klingducken and why do we care? All these questions and more will be answered, or at least asked, and possibly mocked.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes

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