Episode 22: Can science fiction still give us hope for the future?

Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is giving us all the hope right now

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.

Citations, References, etc.:

Hopepunk, explained: the latest storytelling trend is all about weaponized optimism, article by Aja Romano in Vox.com.

One Atom of Justice, One Molecule of Mercy, and the Empire of Unsheathed Knives, article by Alexandra Rowland in Festive Ninja

Livetweets from the #Hopepunk panel at the Nebula Award Conference, 2018

Livetweets from the #Hopepunk panel at 4th Street Fantasy, 2018

Game of Thrones (TV series)

Lord of the Rings (movie/book trilogy)

“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas,” short story by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Hunger Games, book and film series

Deadpool (2016 film)

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016 film)

Grimdark (science fiction/fantasy trend)

Riverdale (TV series)

My Little Pony (TV series)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (TV series)

Ayn Rand (author)

The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

Star Trek (series)

“Resolution” (Doctor Who episode)

Neal Stephenson (science fiction author)

Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future, edited by Ed Finn and Kathryn Cramer (anthology)

Black Panther (movie)

The Matrix (movie)

Steven Universe (TV show)

Octavia Butler (author)

Kindred by Octavia Butler (novel)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (animated movie)

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (movie)

The Flash (TV series)

Arrow (TV series)

Legends of Tomorrow (TV series)

Charmed (TV series)

Supergirl (TV series)

The Wrong Stars by Tim Pratt (novel)

“When Robot and Crow Saved East Saint Louis” by Annalee Newitz (story in Slate.com)

Janelle Shane (programmer)

Wall-E (movie)

What We’re Obsessed With

Rise: Blood Hunter (movie)

The Mortal Engines (movie)

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi (novel)