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Four Futures

Life After Capitalism

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Four Futures

By: Peter Frase
Narrated by: Bob Souer
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About this listen

Peter Frase argues that increasing automation and a growing scarcity of resources, thanks to climate change, will bring it all tumbling down. In Four Futures, Frase imagines how this postcapitalist world might look, deploying the tools of both social science and speculative fiction to explore what communism, rentism, socialism, and exterminism might actually entail. Could the current rise of real-life robocops usher in a world that resembles Ender's Game? And sure, communism will bring an end to material scarcities and inequalities of wealth - but there's no guarantee that social hierarchies, governed by an economy of "likes", wouldn't rise to take their place.

A whirlwind tour through science fiction, social theory and the new technologies already shaping our lives, Four Futures is a balance sheet of the socialisms we may reach if a resurgent Left is successful - and the barbarisms we may be consigned to if those movements fail.

©2016 Peter Frase (P)2017 Tantor Anthropology Economics Future Studies Politics & Government Social Sciences Sociology Theory Capitalism Socialism Technology Fiction Utopian

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Most relevant  
It doesn't dictate. Presents. Consider carefully. We must each take responsibility. Before we regret it.

SIMPLY MUST READ (LISTEN)

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A pretty good set of future scenarios based on the axis of scarcity Vs abundance and hierarchy Vs equality. Decent starting point for delving into analysis of the current times and solutions to the crisis of automation and climate change.

Neat little read!

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A fascinating look into four possible archetype futures that humanity might be on the road to, While this is short, it is also does a good job of giving a brief overview of putting current issues facing the world within some context, while also drawing on science fiction to explore what each of these futures might look like.

This is kind of also a call to action. While it doesn't focus on this, there's a key emphasis that we collectively need to do our part to steer humanity to one of the better futures.

I'd recommend this to everyone, it's accessible and eye-opening. It won't be exhaustive, but vital wakeup call or introduction to the dangerous predicament or apathy that humanity finds itself in.

A must-read to understand where we may be headed as a species.

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Very interesting book to listen to. At first I thought the performance was a bit off putting as his style is so robotic (something that becomes fairly ironic as you realise some of the books content). In actual fact, the performance was just as clear and easy to follow as the writing style. Would definitely recommend just be aware of the length before buying - it is very short.

Interesting But Short

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The narrator was terrible - not engaging at all. The book itself wasn't that great either - the concept was brilliant, and the way it was structured was nice (an introduction, four chapters for each of the four futures and then a brief conclusion) but the writing was not great - was lacking in clarity.

awful narrator

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