Does fiction inform what we think the future should look like? Sci-fi and futurism has typically told us the inevitability of technology and dystopian cyberpunk imaginaries. Monika Bielskyte joins us to introduce her alternative, Protopia Futures, a framework for science-informed visions for a good future.

Find Monika's writings at https://monikabielskyte.substack.com

Further Reading

• https://monikabielskyte.substack.com/p/we-can-always-do-something-about

• https://plus.flux.community/p/to-achieve-a-beautiful-future-we

• https://monikabielskyte.substack.com/p/the-futurism-you-were-sold-was-a

• https://monikabielskyte.substack.com/p/protopia-world-stack-values-bodies

This week, we go over the merits and demerits of the Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas and its co-presentation with Christopher Olah of Anthropic, the company branding itself as most concerned with "AI Safety."

Further Reading

• Émile's article: https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/shame-on-the-pope-shame-on-ea-shame

• Magnifica Humanitas: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html

• Full Speech: Anthropic Co‑Founder Christopher Olah at Magnifica Humanitas Vatican Launch | EWTN News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORFrdYSvzuw

• Paolo Benanti, "An invisible revolution: Peter Thiel and the Silicon Valley coup": https://legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2026/03/14/thiel-heresie-benanti

• Timnit Gebru's comments: https://x.com/timnitGebru/status/2058959646891581898

Could a populist, independent candidate win an election in the most Republican part of Nebraska's 1st Congressional District? In a time when the Republican and Democratic Party are both notoriously corrupt, Austin Ahlman is making the call to "Take Back Nebraska."

This week we talk with Austin about his run for office, antimonopoly, Abundance, and how tech companies are undermining Nebraska's public power system through regulatory carve-outs.

Find Austin's campaign at ahlmanfornebraska.com or takebacknebraska.com.

Further Reading

• Austin Ahlman for The Intercept: https://theintercept.com/staff/austin-ahlman/

• Austin Ahlman Launches Insurgent Independent Campaign in Nebraska https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYE10gacxiE