Episodes
Thursday Apr 27, 2017
Episode 10: Cyberpunk and Gen X: From Fiction to Reality
Thursday Apr 27, 2017
Thursday Apr 27, 2017
Anthony, Derek, and Dan lay claim to an entire subgenre of science fiction: cyberpunk! Cyberpunk and Gen X seem to share the same timeline, since our generation came of age just as the genre was hitting its peak in the 80's and 90's.
In this episode, the guys talk about both the pop culture and real-world manifestations of cyberpunk. They also break down the two halves of the word: technology as the "cyber" and rebellion and dystopia for the "punk." Our generation saw technologies like cybernetics in cyberpunk books and movies, and now live in a time when artificial limbs can be connected to the human nervous system. And of course, cyberpunk showed us the rise of the Information Age before the Internet was born.
The punk side of the coin speaks to depictions of chaotic and oppressive futures, where social structures break down and capitalism-gone-rampant has created powerful corporations that are almost nations unto themselves. In many ways, the current state of our world echos those themes.
Go here for a good primer on cyberpunk.
And true to the dystopian present, there's explicit language. Deal with it.
Tuesday Mar 21, 2017
Episode 8: Generation X...in Spaaaaace!
Tuesday Mar 21, 2017
Tuesday Mar 21, 2017
Join our intrepid hosts as they journey into the outer reaches...of absurdity! The Gen X Gentlemen explore the topics of space and the future.
They pay homage to the celebrities who have passed on into the real final frontier so far in 2017. Then, after some requisite rambling they launch into hyperspace! Dan, Derek, and Anthony discuss the progress of technology, the achievements of humanity, and the potential barriers and risks that may face us in the coming years. They also, of course, spend some time on space-based pop culture (Star Wars, Star Trek, Robotech, sci fi literature, etc).
Ultimately, they ask the question: should we focus our technology on leaving the Earth, or fixing it? Will we allow our limitations to keep us from coming together in a bright Star Trek-like future? Can we even agree long enough to accomplish either of those goals?
And, as usual, what role does Gen X have to play in the grand scheme of things?
Note: the guys succumb to the Dark Side again during this episode. Hear some bad language, you will!