This recent audio recording of a Cory Doctorow Q&A has a lot of great insights, but the highlight for me is when he…

This recent audio recording of a Cory Doctorow Q&A has a lot of great insights, but the highlight for me is when he speaks about the value science fiction can add to political discourse. At 28:05 the discussion turns to how fiction can be a force for good when it shows people being kind and wise when things go wrong, especially when showing society holding together its best structures. We need more narratives that highlight people displaying our best traits because in reality we can be open hearted and humane when faced with the worst situations. Capitalism and conservative thought have long stressed that we should be selfish and fear our neighbours, but the reverse, to be egalitarian and welcoming is always better for individuals and groups.