Geofutures
@geofutures.bsky.social
Foresight in geopolitics and social issues, with an eye on science fiction
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The Devil Bat," which came out today in 1940, and features a disgruntled scientist creating large bats trained to engage in targeted killing. (There aren't many sci-fi or futurist films from the 1940s.)
December 13, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The Devil Bat," which came out today in 1940, and features a disgruntled scientist creating large bats trained to engage in targeted killing. (There aren't many sci-fi or futurist films from the 1940s.)
@opentopography.org Seen in the wild, puzzling me --
December 12, 2025 at 7:59 PM
@opentopography.org Seen in the wild, puzzling me --
Of the scenarios below, the authors already see the US as having entered soft authoritarianism, with oscillations between the first 2 scenarios in coming years.
December 12, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Of the scenarios below, the authors already see the US as having entered soft authoritarianism, with oscillations between the first 2 scenarios in coming years.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The Midnight Sky," which came out 5 years ago today.
December 11, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The Midnight Sky," which came out 5 years ago today.
In 2008 I put the US on the list of potential future opponents of Canada in conflict. This was what I said back then. (I saw probability rising starting in 2016, with the US or with successor portions of it.)
December 10, 2025 at 2:16 PM
In 2008 I put the US on the list of potential future opponents of Canada in conflict. This was what I said back then. (I saw probability rising starting in 2016, with the US or with successor portions of it.)
"Marjorie Prime," now on Broadway, was also one of the best futurist films of 2017. Here's my microreview.
December 9, 2025 at 2:51 PM
"Marjorie Prime," now on Broadway, was also one of the best futurist films of 2017. Here's my microreview.
You can see the incoherence of the new Trump National Security Strategy in the W. Hemisphere section, given that the admin is:
-- Promoting worse government by enabling corruption and narco ties
-- Alienating most of the region, making cooperation w/ the US less desirable, China etc more so
-- Promoting worse government by enabling corruption and narco ties
-- Alienating most of the region, making cooperation w/ the US less desirable, China etc more so
December 8, 2025 at 7:32 PM
You can see the incoherence of the new Trump National Security Strategy in the W. Hemisphere section, given that the admin is:
-- Promoting worse government by enabling corruption and narco ties
-- Alienating most of the region, making cooperation w/ the US less desirable, China etc more so
-- Promoting worse government by enabling corruption and narco ties
-- Alienating most of the region, making cooperation w/ the US less desirable, China etc more so
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Superman II," which came out 45 years ago today, in 1980. It does not compare well even to the weak crop of films that year.
December 4, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Superman II," which came out 45 years ago today, in 1980. It does not compare well even to the weak crop of films that year.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The Tenth Victim," which came out 60 years ago today. Its plot of human hunting as spectacle foreshadowed ideas in The Running Man (a 1982 novel and then movies) and The Hunger Games.
December 3, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The Tenth Victim," which came out 60 years ago today. Its plot of human hunting as spectacle foreshadowed ideas in The Running Man (a 1982 novel and then movies) and The Hunger Games.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Superintelligence," which came out 5 years ago today.
November 26, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Superintelligence," which came out 5 years ago today.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Mockingjay II," which came out today in 2015. This Hunger Games sequel was another in the standout crop of 2015 futurist films.
November 20, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Mockingjay II," which came out today in 2015. This Hunger Games sequel was another in the standout crop of 2015 futurist films.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Ghost in the Shell," which came out 30 years ago today, and is the best of 1995's futurist films, and one of the best of the decade.
November 18, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Ghost in the Shell," which came out 30 years ago today, and is the best of 1995's futurist films, and one of the best of the decade.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The 6th Day," which came out 25 years ago today. Even regular human cloning has (probably) not happened yet, much less this adult insta-cloning. But we do now have self-driving cars.
November 17, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The 6th Day," which came out 25 years ago today. Even regular human cloning has (probably) not happened yet, much less this adult insta-cloning. But we do now have self-driving cars.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The Running Man" (1987). Let's hope the new version is better than this shoddy Schwarzenegger vehicle.
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "The Running Man" (1987). Let's hope the new version is better than this shoddy Schwarzenegger vehicle.
The 1982 Stephen King novel The Running Man was set in 2025.
November 14, 2025 at 3:46 PM
The 1982 Stephen King novel The Running Man was set in 2025.
I guess my plan -- to fire grappling hooks onto the roof of the US Mint in Philadelphia (seen here) and steal 50 pounds of pennies -- has been foiled.
November 13, 2025 at 6:30 PM
I guess my plan -- to fire grappling hooks onto the roof of the US Mint in Philadelphia (seen here) and steal 50 pounds of pennies -- has been foiled.
A neighbor has political thoughts involving the game The Oregon Trail
November 12, 2025 at 2:54 PM
A neighbor has political thoughts involving the game The Oregon Trail
A soldier who died November 11, 1918, the last day of WW I, commemorated in a local DC church.
November 11, 2025 at 6:44 PM
A soldier who died November 11, 1918, the last day of WW I, commemorated in a local DC church.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Skyline," which came out 15 years ago today --
November 11, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Skyline," which came out 15 years ago today --
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Red Planet," which came out 25 years ago today -- and we still aren't a great deal closer to humans landing on Mars.
November 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Red Planet," which came out 25 years ago today -- and we still aren't a great deal closer to humans landing on Mars.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Annihilation," one of the better futurist movies of 2018
November 5, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Annihilation," one of the better futurist movies of 2018
The sandwich-thrower (now on trial) has provided Washington DC with a new protest symbol.
November 5, 2025 at 2:22 PM
The sandwich-thrower (now on trial) has provided Washington DC with a new protest symbol.
Four scenarios for American democracy. We are currently in the first scenario, but with many precursors of the second occurring.
November 4, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Four scenarios for American democracy. We are currently in the first scenario, but with many precursors of the second occurring.
Futurist at the movies: "Don't Worry Darling," an interesting 2022 film, is arriving on Netflix today. Here's my microreview.
November 1, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Futurist at the movies: "Don't Worry Darling," an interesting 2022 film, is arriving on Netflix today. Here's my microreview.
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Beyond the Time Barrier," which came out 65 years ago. A pilot travels from 1960 to 2024, finding that humanity is on the brink of extinction due to a sterility-inducing plague.
October 29, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Futurist at the movies microreview: "Beyond the Time Barrier," which came out 65 years ago. A pilot travels from 1960 to 2024, finding that humanity is on the brink of extinction due to a sterility-inducing plague.