Think Forward EP 135 - Artifacts of Imagination with Julian Bleecker

Think Forward: Conversations with Futurists, Innovators and Big Thinkers

What happens when you hold an artifact from a future that doesn't exist yet? A newspaper headline from 2045, a product manual for technology not yet invented, or a social media post from an entirely different world? These aren't just creative exercises—they're powerful tools for making abstract futures tangible.
Julian Bleecker, one of the pioneering architects of design fiction, takes us on a fascinating journey through his approach to imagining possible tomorrows. Julian shares his journey from building computers in eighth grade to pioneering design fiction, creating tangible artifacts from imaginary futures that spark meaningful conversations about tomorrow's possibilities.
• Discovered a love for technology as a child, building a Xerox 820 computer with an 8-inch floppy drive
• Needed two engineering degrees and a PhD to articulate what he'd been chasing—that "whoa cool feeling" of exploring possibilities
• Created TBD Catalog, a breakthrough project that materialized possible futures through a product catalog format
• Founded Super Seminars as experimental gatherings where no one person is the expert
• Describes design fiction as "future archaeology"—retrieving artifacts from possible futures to understand what those worlds might be like
• Emphasizes imagination as an evolutionary advantage and essential skill that needs regular exercise
• Advocates "imagining harder" as vital for navigating our rapidly changing world
• Recommends doing design fiction exercises 2-3 times weekly, 20 minutes each, to build imaginative fitness
• Works across disciplines, recently bringing design fiction approaches to policy discussions around AI
Find Julian at the following places:
His Patreon (SUPPORT HIM!) https://patreon.com/nearfuturelaboratory

*** The Patreon includes access to the coolest Discord on the planet.

His Podcast (LISTEN TO HIM!) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/near-future-laboratory-podcast/id1546452193

His LinkedIn (CONNECT WITH HIM!)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianbleecker
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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO

Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/

Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

فصل ها

1. Chasing That "Cool Feeling" (00:00:00)

2. Julian's Journey into Design Fiction (00:05:36)

3. Creating TBD Catalog: Artifact from the Future (00:14:35)

4. Super Seminars: Community Building for Futures (00:20:53)

5. [Ad] Real Talk About Marketing (00:24:28)

6. (Cont.) Super Seminars: Community Building for Futures (00:25:15)

7. The Archeology of Possible Futures (00:33:21)

8. Why We Need to Imagine Harder (00:46:43)

9. Legacy and Impact: "Imagine Harder" (00:57:09)