User:Barbs/PersonalReader - Revision history

Barbs: /* A Non-Euclidean View of California as a Cold Place to Be - Ursula K. Le Guin (1982) */

2026-07-28T08:51:54Z

A Non-Euclidean View of California as a Cold Place to Be - Ursula K. Le Guin (1982)

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:51, 28 July 2026
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	<!--A Non-Euclidean View of California as a Cold Place to Be-->		<!--A Non-Euclidean View of California as a Cold Place to Be-->
	<div style="border: 1px dashed rgb(149, 133, 193); border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: rgba(109, 75, 181, 0.241) 5px 5px 2px; margin: 5px; padding: 15px;">		<div style="border: 1px dashed rgb(149, 133, 193); border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: rgba(109, 75, 181, 0.241) 5px 5px 2px; margin: 5px; padding: 15px;">
	===A Non-Euclidean View of California as a Cold Place to Be - Ursula K. Le Guin (1982)===		===[[User:Barbs/PersonalReader/NonEuclideanColdCalifornia\|A Non-Euclidean View of California as a Cold Place to Be - Ursula K. Le Guin (1982)]]===
	⟢ '''Read:''' 06/2026<br>		⟢ '''Read:''' 06/2026<br>
	⟢ '''Source:''' EPUB		⟢ '''Source:''' EPUB

Barbs: /* Want To Read/Annotate */

2026-07-17T18:22:14Z

Want To Read/Annotate

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	'''Technology'''<br>		'''Technology'''<br>
	⟢ Computer Lib / Dream Machines - Ted Nelson<br>		⟢ Computer Lib / Dream Machines - Ted Nelson<br>

			'''Design'''<br>
			⟢ Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming - Anthony Dunne, Fiona Raby

	<!--INTERACTIVE-->		<!--INTERACTIVE-->

Barbs: /* Links */

2026-07-17T10:10:11Z

Links

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	https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/theres-nothing-new-sun-new-suns-recovering-octavia-e-butlers-lost-parables/		https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/theres-nothing-new-sun-new-suns-recovering-octavia-e-butlers-lost-parables/

	https://~~godischange~~.~~org~~/2022/10/05/a-~~critique~~-of-~~the~~-destiny/		https://sulbooks.com/site/2022/9/30/the-most-dangerous-story-ever-told-interstellar-progress-and-human-destiny

	</div>		</div>

Barbs: /* Links */

2026-07-17T10:02:15Z

Links

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:02, 17 July 2026
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	====Links====		====Links====
	https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/theres-nothing-new-sun-new-suns-recovering-octavia-e-butlers-lost-parables/		https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/theres-nothing-new-sun-new-suns-recovering-octavia-e-butlers-lost-parables/

			https://godischange.org/2022/10/05/a-critique-of-the-destiny/

	</div>		</div>

Barbs: /* Reflection */

2026-07-17T09:48:15Z

Reflection

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	====Reflection====		====Reflection====
	I found this book kind of hard to get through at times because of the bleak dystopia and violence. As someone who grew up loving young adult dystopias this kind of surprised me, what is the difference between this book and reading about children murdering each other in The Hunger Games that makes this so much harder to stomach? I think it’s Butler’s choices in worldbuilding, the world really isn’t much different from our own, except the problems we face today (climate change, poverty, prejudice) have been allowed to become exponentially worse. It feels extremely close to home.		I found this book kind of hard to get through at times because of the bleak dystopia and violence. As someone who grew up loving young adult dystopias this kind of surprised me, what is the difference between this book and reading about children murdering each other in The Hunger Games that makes this so much harder to stomach? I think it’s Butler’s choices in worldbuilding, the world really isn’t much different from our own, except the problems we face today (climate change, poverty, prejudice) have been allowed to become exponentially worse. It feels extremely close to home.

			Something the book made me reflect on is my own idealism and privilege in the world we live in now. In a few decades, will I be just like the older adults in this novel, holding on to an old world that is long gone, unable to adapt and change because they think things will “get better again”? Or will I be able to cut ties with that illusion? Even now, I have an incomplete emergency pack at home, feeling discomfort at listening to the government’s warnings, doubting if it’s maybe just fearmongering. Lauren’s emergency precautions saved her life. Maybe I should get back to it..

	I’m not sure yet how I feel about Earthseed.. it took me a bit to warm up to it being a religion and not a philosophy or ideology, especially as an ex-catholic, building a utopian politics around religion makes me feel icky. But I like that their God is not a person but an idea, a concept.		I’m not sure yet how I feel about Earthseed.. it took me a bit to warm up to it being a religion and not a philosophy or ideology, especially as an ex-catholic, building a utopian politics around religion makes me feel icky. But I like that their God is not a person but an idea, a concept.

	Especially Earthseed’s Destiny being to “take root among the stars” was something I felt conflicted about. In terms of survival of the humanity in the story, I understand why it is their goal, as the Earth is becoming increasingly uninhabitable for humans, although the climate on other planets probably will be even less ideal? But as a blueprint for utopian thinking in our world, how does that separate itself from billionaire longtermist ideology.. there wasn’t any thought about HOW to become a spacefaring species in a way that is not harmful or extractive. I remember there was one character criticizing Lauren for Earthseed being vague and up to interpretation and I find myself agreeing with them.		Especially Earthseed’s Destiny being to “take root among the stars” was something I felt conflicted about. In terms of survival of the humanity in the story, I understand why it is their goal, as the Earth is becoming increasingly uninhabitable for humans, although the climate on other planets probably will be even less ideal? But as a blueprint for utopian thinking in our world, how does that separate itself from billionaire longtermist ideology.. there wasn’t any thought about HOW to become a spacefaring species in a way that is not harmful or extractive, and what to do once we reach that goal. I remember there was one character criticizing Lauren for Earthseed being vague and up to interpretation and I find myself agreeing with them.

	====Links====		====Links====

Barbs: /* Want To Read/Annotate */

2026-07-17T09:35:42Z

Want To Read/Annotate

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:35, 17 July 2026
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	⟢ https://github.com/frnsys/speculating_futures<br>		⟢ https://github.com/frnsys/speculating_futures<br>
	⟢ Always Coming Home - Ursula K. Le Guin<br>		⟢ Always Coming Home - Ursula K. Le Guin<br>
	~~⟢ Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler<br>~~
	⟢ A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay - Octavia Butler<br>		⟢ A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay - Octavia Butler<br>
	⟢ Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements - adrienne maree brown & Walidah Imarisha		⟢ Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements - adrienne maree brown & Walidah Imarisha

Barbs: /* Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler (1993) */

2026-07-17T09:34:24Z

Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler (1993)

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:34, 17 July 2026
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	Especially Earthseed’s Destiny being to “take root among the stars” was something I felt conflicted about. In terms of survival of the humanity in the story, I understand why it is their goal, as the Earth is becoming increasingly uninhabitable for humans, although the climate on other planets probably will be even less ideal? But as a blueprint for utopian thinking in our world, how does that separate itself from billionaire longtermist ideology.. there wasn’t any thought about HOW to become a spacefaring species in a way that is not harmful or extractive. I remember there was one character criticizing Lauren for Earthseed being vague and up to interpretation and I find myself agreeing with them.		Especially Earthseed’s Destiny being to “take root among the stars” was something I felt conflicted about. In terms of survival of the humanity in the story, I understand why it is their goal, as the Earth is becoming increasingly uninhabitable for humans, although the climate on other planets probably will be even less ideal? But as a blueprint for utopian thinking in our world, how does that separate itself from billionaire longtermist ideology.. there wasn’t any thought about HOW to become a spacefaring species in a way that is not harmful or extractive. I remember there was one character criticizing Lauren for Earthseed being vague and up to interpretation and I find myself agreeing with them.

			====Links====
			https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/theres-nothing-new-sun-new-suns-recovering-octavia-e-butlers-lost-parables/

	</div>		</div>

Barbs: /* Summary */

2026-07-17T09:11:57Z

Summary

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:11, 17 July 2026
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	----		----
	====Summary====		====Summary====
	The book was written in the 90’s and is set in a dystopian California in the years 2025-2027. The United States have been ontregeld by rapidly worsening climate change, drug use and violence. Main character Lauren lives in a walled community and the first half of the book details her daily life there. Halfway through, the community is attacked and burned. Lauren is one of the few survivors and decides to travel north, trying to find a safer place to settle.		The book was written in the 90’s and is set in a dystopian California in the years 2025-2027. The United States have been ontregeld by rapidly worsening climate change, drug use and violence. Main character Lauren lives in a walled community struggling to survive and the first half of the book details her daily life there. Halfway through, the community is attacked and burned. Lauren is one of the few survivors and decides to travel north, trying to find a safer place to settle.

	The book is written as Lauren’s journal entries throughout the 3 years. In it, she details her developing ideas for Earthseed. It is a philosophy/religion centered around the idea that “God is Change”.		The book is written as Lauren’s journal entries throughout the 3 years. In it, she details her developing ideas for Earthseed. It is a philosophy/religion centered around the idea that “God is Change”.

Barbs: /* Relevance to my practice */

2026-07-17T09:08:55Z

Relevance to my practice

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:08, 17 July 2026
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	====Relevance to my practice====		====Relevance to my practice====
			I’ve been on a big Ursula K. Le Guin reading spree and I wanted to diversify by reading other female sci-fi authors. Butler has been on my radar for a while especially after listening to adrienne maree brown speak about how much Butler’s work inspires her.

			Parable of the Sower especially interested me because of it being a dystopian climate future in combination with a developing utopian ideology named Earthseed. I was curious how the main character would develop her utopian vision while facing such a bleak world.

	====Reflection====		====Reflection====

Barbs: /* Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler (1993) */

2026-07-17T09:01:32Z

Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler (1993)

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:01, 17 July 2026
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	I found this book kind of hard to get through at times because of the bleak dystopia and violence. As someone who grew up loving young adult dystopias this kind of surprised me, what is the difference between this book and reading about children murdering each other in The Hunger Games that makes this so much harder to stomach? I think it’s Butler’s choices in worldbuilding, the world really isn’t much different from our own, except the problems we face today (climate change, poverty, prejudice) have been allowed to become exponentially worse. It feels extremely close to home.		I found this book kind of hard to get through at times because of the bleak dystopia and violence. As someone who grew up loving young adult dystopias this kind of surprised me, what is the difference between this book and reading about children murdering each other in The Hunger Games that makes this so much harder to stomach? I think it’s Butler’s choices in worldbuilding, the world really isn’t much different from our own, except the problems we face today (climate change, poverty, prejudice) have been allowed to become exponentially worse. It feels extremely close to home.

	I’m not sure yet how I feel about Earthseed.. it took me a bit to warm up to it being a religion and not a philosophy or ideology, especially as an ex-catholic, building a utopian ~~vision~~ around religion makes me feel icky. But I like that their God is not a person but an idea, a concept.		I’m not sure yet how I feel about Earthseed.. it took me a bit to warm up to it being a religion and not a philosophy or ideology, especially as an ex-catholic, building a utopian politics around religion makes me feel icky. But I like that their God is not a person but an idea, a concept.

	Especially Earthseed’s Destiny being to “take root among the stars” was something I felt conflicted about. In terms of survival of the humanity in the story, I understand why it is their goal, as the Earth is becoming increasingly uninhabitable for humans, although the climate on other planets probably will be even less ideal? But as a blueprint for utopian thinking in our world, how does that separate itself from billionaire longtermist ideology.. there wasn’t any thought about HOW to become a spacefaring species in a way that is not harmful or extractive. I remember there was one character criticizing Lauren for Earthseed being vague and up to interpretation and I find myself agreeing with them.		Especially Earthseed’s Destiny being to “take root among the stars” was something I felt conflicted about. In terms of survival of the humanity in the story, I understand why it is their goal, as the Earth is becoming increasingly uninhabitable for humans, although the climate on other planets probably will be even less ideal? But as a blueprint for utopian thinking in our world, how does that separate itself from billionaire longtermist ideology.. there wasn’t any thought about HOW to become a spacefaring species in a way that is not harmful or extractive. I remember there was one character criticizing Lauren for Earthseed being vague and up to interpretation and I find myself agreeing with them.