PROTOPÍA: get familiar with the term

We start the year and David del Cura is preparing his latest program “La Brújula Edición Navidad”. He wants to talk nationally at 7:30 pm about PROTOPÍA?

“Let’s avoid the DYSTOPIA (…)
and like Thomas More’s UTOPIA is unattainable by its own nature
get familiar with a term (…): PROTOPÍA.”

David del Cura, La Brújula de Navidad 07/01/2021

Let’s talk about PROTOPÍA

Well, he actually wants to talk about the future and, perhaps due to the aftermath of the Three Wise Men, he decides to maintain an optimistic tone, avoiding the apocalyptic and dystopian messages we are used to.

He decides to start the program with something as important for everyone as the future, and present, of energy moving from hydrogen to photovoltaic panels. He also echoes the test that a team of professors from Villanueva University has created with fictional scenes to measure emotional intelligence.

In the middle, a section dedicated to the Fifth Technological Revolution. In that central section, we talk about the future, about humans augmented by technology, about regulation (and self-regulation) but, as he mentioned at the beginning of the program, we start with the concept of protopía that Kevin Kelly coined.

During the conversation, we define protopía as I do in the essay: a step towards a utopia that by its nature will always be unattainable. One more step on an endless path. A better society, but not perfect.

There was also time to listen to some excerpts from Blade Runner that allowed us to compare this future we hope for (protopía) with the one described in science fiction classics (usually dystopian). The musical backgrounds, which I didn’t expect, make me feel at home listening to Bowie and Lagartija Nick. Well, the truth is that I am at home confined due to contact.

“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.”

Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), Blade Runner (1982) by Ridley Scott.

Like any respectable live broadcast, there was time for a slip-up (thanks David for getting me out of trouble). Yes, the reference I didn’t remember live and that does appear in the bibliography is Professor Carlota Pérez. A key reference in my essay. If you are reading this, Professor, I apologize.

To conclude, David del Cura talks about the Fundación Querer (Foundation for Love), a foundation I collaborate with on this project that aims to advance towards a protopía by supporting children with special educational needs resulting from their neurological diseases.

David finishes by giving his personal opinion on the book, but for those who want to know the latter, for now, listen to the podcast or its summary.

It has been a real pleasure to start the year with such company. Thank you David, thank you Rosana, thank you Ana, and thank you to the entire team.

Recordings

Below is the recording of the program:

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More information on protopía

If you want to read about change, technological revolutions, technology, and how all of this has impacted us and will impact us, I recommend “browsing” through “The End of INERTIA”. It is a popular science essay on technology and its impact on society and companies.