Murderbot and the Stories That Heal Us

Murderbot and the Stories That Heal Us

Author: Our Opinions Are Correct July 24, 2025 Duration: 46:24

It's scary out there — so thank goodness we're taking comfort in some wondrous books, TV shows, comics and movies. What makes a story comforting? And why is a dark horror story sometimes better comfort than a sweet gentle comedy? Plus we talk about the first season of Murderbot, which is about using stories to feel better and also made us feel better in real life.

Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect/shownotes


What if the robots win, or we finally make first contact? How do the stories we tell about the future shape the technology and culture we build today? Our Opinions Are Correct isn't just a celebration of sci-fi; it's a lively, essential conversation about the genre's powerful grip on our real world. Hosts Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders bring a unique lens to these questions: one is a science journalist who crafts fiction, the other a celebrated novelist with a deep obsession for actual science. Together, they pick apart the books, films, and shows that define speculative storytelling, moving beyond simple reviews to uncover how these narratives reflect and influence everything from social justice to scientific ethics. New episodes every other week dive into a single topic, whether it's the politics of a beloved space opera or the neuroscience in a cyberpunk thriller, always with curiosity and a critical eye. This podcast argues that our favorite escapes are never just entertainment-they're blueprints, warnings, and mirrors for the human condition. Tune in for discussions that are as intellectually rigorous as they are genuinely fun, guaranteed to make you see the genre, and the world outside your window, in a completely new light.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Our Opinions Are Correct
Podcast Episodes
Episode 109: Work Is Not Your Friend, with Alan Henry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:27
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Episode 108: How Science Fiction Sold Us the Automobile [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Cars have made our lives better in many ways, but they also kill a lot of people and damage the environment. Science fiction has worked hard to help us fall in love with the automobile, to the point where we can't imagin…
Episode 107: Academia, Dark and Light [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:00
Why has darkness descended upon the university? We talk about the dark academia aesthetic, from Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" to the show "Dear White People." What defines this aesthetic, and how does it shed light…
Encore Episode: The Future Of Birth Control [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:26
With the U.S. Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark court case that made abortion legal in this country, our future is looking very different. In this encore episode, we talk about the future of reprod…
Episode 106: Waking up from the Illusion of Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:01
Nothing is ever permanent in pop culture: people die and come back to life all the time, huge changes get retconned, and Spider-Man is always a young guy who's just starting out. Why are we stuck with the "illusion of ch…
Episode 105: Ghosts of the Cold War [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:01
Paranoia's back, baby. We talk about two Cold War obsessions — space combat and brainwashing — and how they've returned in a big way. Cold War tropes are haunting our science fiction and dominating political discourse in…
Episode 104: Action Princesses! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:33
Princesses used to be helpless damsels, but these days they're more likely to pick up a sword than wait to be rescued. Why do we love princesses who fight back? Does it have something to do with our hang-ups about femini…
Episode 102: Money Is a Fantasy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:44
Why is it so hard to imagine money being different in the future? We talk about the problem of money in science fiction, the ancient history of spade coins, and cash that spies on you. Plus, we're joined by guest Stacy M…

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