Radical Optimism PDF Download

"What is radical optimism? A state of mind or a survival tactic? It feels like the end of the pandemic but also the end of certainty -- in media, politics, climate, and world order in general. But what is this the beginining of? We're betting on collaboration, new networkds of exchange, and new ways of storytelling -- finding the pulse across genres and ecologies. But what, in the third decade of the 21st century, is there to be optimistic about? In any creative field, optimism is key to getting the project done -- doing the work to evolve from concept to production. Yet many compelling visions and innovations from the past 100 years, whether political or aesthetic, were made by those benefiting from structural and systemic advantages. The world we live in was built from tools, niceties, and preconceptions that are no longer acceptable. And yet, at the dawn of the Metaverse, we are witnessing a new material reality being constructed from the bones of the existing one. Is it good vibes from here on out or a toxic tech prision of cheerfulness? This issue, conceived in New York and produced in Paris, walks the tightrope between the past and the future, registering a generational shift in action and in consciousness. To get to where we want to be, we need to hold the doors open for each other -- and sometimes just rip them off their hinges. Radical optimism is both a statement and a question. We have a lot to lose and so much to gain. But we won't get anywhere unless we choose to go there together." -- Provided by publisher.