It seems that we are currently on a doorstep in society. There is a lot going on politically, socially, ecologically and economically. You ask yourself: Where does the journey actually go? The question itself is, of course, an old one — as humanity, we wonder in the nature of things what the future could look like and have always been working on it artistically.

This topic comes up regularly in our team and we discuss which media products we have come across over the years that could reveal a possible vision of the future (or one that could hopefully be avoided). The good, the bad, and everything in the middle. We have curated a small selection of films, series and books about this for you. 🤖🦾

Books: Dystopias and more dystopias

1984, George Orwell — Probably the biggest classic, is about the question of how society's worst-case scenario could work out, and for good reason. At least every jubilee year, Orwell's blueprint for totalitarian systems makes a comeback in discourse and not only illustrates how fascism, propaganda and surveillance states work, but also reveals which tendencies initiate the transition to this. Almost 80 years old and yet highly current, particularly in light of a current global shift to the right. If you last read it in German class — it's time again!

Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury — What is actually the ignition temperature of paper? The answer is supposedly in the book title. Fahrenheit 451 hypothetizes a social model in which the possession of literature is considered a crime. It promotes autonomous thinking, and anyone who thinks for themselves thinks against others. Who needs books anyway when the fire department takes care of burning them? Who needs to read when the next screen with great entertainment is waiting on every wall of their own house? That's it, the beautiful society in which we talk to death. In the age of AI-generated content, this is an extremely topical topic! 100% recommendation!

Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro — Kathy is a caregiver for organ donors at the hospital. A noble job, you might think, but Kathy is reminiscent — about her childhood, about Hailsham, the boarding school in which she grew up. Just like her best friend, as well as her great love Tommy. The Hailsham children are special in many ways. The busy way in which they have to produce art, for example, but above all because of one thing: they are all clones of real people. And once they have completed their education at boarding school, have enjoyed the little life they are given, they have two options — donate their own organs, or look after those who have dared before them. After all, under a scalpel, no one has survived more than three operations. Ishiguro makes no secret of illustrating the inner workings of these clones, including all their wishes and dreams — and this fabricated exploitation of Kathy, Tommy and Co., is all the more terrible for a lifetime thinking, sentient being to extend. At least the original people think that's what distinguishes them from their artificially born donors. Wonderfully tender, melancholy and thematically complex.

Movies: Back to the Future?

Her, Spike Jonze — Theodore Twombly is in a precarious life situation. Employed by a service company, he writes letters for people who find it difficult to communicate their feelings to others, even though he himself is struggling with this. Freshly separated from his childhood friend and wife Catherine, Theodore is on the verge of divorce and dedicates himself to Samantha in the course of his grief: an artificial intelligence with which he quickly maintains a relationship and develops actual love. Especially in the course of today's GenAI and initial cases where individuals fall in love with AI's, offers Her A dubious and strangely yet not improbable glimpse of the ties of the future. Great recommendation!

WALL·E, Andrew Stanton — An unfortunate mixture of environmental pollution, mass consumption and a pinch of human indifference had the worst effect: The earth is desolate, littered, uninhabitable. In view of the devastated planet, humanity decides to retreat in spaceships designed for this purpose and leave behind a team of robots in the wasteland — the Wall·e's. Garbage robots, which should make the planet functional again until 700 years later only one of this kind remains, almost alone on the former Earth, only accompanied by a remaining cockroach, continuing in its daily routine — until WALL·E ·E finds a single seedling and receives a visit from EVE. Another robot that is supposed to evaluate the Earth's vegetation for surviving humanity — now a lazy, almost immobile mass. With the seedling in her luggage, EVE returns to her clients and the heavily enamored WALL·E immediately follows. The film not only explores the relationship between people and climate, but also our relationship to machinery. Thematically, this is quite dark for a designated children's film... and yet strangely sweet and affectionate. Still very interesting and thought-provoking even in adulthood!

Series: A bit of everything

Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker — It's a bit difficult Black Mirror to classify. Each episode is a new story that somehow overlaps. And every single one is awesome! A dystopian, exciting, disturbingly realistic interrelationship between society, technology, media and people. A single episode will keep you busy for weeks — that also means no risk of binge watching! Deep, shocking, moving. It's best not to watch alone! For our part, we're big fans and it wasn't for nothing that we held a watch party in the office. And anyone who asks Lena about it will feel the euphoria spilling over! 😉

Squid Game, Hwang Dong-hyuk — Admittedly, there can be no question of a secret recommendation here. Seong Gi-hun, an indebted gambler who lives with his frail mother as a result of some twists of fate, is invited to a show in which children's games are played, with the prospect of an enormous cash prize, which 455 other players are also fighting for, all heavily indebted. The twist though: Players quickly realize that every loss pays with their lives, but increases the cash pool — and the question is: How much is their own morale actually worth? It's just too much and too brutal for some of us, but maybe it's worth taking a look.

The Handmaid's Tale, Bruce Miller & Margaret Atwood — Perhaps we are admittedly cheating something at this point, is The Handmaid's Tale After all, it's actually a book, but the series has long since expanded it. As a result of environmental pollution and various sexually transmitted diseases, birth rates have fallen drastically. A problem that the totalitarian, eschatological government of America — which proclaimed itself in the course of a civil war — is seeking to solve under strict doctrine. To this end, the hyperpatriarchal regime enslaves fertile women, so-called handmaids, in order to enable the leaders to create a next generation — and it is precisely such a character who guides the action of the series. Shocking and captivating and an important memorial from Atwood as early as 1985.

We hope you enjoy reading and watching! Do you have any other suggestions? 🤔

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