From plagues to climate change, a look at how 2024 was imagined

This hour we take a look at the science fiction books and movies set in 2024 to see how close to reality they turned out to be. We'll discuss the 1960 film Beyond the Time Barrier, the 1975 film A Boy and His Dog, and Octavia E. Butler's 1993 novel Parable of the Sower. Plus, we'll hear from a speculative fiction writer about the challenge, and value, of imagining the future. And, we'll talk with someone behind The Washington Post's annual "List" about predicting trends for the next year. GUESTS:  Charles Bramesco: A film and television critic, and author of the article “The beginning of the end? What we can learn from films set in 2024” Annalee Newitz: A writer of science fiction and nonfiction whose books include The Terraformers and Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age. Their forthcoming book is Stories are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind. They are also the co-host of the podcast Our Opinions Are Correct Cassandra L. Jones: Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Her forthcoming book is Black Speculative Feminisms: Memory and Liberated Futures in Black Women's Speculative Fiction Maura Judkis: Features Reporter for The Washington Post who wrote “The List: What’s In and What’s Out for 2024”  SONGS:  “The Future” by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats “2024” by Tyson James  “Don’t Leave Me” by The Winans  “You Want it Darker” by Leonard Cohen  “Not My Fault” by Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.