What If the Future of Society Looks Nothing Like an Empire? | Liam Begley

What if science fiction wasn’t really about the future……but about reimagining how human beings live and work together?In this episode of Thought Atlas, I’m joined by Liam Begley—author of the self-published science fiction novel Broken Interstellar.Drawing inspiration from more than a decade working in Vancouver’s film industry, Liam imagined a future where interstellar civilization is built not around empires, but around networks of cooperation. What began as a lighthearted space adventure gradually evolved into a thoughtful exploration of democracy, labor, management, individuality, and human nature.Together, we explore:The ideas behind Broken InterstellarScience fiction as a tool for exploring societyDemocracy and political philosophyLabor, management, and cooperationLessons from the film industryHuman nature across generationsWorldbuilding with purposeWriting independentlyWhy stories shape how we imagine the futureThe enduring principles behind human relationshipsThis isn’t simply a conversation about science fiction.It’s a conversation about humanity, cooperation, and the kinds of societies we might build if we dared to imagine differently.🌍 Thought Atlashttps://joinpodmatch.com/thoughtatlas🌍 Broken Interstellarhttps://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1867423If today’s conversation resonated with you, you can pick up Broken Interstellar through the Smashwords link above. During the episode, Liam also shared that listeners can visit liambegley.ca for links to additional bookstores, connect with him on BlueSky, and, if cost is a barrier, reach out to him directly—he said he’s happy to help more people read the book. He also encourages readers to leave a review after reading.