THEME 2022:
SO FUTURE!
The world is on fire! Climate catastrophes, economic crises, wars, extreme polarization and environmental disasters – predicted for decades by scientists, freethinkers and artists – are increasingly manifesting in the here and now. Shit is real, yo! Denial is no longer an option!
The role that technology plays in the cause and solution of the major climatic, sociological and economic problems of the 21st century is becoming an increasingly urgent conversation. The survival of humanity and future memes are at stake.
Even the status quo of metaversed tech billionaire CEOs and corruptable politicians is finally starting to realize that something needs to change in our attitude towards the future of planet earth; a future, if it were up to them, conceived and designed by the status quo themselves… say what, now!? A more decentralised structure like the anti-capitalist, pro-technology Solarpunk/Ecopunk movement might be a better alternative to being a slave to Big Tech.
GOGBOT asks: who has the power when it comes to shaping the future? And what do we want to change about this distribution of power? Can the world still be saved, or are we metaf*cked!?
SO FUTURE
In these hectic times of constant (dis)information and brainless entertainment overload, our future is too often presented in a simplified way, either extremely dystopian or naively utopian. Obviously, we all need to distance ourselves from these indiscriminate narratives from time to time, so that we can rest and recover before resuming the fight for a truly better world. At such trying times, the philosophies of our great leader Doge offer solace as we ironically exclaim: “yet another careless Silicon Valley meets Hollywood image of the future … so future! much likes! very google! many technology! such consumer!”
SOLARPUNK
The subtitle ‘From solarpunk to metaf*ck’ also refers to the solar/ecopunk movement, which, from a rebellious and anti-capitalistic point of view, strives for a world in which technology, nature and mankind achieve perfect symbiosis. Solarpunk has a do-it-yourself attitude and is deeply rooted in ideologies – and in doing so is at odds with exploitative mentality of Big Tec. Is solarpunk a way of thinking that can help us usher in a healthy future?
METAFUCK
Big Tec and Silicon Valley operate as self-appointed notorious gatekeepers when it comes to the distribution of ideas about the future. Consider, for example, the way Mark ‘Facebook” Zuckerberg shamelessly annexed the Metaverse as a concept from Neal Stephenson’s 30 year old scifi novel Snow Crash. GOGBOT speaks out against these and other cases of blatant ‘metaf*cking’ and is pushing for a reconsideration of existing power structures!
