Inhabiting the Anthropocene

“Telling stories of the future is always a social, material, and political practice. It always has effects; it is always non-innocent”.

Speculating about the future is never neutral; it is inherently biased. It shapes material choices, social imaginaries, and political agendas, making design a situated and consequential practice.

Summary

This statement foregrounds the idea that envisioning the future is never a neutral act. Whether through design, narrative, or technological speculation, projecting futures always involves cultural values, material decisions, and political implications. Every future we imagine brings with it consequences in the present—it informs what we prioritize, who we include, and what kind of world we make possible. In this light, storytelling becomes a critical design tool: one that is inherently social, material, and political. Acknowledging its non-innocence means embracing responsibility for the futures we help shape.

“Telling stories of the future is always a social, material, and political practice. It always has effects; it is always non-innocent.”

This reflection reminds us that imagining the future is never a neutral gesture. Whether we do so through design, science, or speculative narratives, the futures we envision reflect—and shape—contemporary priorities, values, and power structures. They influence the materials we develop, the communities we serve, and the systems we reinforce or challenge. In this sense, design becomes not only a creative act but also a form of situated responsibility. Embracing the non-innocence of future storytelling means recognizing its real-world impacts—and using it consciously to build more inclusive, sustainable, and thoughtful worlds.

SCIENTIFIC COORDINATOR

Ingrid Paoletti, Marta D'Alessandro