The hottest Speculative Substack posts right now

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The Perpetual

Handwaving Freakoutery • 407 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
⚔ Fiction Science fiction Speculative Dystopian Transhumanism Satire
  1. Different people are exploring ways to live forever, like using technology or advanced medicine. For instance, some wealthy individuals focus on using powerful medical treatments for longevity.
  2. Some people think of themselves as not just individuals but as entire organizations. This means they might have many lookalikes or replacements to keep their image alive.
  3. As humanity evolves, we might not become greater individuals but instead blend more with corporations and societies, almost losing our original identity.

Untitled Future, 1

Working Theorys • 86 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
⚔ Fiction Science fiction Dystopian Speculative Narrative Short Stories
  1. In the future, there are special areas called Aicres that are important for survival and status. If you own an Aicre, it means you have power and wealth.
  2. The government is running a bidding process for Aicres, but many believe it's unfair and favors the rich. People are worried about getting left out.
  3. Some hope for a Universal Basic Aicreage to help everyone, but it would still leave most with very little. There’s a lot of tension between the rich and those struggling to survive.

Wildfire

storyvoyager • 6 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
📚 Literature Fiction Speculative Transhumanism Environmental
  1. In the future, resources are scarce, and people need skills to survive and gain citizenship. It's about contributing to help create a better world.
  2. The story highlights the struggle to save the last forest and the dangers of climate change. Technology must improve to protect what little nature is left.
  3. Even in desperate situations, human connection and community can be powerful, suggesting there may be hope despite the dire circumstances.

The Rock War

Devon’s Substack • 79 implied HN points • 02 Jul 24
⚔ Fiction Speculative Science fiction Narrative Literary Adventure
  1. The story seems to be about a conflict involving important space territories. This suggests there's a struggle for power and resources.
  2. There's a mention of a United Nations fleet blockading areas, indicating that the situation is significant enough to involve international forces.
  3. The title hints at a deep impact of this conflict, possibly analyzing the consequences and legacies left behind by the war.

The Library of Slaanesh

Thicket Forte • 959 implied HN points • 01 Feb 23
📚 Literature Fiction Drama Fantasy Narrative Speculative
  1. The library is a strange place filled with endless walls showing beautiful women, but they aren't real and can't be touched. Men lose themselves in this fantasy, forgetting the life outside these walls.
  2. As men begin to remember real women and experiences from their past, they realize there's more to life than just the pleasure from the walls. This sparks a desire to find and connect with others.
  3. Different men respond to their situation in various ways, some deny the existence of the outside world while others seek to escape it. The struggle between accepting this reality and longing for something more defines their lives.
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Trent Crawford & Stanton Cornish-Ward: LOCK

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 15 Feb 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Film Digital Media Speculative
  1. LOCK (2021) is a speculative film about decentralized personal-development movements and peer to peer therapy called LOCK.
  2. The film merges film production stock footage with artificial intelligence techniques like DeepFakes, Image Breeding, and SPADE to explore contemporary cinema fueled by web 3.0.
  3. The project aims to spark conversations about digital isolationism, presenting a hybrid reality of decentralized, autonomous, and radicalized individuals through immersive video installations.