#12 Philosopher and sociologist Frank Adloff: Convivialism – contradict or kill?

«What humanity has not yet solved: How can we actually be at odds with each other without killing each other? Convivialism does not assume that at some point only consensus and harmony will prevail. It must be possible to differ from one another, to articulate different opinions – but all within a peaceful framework, without violence. And, of course, democracy is still the best way to achieve this.» Frank Adloff

Our guest, sociologist and philosopher Frank Adloff, stands for a new art of living together: How do we face the polycrises of our time? And shouldn’t we first trust alien intelligences instead of fighting them?

He is co-editor of the German edition of the «Convivialist Manifesto» (2014) and «Convivial Futures» (2022). Convivialism aims to do just that – to establish a new democratic form of coexistence in which contradictions are valid, in which trust is placed in the unfamiliar and connectedness with each other and with nature is the basis for action. Sounds like the classic better world, right? Find out how he envisions this sustainable coexistence in concrete terms and what this could mean for a possible first contact with alien intelligences.

The conversation took place in German.

Further links to topics of the dialogue
Das konvivialistische Manifest (book)
Christian Felber (wiki)
Convivial Futures (book)
Kim Stanley Robinson – The Ministry for the Future (book)
Thomas Hobbes – Leviathan (book)

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Welcome to THE GOLDEN RECORD STUDIOS – It’s high time for a new world selfie! 45 years ago, NASA sent its «Golden Records» into the depths of space in the hope that distant intelligences would be able to get an idea of humanity this way. Back then, a small group of Americans curated an embellished selfie for the entire Earth: Photos as if with a retro filter, music between European classical music and Azerbaijani bagpipes, as well as nature sounds in poor sound quality – our as yet unknown alien friends will get a pretty weird impression of us. Fortunately, since the 1970s, not only the view of the world, but also the view out of the world has changed significantly.

In our podcast series THE GOLDEN RECORD STUDIOS, exosociologists, anthropologists and other alien artists put their heads together with us for this experiment to produce new recordings: How do we want to be remembered? How do we welcome alien intelligences? Which colonial structures do we have to say goodbye to in order to secure the existence of the human species? And is freezing after death really the smartest way to travel into the future? THE GOLDEN RECORD STUDIOS are an open invitation to listen in and think along, infused with sounds and music. On the first level, we deal with various questions arising from the Golden Records project. But you soon realise that we are dealing with very contemporary and local issues via the figure of the alien or the message to space.

Hosts: Alexandra Lauck und Lukas Matthaei
Creative Producer: Fabian Kuehlein
Music: Chris Umney

Produced by matthaei&konsorten 2023