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Manda Scott: Any Human Power, Fiction, Climate, and Thrutopia

For Samhain (Halloween), the night the veil between the worlds grows thin -- and a few days before the US election -- we chat with the author of a novel that's Neil Gaiman meets Neal Stephenson.

Oíche Shamhna Shona Daoibh.

For a haunted Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations we’re joined by celebrated author Manda Scott, known for her historical fiction, thrilling plots, and a knack for tapping into the deep-seated mythologies that underlie our human struggles.

In this special Halloween/Samhain episode, Scott takes us through the twists and turns of her latest novel, Any Human Power, a work that defies genres by interweaving climate, technology, political thrillers, and mythological frameworks to explore the existential crises that define our age. Halloween, or Samhain, in the Celtic tradition, is a time when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest, making it a fitting backdrop for a discussion that merges the metaphysical with the political. Through this episode, we explore how stories, myths, and beliefs play essential roles in understanding climate change—and our response to it.

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Utopia, Dystopia…or ‘Thrutopia’? 

Scott argues that we’re facing more than just climate change; we’re in the grip of a polycrisis—a complex system of interlinked existential threats that can’t be tackled in isolation. Climate breakdown, economic disparity, political polarisation—each is woven into the others. But rather than focusing solely on dystopia, Scott delves into the concept of “Thrutopia,” a term she uses to suggest stories that go beyond the bleak projections of our current trajectory. For Scott, we need narratives that offer not just escape or survival but pathways toward reimagining governance, social structures, and our relationship with nature. We don’t need a hero to save us, she argues; we need collective transformation.

The Role of Myth in Modern Crises 

Mythologies shape how we interpret our reality. They help us frame complex issues, lending narrative to events that might otherwise feel overwhelming. The discussion touches on Irish and Scottish influences that have deeply inspired Scott, and we talk about why she returns so often to these ancient traditions. These mythic elements in her storytelling provide readers with a bridge between the familiar and the visionary, offering ways to engage with climate tech and activism in new ways.

Scott also challenges our assumptions about power and agency. Drawing from her background in shamanic studies, she introduces concepts of “the between”—a space that, much like Samhain, exists between worlds, a liminal space that prompts us to reflect on what lies beyond our typical frames of existence.

Changing Our Relationship with Power and Technology 

The episode also unpacks one of Scott’s core themes: the disconnect between technology’s potential for good and the often destructive way it is deployed. Drawing on thinkers like Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s visionary digital minister, Scott highlights how technology could be repurposed for community building and societal benefit, rather than division and profit-driven control. In her novel, social media is reimagined as a tool for unity rather than conflict—an ideal she acknowledges would be a challenge to realize in our reality but essential for a sustainable future.

With her deep understanding of neuropsychology, Scott argues that traditional power structures thrive by hijacking the limbic system—essentially playing on our fears. This mechanism, she contends, is not inevitable; rather, it reflects the failures of our current system and our willingness to remain complicit. Scott’s work demands that we confront these structural flaws and imagine a fundamentally different world.

Gender

Probably because I’m a middle-aged-dude who frankly was a bit intimidated to ask my questions bluntly, I very awkwardly tried to ask about issues around gender, perspective, and authorship. The morning we spoke, the Guardian’s Damian Carrington reported that dozens of scientists had sent a letter pleading with COP29 to pay attention to gendered blind spots in climate science and policy that have led to ignoring the fact that increased heat stress due to climate change is causing the risk to double of miscarriage. I was trying to use that to get to a conversation about Ursula le Guin, one of her influences, and her views that female novelists come at their subjects with a different view. Thankfully Manda was patient with me as I stumbled through my questions. I hope it’s heard in the spirit in which it was attempted.

For Those Who Want to Dive Deeper 

Scott’s novel is just one entry point into a much larger discussion. She also hosts two podcasts—Accidental Gods and Dreaming Awake—where she delves into complex ideas about regenerative futures, mythological frameworks, and the spiritual dimensions of climate action. Her courses further explore these topics, offering participants the tools to engage with the “web of life” in ways that encourage sustainable and meaningful change.

Scott cites many authors and thinkers whose work is worth exploring to fully appreciate her approach, including Ursula Le Guin’s prescient ideas about human power, Kim Stanley Robinson’s climate fiction, and David Graeber and David Wengrow’s The Dawn of Everything, which reframes our understanding of human history and societal development.

Links to Explore Further:

Outro Tracks

As usual we’ve added a selection to the outro tunes. This one’s by Ireland’s Lisa Hannigan.

But we did have some runners-up worth mentioning:

Happy Halloween.

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A show about climate tech - the intersection of people, politics, technology, and capital that will help shape the future. And whether you'd want to live in it.