Really compelling setup. The parallel Earth framing is a smart narrative device because it lets you critique current systems without sounding preachy. The productivity growth divergence point is especially interesting since so much of our current dysfunction traces back to stagnant wages and zero-sum thinking that came after the 70s. Looking foward to seeing how the speculative dispatches work alongside the serious analysis, that tension could be really generative.
I'm having trouble deciding whether the Point of Divergence should be 1945 or 1970. The former creates many more storytelling opportunities, and the latter feels more real and grounded. I'm not writing alternate history or literature, I'm just a person trying to have some fun.
It masterfully blends speculative fiction with raw personal grief, starting as a witty, provocative vision of an alternate prosperous Earth where autism is nearly eradicated and global culture flourishes in delightful ways—like Martian spas and Honky Tonk clubs in Hong Kong—only to deliver a devastating emotional pivot: the "Last Autistic" is simply a grieving son honoring his late father and brother through his writing. The sharp contrast between the playful utopia and the heartbreaking reality creates a profound impact, turning a quirky manifesto into a deeply human tribute that lingers long after reading.
Really compelling setup. The parallel Earth framing is a smart narrative device because it lets you critique current systems without sounding preachy. The productivity growth divergence point is especially interesting since so much of our current dysfunction traces back to stagnant wages and zero-sum thinking that came after the 70s. Looking foward to seeing how the speculative dispatches work alongside the serious analysis, that tension could be really generative.
I'm having trouble deciding whether the Point of Divergence should be 1945 or 1970. The former creates many more storytelling opportunities, and the latter feels more real and grounded. I'm not writing alternate history or literature, I'm just a person trying to have some fun.
Nice.
It masterfully blends speculative fiction with raw personal grief, starting as a witty, provocative vision of an alternate prosperous Earth where autism is nearly eradicated and global culture flourishes in delightful ways—like Martian spas and Honky Tonk clubs in Hong Kong—only to deliver a devastating emotional pivot: the "Last Autistic" is simply a grieving son honoring his late father and brother through his writing. The sharp contrast between the playful utopia and the heartbreaking reality creates a profound impact, turning a quirky manifesto into a deeply human tribute that lingers long after reading.