The episode falls within the broader genre of speculative fiction, using imaginative storytelling to explore possibilities and implications of future scenarios involving emerging technologies and social systems.
As a work of speculative fiction set in the near future, the novel explores how the present could drastically change based on existing conditions.
A significant portion of the interview focuses on Obreht's new novel 'The Morningside', which is described as a work of speculative fiction exploring near-future themes of climate change and refugees.
The podcast episodes provided demonstrate how speculative fiction can be used as a creative tool to explore a wide range of themes, from philosophical and ideological questions to potential technological and societal developments.
For example, the episode "573. Robert Charles Wilson on Science Fiction and Atheism" discusses how science fiction allows authors to examine concepts like atheism and the idea of God without necessarily committing to any particular stance. Similarly, the episode "The Great Political Fictions: The Handmaid's Tale" explores how Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel serves as a speculative commentary on present-day conditions and their potential for drastic change.
Other episodes, such as "567. Téa Obreht, author of The Morningside" and "Envisioning a Positive AI Future, with Tim Reutemann, Author of Liquid Reign", delve into how speculative fiction can be used to imagine and explore potential technological and environmental futures, including the implications of climate change and artificial intelligence.