Show Notes for Ep. 54 "Transgressing Authentically"

In this episode, Mary Anne recounts a recent trip she took to Pakistan to teach science fiction writing at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. The two discuss her experiences of gender in Pakistan, as well as the broader cultural, religious, and material prohibitions of Lahore and the other countries, including our own. All leads to the question of whether one can and should risk transgressing from societal norms in an “authentic” and progressive manner.

Recorded April 7, 2023 / Published August 28, 2023

Contents

  • 0:00:00 – a recap of Mary Anne and Ben’s relationship views on religion
  • 0:06:50 – introducing the Salam Award Writers Workshop, and exploring how science fiction and fantasy communities arise
  • 0:20:41 – on issues of gender and violence in Pakistan
  • 0:26:55 – an aside on Oak Park’s cultural prohibition against segregation
  • 0:37:15 – does Ben feel the gender differences when travelling?
  • 0:42:08 – on catcalling culture
  • 0:47:40 – Ben’s thoughts on public nudity
  • 0:52:43 – on racist laws
  • 1:03:50 – intermission, followed by a discussion on alcohol use in Pakistan and other prohibitions of society
  • 1:14:00 – exploring the impact of religion on societal prohibitions
  • 1:26:40 – on blasphemy and social censure
  • 1:40:54 – on the things we censure sub-consciously
  • 1:49:27 – on the potential risks of unintended blasphemy
  • 1:57:46 – transgressive reimagination of religions
  • 2:01:00 – Ben’s ad for The Dawn of Everything, and transgressive societies
  • 2:08:33 – reviewing Mary Anne’s old erotica stories and the conservative struggle
  • 2:19:08 – on what Ben hesitates to write now
  • 2:29:00 – Ben’s views on current Palestine and Israel conflict, followed by closing thought1

Works Mentioned

Organized by order of appearance.

Other Clarifying or Explanatory Links