Trina Ray Choudhury

Join us for a dynamic debate exploring whether sci-fi writers have a superior knack for forecasting the future compared to economists. In a session that pits ‘Dune vs. Wall Street’, we'll delve into how iconic predictions - from Orwell’s surveillance state and Gibson’s cyberspace to Star Trek’s AI visions and even forecasts in The Simpsons - stack up against data-driven economic models. This debate will enquire into questions such as, Do economists’ models falter by assuming rational behavior while sci-fi embraces chaos and creativity? Is it mere luck, or does the act of writing the future actually shape it? Are economists more influential in controlling the narrative, or do imaginative visions hold the key to future thinking? And if you had to bet on the next 100 years, would you trust an economic model or a visionary sci-fi novel? The debate will feature two teams arguing head-to-head, with a judging board selecting the winner while the audience casts their vote for the favorite performance. Get ready for an engaging clash of insights, wit, and spirited discussion that challenges the limits of data versus imagination.