Revolution in Military Affairs

P.W. Singer and the Power of Useful Fiction


Listen Later

In this episode of the Revolution Military Affairs Podcast, we sit down with Peter Singer, renowned author of Ghost Fleet and LikeWar, and a thought leader in exploring the future of war and security. Peter discusses "useful fiction," a powerful method blending rigorous nonfiction analysis with storytelling to communicate complex insights about future conflict and competition. By creating engaging narratives, useful fiction transforms dense concepts like military strategy and emerging technologies into relatable and actionable ideas.


Peter shares how this approach has been used in projects for clients such as NATO and U.S. Special Operations Command. From scenarios addressing contested logistics to narrative-driven accompaniments for doctrine like FM 3-0, useful fiction helps leaders visualize and internalize strategic principles. Singer emphasizes the importance of grounding these stories in reality—technology must be feasible and set within the next generation, adhering to the "no vaporware rule."

The conversation touches on institutional reluctance to embrace change, the need to adapt in an era of multi-domain operations, and the lessons history teaches about innovation and resistance. With humor and depth, Peter explains how stories help us not just imagine the future, but prepare for it. A must-listen for military thinkers and strategists!


Visit Useful Fiction at the following link: https://useful-fiction.com/about-us/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Revolution in Military AffairsBy Amos Fox

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

29 ratings


More shows like Revolution in Military Affairs

View all
War on the Rocks by Ryan Evans

War on the Rocks

1,073 Listeners

Angry Planet by Matthew Gault and Jason Fields

Angry Planet

799 Listeners

Russian Roulette by Center for Strategic and International Studies

Russian Roulette

145 Listeners

Modern War Institute by Modern War Institute at West Point

Modern War Institute

778 Listeners

Defense One Radio by Defense One staff

Defense One Radio

142 Listeners

The Proceedings Podcast by U.S. Naval Institute

The Proceedings Podcast

211 Listeners

Net Assessment by War on the Rocks

Net Assessment

414 Listeners

The Red Line by The Red Line

The Red Line

349 Listeners

Irregular Warfare Podcast by Irregular Warfare Initiative

Irregular Warfare Podcast

408 Listeners

Pekingology by Center for Strategic and International Studies

Pekingology

143 Listeners

Global Security Briefing by The Royal United Services Institute

Global Security Briefing

22 Listeners

School of War by Nebulous Media

School of War

446 Listeners

Geopolitics Decanted with Dmitri Alperovitch by Silverado Policy Accelerator

Geopolitics Decanted with Dmitri Alperovitch

156 Listeners

NatSec Matters by Beacon Global Strategies LLC

NatSec Matters

255 Listeners

Decoding Geopolitics Podcast with Dominik Presl by Decoding Geopolitics

Decoding Geopolitics Podcast with Dominik Presl

21 Listeners