Banned Books, Endangered Cosplay and 50+ Hours of Conversations About Diversity

How the Japanese Government Might Change Cosplay Forever

The image of a cosplay character has become a distinctly Japanese export now copied around the world - but there are concerns this week that this popular and profitable activity might soon be subject to more restrictive copyright laws. No one knows exactly what this means, but it has raised the question of what constitutes fandom versus what is a profession. Fanfic, cosplay, fan communities and content creators should all be watching this debate in Japan closely for the implications it might hold for all of us.

Roblox Heads Toward Creating An Actual Multiverse For Us All

Imagine an online world where we could all exist in an avatar form and interact with one another. It's a dream often portrayed in science fiction films such as Ready Player One , but it may be getting closer to reality thanks to Roblox. Explore the story of Roblox, and why the founder's vision for the site might not be as ambitious or disturbing as the vision presented in the film - and why that's a good thing:

"We almost see ourselves more as the creators of a primitive part of the electrical grid, back there in the distance, and we’re trying to tap the creative genius of our creator community, which is really the real engine that works with us to power our part of the metaverse."

The Museum of Banned Books Is Open, and It's Already On My List

Banned Books is part museum, part bookstore for books that haven’t just been banned, but also ones that have been censored, restricted, or even burned. These books have been gathered and displayed in an effort to encourage a larger discussion around free speech.

This museum and bookstore in Tallinn, Estonia has exactly the sort of non-obvious focus I love to see. Collecting banned or censored books is such an interesting lens to put on the study of history. Imagine studying history by focusing on ideas so radical they were banned at the time they came out. That's a class I would sign up for.

Check out the Non-Obvious Beyond Diversity Summit this week ...

This week there are so many sessions to choose from so beyond my usual weekly show, have a look at the full agenda of sessions and pick a few to watch when you get some time.

Want to watch past episodes? Just visit my YouTube channel to see a full archive of all my previous guests. Watch the full playlist on YouTube >>