Economist and author James Pethokoukis recently asserted that "The Fantastic Four" embodies a future-optimistic, techno-solutionist worldview that he believes America has largely overlooked in its political and cultural discourse. In a tweet, Pethokoukis, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), highlighted the superhero team as a symbol of a mindset prioritizing technological progress and innovation. His commentary points to a perceived departure from this forward-looking perspective in contemporary society.
Pethokoukis is a prominent advocate for "techno-optimism," a philosophy detailed in his book, The Conservative Futurist: How to Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised. Through his work at AEI and his "Faster, Please!" newsletter, he consistently argues for the importance of technological advancement and economic growth to foster a better future. He champions an "Up Wing" perspective, contrasting it with what he perceives as a prevalent societal pessimism regarding innovation.
The concept of techno-optimism is deeply rooted in the mid-20th century, an era characterized by the Space Race and a widespread belief in science's ability to solve global challenges. This period, which saw the original creation of "The Fantastic Four" comics in the early 1960s, embraced a "retro-futuristic" aesthetic and a spirit of boundless possibility. The team's origin story, involving cosmic ray exposure during a space mission, inherently ties them to scientific exploration and the pursuit of the unknown.
Recent discussions surrounding the upcoming Marvel Studios film, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," further underscore this connection. Director Matt Shakman has indicated the movie will be set in a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, explicitly aiming to capture the optimism and spirit of exploration from that era. This artistic choice directly aligns with Pethokoukis's argument that the Fantastic Four inherently represents a hopeful, pro-progress vision.
Pethokoukis's observation suggests a cultural yearning for a return to this proactive, solution-oriented approach. He implies that a focus on technological solutions and an optimistic outlook on the future have been sidelined in favor of other societal concerns. The renewed cinematic emphasis on the Fantastic Four's optimistic roots, therefore, resonates with his call for a re-embrace of techno-solutionism in American culture and policy.