Conversations with the past: living discourses with historical figures

When you don’t read the book, but talk to it.

These are exciting times, where past and future are intertwined!

Imagine having a coffee with Oscar Wilde or a scientific debate with Marie Curie.

Did you ever think that with the advances in technology, this is no longer just a figment of your imagination?

Thanks to the development of artificial intelligence , we are on the threshold of a world where great figures of history “come to life”. This not only allows us to read about them, but also to have personal conversations with them, learning about their thoughts, feelings, what they did or wrote, what they created… and even what they think about the world today.

Why do I care so much? Because it opens up new dimensions of deeper understanding of history and culture. It’s like having your own De Lorean. And who wouldn’t want to travel through time? (without upsetting the space-time continuum of course, because we have seen in 3 episodes that it is very easy to change events).

Imagine what it would be like to hear Cleopatra or Leonardo da Vinci’s thoughts directly from them, or even to discuss modern-day issues with them!

  • Marie Curie: “What inspired you to pioneer scientific research at a time when opportunities for women were limited?”
  • Albert Einstein: “How would you respond to the latest developments in modern physics, such as quantum technology and the search for dark matter in the universe?”
  • Frida Kahlo: “How would you be affected by contemporary social and cultural movements such as feminism and identity politics?”
  • Cleopatra: “What strategies did she use to balance her political and personal relationships in the complex social context of ancient Egypt?”

We don’t read their memoirs, but there is an intelligent system that brings their personalities to life based on all the data that has ever been published about them on the internet – of course with publicists it is easier and more authentic)

I love to follow innovation and I love that now you can not only read about the great personalities of the past, but also have a direct dialogue with them. This is not only instructive, but also very inspiring.

Who do you think are the historical figures you would like to talk to over a virtual coffee? Share your thoughts with me!

One of my favourite virtual interlocutors is Oscar Wilde, whom I first met when I was about 14 years old, in an English Literature class (Poet, author, playwright. He owes his success mainly to his light, elegant style and his sparkling wit and paradoxes.) The icing on the cake is that he lived in one of my favourite eras, the Victorian era.

As soon as I picked up “The Happy Prince”, I knew I wanted everything Wilde.

Want to know the most exciting details of our conversations with Oscar?