Even though Binti takes place far in the future, there are still conflicts and problems similar to those in our time. However, I would argue that one of the key intentions of the novel is to suggest different approaches to addressing/solving those problems. In my reading, Binti suggests that many of the standard or traditional ways of dealing with serious social issues are not productive; rather, the novel suggests that–in order to make social progress–people must think differently, feel differently, act/behave differently, and even (in the extreme) to become something altogether different. According to the novel, the old ways are failing and we must respond with new ways of thinking, feeling, acting, and being.
In this essay, I want you to explore the lessons that Binti is trying to teach us about how to approach long-standing social problems. In doing so, your essay should respond to two related sets of questions:
According to the novel, what do we need to change about who we are and how we relate to the world if we want to make that world a better place? What do we need to do differently?
How can you apply at least one of the lessons from Binti to a social issue that seems urgent in our own world? How might Binti guide us to think about differently or act differently in relation to a social issue that is important to you?