KSR is great, isn't he. In fact, I just featured his 2002 'The Years of Rice and Salt' in my latest This Week, Those Books: https://thisweekthosebooks.substack.com/p/brics-summit-2023-books-new-world-order

You may find it of interest.

Thank you for raising a very important point: "How can we possibly get through this if we don’t even imagine doing so?"

And for sharing the link. And, of course, reading.