Sci-fi. A very unique genre that predicts a far flung future. In bookstores and libraries, it’s often grouped in with fantasy. There, however, is a very large difference between the two. Fantasy deals with the impossible, while science fiction deals with the improbable. This distinction is very important, for while it may be improbable, the events that occur in science fiction are definitely possible, and sci-fi, and the values often shown in the books, are very important to society.
First off, fiction in general strengthens the imagination and expands our horizons. It shows the world as it could be. Sci-fi does this in a scientific, pragmatic way. Many things first dreamed up in sci-fi have been invented, from vehicles capable of flight to cell phones, and it drives us to explore different ways we could create the future (if you want to learn more about inventions inspired by sci-fi, check our this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dLSOIVk61k).
Fiction, in general, is also a lesson in empathy, it helps us to see how things could be from another person's point of view. Science fiction widens this view to artificial intelligence and alien life-forms, two things that are, scientifically, possible. These are things that we might have to deal with in the future (with the case of artificial intelligence, maybe the not too distant future), and it helps to have a template of what could happen, what could go right and, maybe more importantly, what could go wrong.
The most important thing, I think, that Sci-fi shows us is what we are capable of when we look upon the human species as a whole. How our actions are when we view ourselves as nationality vs. other nationalities, our religion vs. other religions, and our class vs. other classes and how they would be different if we stepped back and viewed ourselves as a species, floating in space on a little blue dot.
Science Fiction opens our minds to the possible futures we may someday live in. We have to start looking at what kind of future we want, and the decisions we need to make to achieve those futures. If we aren't careful our future might look closer to Mad Max than Star Trek.
I think that it's important that Sci fi gives us an emotional idea of getting future we choose. You get hope (star trek, Jetsons, even the foundation series) and you get fear (terminator, I have no mouth but must scream, etc). It let's the reader draw parallels for thier own morality. "I hate that Decker is a slave catcher, so I feel X about civil rights"
ReplyDeleteThe morality play of good sci-fi can be a tool to reflect the present. Or you can make run guns and kill aliens, that pretty cool too.