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A thought I had recently is that science fiction and fantasy should really be called society fiction. If we had robots/dragons, how would people behave differen

by 205guy 7y ago

A thought I had recently is that science fiction and fantasy should really be called society fiction. If we had robots/dragons, how would people behave differently, and how would that restructure society. Traditional western literature explored all the ways that people could behave within their current society, and it wasn't until the industrial revolution/world wars/space race/information revolutions that people started seeing and imagining how societies could be changed.

philipkglass 7y ago
Some authors do really think about how technological developments could change societies, and I love them for that. I adore the Culture novels of Iain M. Banks, for example, while I only feel a moderately warm regard for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Both settings have roughly the same imaginary technologies: nigh-limitless energy, replicators, faster-than-light communications and transportation, teleportation, strong AI. They both started in 1987. But ST: TNG imagined a future society that was still easily recognizable in terms of social relations and behaviors. In the Culture, AIs make most of the big decisions while most people are (effectively) beloved pets of the AIs; people are also immortal, gleefully unemployed, regular users of recreational drugs, and biologically enhanced for pleasure as well as health and intelligence. I really hope that Amazon doesn't file off the interesting parts of the Culture setting in their upcoming adaptation of Consider Phlebas. Dennis Kelly at least seems to appreciate the source material: https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/consider-phlebas-iain-m-banks-amazon-novel-dennis-kelly-1202706327/ https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/consider-phlebas-iain-m-ban...
- ncmncm 7y ago
  I have never managed a warm regard for TNG. Installing a Ship's Channeler killed it for me. A long time after, I learned about "teching the tech", and all was explained. Contempt for the audience is hard to hide.
Wowfunhappy 7y ago
> A thought I had recently is that science fiction and fantasy should really be called society fiction. If we had robots/dragons, how would people behave differently, and how would that restructure society. While that's certainly a common theme in SciFi/Fantasy, I don't think it fits e.g. Star Wars.
- 205guy 7y ago
  If certain people could develop telepathy and telekinesis after years of practice, and then use it for good or evil, how would that affect political development and warfare?
  - deleted 7y ago
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by 205guy 7y ago

philipkglass 7y ago

Some authors do really think about how technological developments could change societies, and I love them for that. I adore the Culture novels of Iain M. Banks, for example, while I only feel a moderately warm regard for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Both settings have roughly the same imaginary technologies: nigh-limitless energy, replicators, faster-than-light communications and transportation, teleportation, strong AI. They both started in 1987. But ST: TNG imagined a future society that was still easily recognizable in terms of social relations and behaviors. In the Culture, AIs make most of the big decisions while most people are (effectively) beloved pets of the AIs; people are also immortal, gleefully unemployed, regular users of recreational drugs, and biologically enhanced for pleasure as well as health and intelligence. I really hope that Amazon doesn't file off the interesting parts of the Culture setting in their upcoming adaptation of Consider Phlebas. Dennis Kelly at least seems to appreciate the source material: https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/consider-phlebas-iain-m-banks-amazon-novel-dennis-kelly-1202706327/ https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/consider-phlebas-iain-m-ban...

ncmncm 7y ago
I have never managed a warm regard for TNG. Installing a Ship's Channeler killed it for me. A long time after, I learned about "teching the tech", and all was explained. Contempt for the audience is hard to hide.

Wowfunhappy 7y ago

> A thought I had recently is that science fiction and fantasy should really be called society fiction. If we had robots/dragons, how would people behave differently, and how would that restructure society. While that's certainly a common theme in SciFi/Fantasy, I don't think it fits e.g. Star Wars.

205guy 7y ago
If certain people could develop telepathy and telekinesis after years of practice, and then use it for good or evil, how would that affect political development and warfare?
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]