This is my Manifesto, laying out several different aspects of science fiction that make it important for us to read in the modern world 🙂
Science Fiction: The Reality Manifesto
Science Fiction is a hot topic. With the resurgence of the Star Wars franchise and the production of twenty-three different movies in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, the modern media has lately been obsessed with Science Fiction. Even in the past, the original Star Wars trilogy, along with other productions like Star Trek and 2001: A Space Odyssey, managed to capture the attention of hundreds of thousands of people and put Science Fiction on the public’s radar. Though the earliest of these big names, Star Trek, surfaced about fifty-five years ago, the genre of Science Fiction has been around and active for much longer. The term “Science Fiction” was first officially coined in 1932 by an editor named John Campbell, but writers like H.G. Wells, whom we, today, consider a Science Fiction writer, wrote in the late 19th century, and Frankenstein, the novel by Mary Shelley that many consider to be the first work of Science Fiction, was first released in 1818. Since its birth two hundred years ago, the genre of Science Fiction has grown immensely, going through several of its own waves and periods and extending its reach to countries throughout the globe. As a consequence of its flourishing, Science Fiction has produced many stories that relate to issues and themes pertinent to our society today, and so has made itself an undeniably important genre to read and to study.
One theme that pervades many Science Fiction stories is the questioning of identity and what it means to be human. This problem of trying to define humanity is one that has elicited attempts at an answer from philosophers, scientists, and other great minds throughout history. We are fascinated by what, exactly, it is that we are. Those who posit an answer have approached the problem with a variety of tools, and just like them, Science Fiction has a tool that helps writers and readers begin to say something meaningful about the human condition. That tool is technology. Because of its nature, Science Fiction has an infinite wellspring of advanced technologies at its disposal, and by inventing technologies that mimic human behavior or that somehow emulate something human, Science Fiction writers can provide insight into what aspects of our experience are necessary for us to be human.
One piece of Science Fiction that accomplishes this is “Pretty Boy Crossover,” a short story written by Pat Cadigan. In this piece, Cadigan introduces a novum that plays on the genre’s trope of immortality, by which one can transfer their consciousness into a computer, forever digitizing their mind. He follows an unnamed protagonist, who struggles in his decision of whether or not to partake in this practice. Being a so-called “pretty boy,” he is expected to do so, as it will allow him to stay forever young and entertain at parties forever. His struggle, though, comes because he misses his friend Bobby, who has already undergone the procedure. Bobby seems to enjoy his new experience, but the protagonist feels he lost something that he will never get back when Bobby went digital. He notes that Bobby has lost his sense of time and can no longer feel pain, since he is now just a computer program that can be shut down and restarted whenever necessary. Here, Cadigan highlights two important aspects of our human experience: time and pain. Were we not to feel pain, we could act completely differently, take more risks and need to worry about fewer consequences. Were time not an issue for us, the fundamental nature of our existence would be different. Part of what drives us, gives us motivation, is that we do not have infinite time in our lives. If we lived forever, we would likely have done less as a society, perhaps even stagnated completely, as no one would have felt the need to leave a legacy or do something meaningful while they have the time.
Another story that comments on the human condition is “Zima Blue,” written by Alastair Reynolds. In “Zima Blue,” Zima, a robot, recounts his life story as an artist to a reporter, the protagonist. He explains to her how he slowly became obsessed with a particular shade of blue, a shade that turned out to be the color of the tiles of the pool that he cleaned when he was first constructed. Importantly, though, when he invites the reporter to interview him, he asks that she come with no means whatsoever of recording what he says. When they meet, he explains his dislike for devices that record events with absolute precision. He highlights that human memory is fallible, and praises it for being so, saying that it can allow for healthy changes to a story. Here, Reynolds touches on a subtle truth to our minds, which is that our memories do indeed change over time, often dropping the bad parts of an event in favor of the good. Reynolds asserts that this is an important part of the way our minds function, and so argues that to be human is to be fallible.
Another common Science Fiction theme is an exploration of the ethical issues surrounding a particular technology. Some define Science Fiction as the genre of “what if,” meaning that it explores what some of the issues might be, should a certain idea come to fruition. This sort of writing became popular in the early 20th century after events like World War I, which drove the invention of new technologies, and so drove writers to explore their consequences. It is needless to say that in our modern world, with technological advancements happening faster than ever, it is important always to stop and consider how the world might change with a given technology, and this kind of science fiction helps us do just that.
One example of a story that does this is Goodnight Sophie, written by Lino Aldani. In this piece, Aldani writes about an actress, Sophie, who stars in very sexualized virtual reality films called Oneirofilms. Midway through the story, she meets a man who clearly is an avid consumer of her films. She, feeling dissatisfied with the virtuality of her lifestyle, wants to act out the plot of one of her films with this fan, but he would seemingly rather go off with a headset and watch his copy of the film by himself. Here, Aldani shows us a world in which highly advanced virtual reality technology has made everyday people detach themselves from reality and prefer a fabricated experience. The reader sympathizes with Sophie, who only seeks genuine human connection, and so is familiarized with the consequences of becoming too attached to technology.
Another piece that examines the implications of advanced technology is “Think Like a Dinosaur,” by James Patrick Kelly. In this story, Kelly takes the historical event of the invention of cloning in 1996 with Dolly the Sheep and turns it into a novum, in which an organism can be instantly scanned and re-created across the galaxy. The stipulation of the process, though, is that the original body stays alive, and must be killed in order to “balance the equation,” as the aliens who invented the technology say. The story follows a worker who must kill one of these original bodies and his struggle in doing so. Here, Kelly highlights a serious ethical issue with the idea of cloning, and so cautions his readers about blindly pursuing cloning technology.
It goes without saying that, in today’s world, recognizing and respecting cultural differences is important. Being as widespread as it is, Science Fiction allows its readers to gain a sense of different cultural perspectives and how those perspectives might do better or worse in given situations. For example, one piece that incorporates different cultures is “The Visit,” a short animated film by Lisa Jackson. In this film, an alien aircraft appears in the skies over a Navajo reserve. The narrator, a Navajo man, calls the police, who simply come, write a report, and leave. However, once they are gone, the man decides to sing one of his culture’s songs, and the aircraft approaches. The film lasts a mere four minutes, but manages to assert something meaningful about the difference between American and Native American culture, namely that, from an extraterrestrial perspective, maybe Navajo culture is more welcoming than capitalist America. This touches on the important point that America, though it is one of the most dominant countries in the world, is not always right.
Another story that touches on cultural differences is “Galactic Guide for the Gourmet,” by Massimo Mongai. This piece follows a protagonist assessing the food and drink at an alien restaurant. The critic thinks that he is receiving standard eggs and red wine, and is offended when his wine comes with ice and his eggs come with pre-ground pepper. He removes the ice and refuses to use the pepper, which actually turn out to be measures to prevent the alien eggs and alien wine from being lethal. Having consumed his meal in the wrong way, he ends up in a hospital, just barely surviving the incident. Here, Mongai shows that only using one’s own cultural perspective while immersed in a different society can be incredibly dangerous. Obviously his story is exaggerated for dramatic effect, but his message that being aware of cultural differences is important still stands.
A final reason that Science Fiction is important is that it offers valuable commentary on current political and societal issues. In fact, Ray Bradbury defines Science Fiction as “hating the way things are, wanting to make things different,” so social change is weaved into the fabric of the genre. One example of this is the story “Nothing Happened in 1999,” written by Fábio Fernandes. Fernandes creates a novum in which time travel is a commodity and serves as a way to go on vacation. He notes, though, that participants only want to travel to “safe years,” one of which is 1999, as no major catastrophic events occurred in that year. As Fernandes points out, though, plenty of tragic events occurred, just not in America. The critique of anglocentrism here is obvious but important. Fernandes makes a very valid case that, should this technology exist, its use would likely be centered around America, and that is not necessarily right.
Another story that comments on current issues is Catherynne Valente’s “The Future is Blue,” which is inspired by the current world event that is Climate Change and falls into the larger Science Fiction trope of environmentalism. In this piece, Valente imagines a society that lives on a larger version of the Pacific Garbage Patch, as the mainland has become inhabitable due to rising sea levels. The setting she creates is incredibly dystopic, with people living in houses made of discarded, rotting materials and a custom by which children are named by strangers. While it is unlikely that a world exactly like this one would come to pass, the potential for a dystopia brought about by climate change is very real, and so her exploration of its implications is undeniably important in today’s world.
In summary, Science Fiction, being as broad as it is, highlights many points of discussion that need to be highlighted for the modern world and the future world. That said, it is also a genre that captivates the public with one blockbuster movie after another, and it is the combination of these two aspects that make it truly special. Science Fiction draws in consumers with a promise of exciting, otherworldly adventures. And it does indeed deliver on this promise, but it does much more too. It tells its readers stories that they need to hear, stories that will help them be better informed and better able to know themselves. As Brian Aldiss puts it, “good Science Fiction does not necessarily traffic in reality; but it makes reality clearer to us.” In a time when reality is plagued by frivolous obsessions and rampant misinformation, we need something to make it clearer, and Science Fiction is our solace.
