Futurology

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Today’s Silicon Valley billionaires grew up reading classic American sci-fi. Now they’re trying to make it come true, embodying a dangerous political outlook. (www.scientificamerican.com)

submitted 10 months ago by Lugh to c/futurology

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[–] Lugh 33 points 10 months ago (3 children)

OP is a sci-fi writer himself, so he's in a good position to comment. The TLDR of this piece is that most sci-fi is produced by commercial writers trying to earn a living by producing relatively formulaic work that follows genre conventions. The problem is some of today's tech-billionaires are acting as if these books are bibles of future prediction.

Oddly, people seem less influenced by the positive, utopian sci-fi visions. 'Star Trek' depicted a humanity that moved beyond money, and where society was devoted to exploration and the advancement of knowledge. You rarely see billionaires go on about making the world like it. Perhaps unsurprisingly, as there were no billionaires (or any need for them) in 'Star Trek'.

[–] Skunk@jlai.lu 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

That’s why as a (really small and unknown) sci-fi writer I want everyone to write utopia and beautiful futures instead of dark dystopia where life is a nightmare.

Because if sci-fi has any influence, make it a good one, solar punk Star Trek style or whatever. What is the point of fighting for the future if you strongly believe it will be worse than today.

[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The dystopian novels serve a purpose too, usually of what to avoid.

[–] Skunk@jlai.lu 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

In theory yes, much like History.

But then one day you have people thinking "The Handmaid's Tale" is a user manual.

[–] CanadaPlus 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Oh god, has that happened? I've mostly just seen continued growth of the ideas that inspired it.

[–] Skunk@jlai.lu 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No, not yet ? I don't think so but I stopped reading bad news to live in my own lemmy wholesome bubble made of food, sci-fi and cats.

[–] CanadaPlus 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Ah, okay. Shits crazy out here, but there's nobody in the West suggesting fertility slaves or abolishing female literacy.

[–] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

They must have seen S1E26 of TNG where Picard tells the rich asshole he needs to get a job and thought "well fuck that."

[–] Endward23 0 points 10 months ago

‘Star Trek’ depicted a humanity that moved beyond money, and where society was devoted to exploration and the advancement of knowledge.

And this is, tbh, considered really unrealistic, even by the mayority of the fanbase itself.