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351 sats \ 11 comments \ @fishious 23 Dec 2024 BooksAndArticles

Recently I was talking about the future with a friend and debating why some people feel optimistic about the future even though the current outlook may look grim at the moment. This discussion made me realize why I enjoy reading science fiction novels as well as sci-fi movies and video games. These books start with a premise that human civilization on Earth is under threat and theorizes on how the human race will act when faced with impending doom. It can get messy and ugly, and these types of fiction can span over many generations where the action of a single individual or group of individuals has tremendous consequences in the very long run. In the end, when humanity ultimately prevails and flourishes to reach unimaginable heights, I get immense satisfaction, and it gives me a lot of hope and optimism for the future. I guess I particularly like a certain type of sci-fi because I know there are dark sci-fi novels as well. I would be curious to know if others like sci-fi for the same or different reasons? Or share why they enjoy a particular genre?

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62 sats \ 2 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 24 Dec 2024

I enjoy reading science fiction because it presents altered states of people and societies. I mean that we haven’t seen some of these types of societies, sciences or general situations, yet. It is a chance to explore some of the nitty-gritty of social systems without living them in real life. One of the greats at this was Phillip K. Dick who imagined a constellation of different social structures and ways to live in them. Also, personal relationships can be presented in a way that doesn’t offend anyone because science fiction is usually not set in the present times. They also look at different political situations. For instance, A.E. Van Vogt wrote The Weapons Shops of Issher to examine the situation of self-defense in a society that would deny that natural right if it could. Phillip K. Dick examined what could have happened if the Nazis had won WWII. It is possible to examine those situations only through the eyes of science fiction. These are some of the reasons I read science fiction and watch science fiction movies.

20 sats \ 1 reply \ @SimpleStacker 28 Dec 2024

Very true. The best sci fi is not really about science at all, but about human nature. It explores human nature by asking how we would act in a variety of unknown and counterfactual circumstances. The very best science fiction isn't just applied physics, it's also applied anthropology and philosophy

30 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 28 Dec 2024

The whole thing about it is that science fiction does not usually offend anybody by making its suppositions for the situation the author is creating and seeing. That way, other people can see these situations through clear glass glasses, not ones with colored glass.

80 sats \ 0 replies \ @cyphercosmo 29 Dec 2024

I got to admit, this post caught me off guard as I'm a huge fan of sci-fi. So, will you please indulge a passionate mind?

The science part

My favorite story about this is related to the Dyson Sphere where the concept was first imagined by the sci-fi author Olaf Stapledon in his science fiction novel Star Maker (1937), only later it was scientifically explored by Freeman Dyson (hence the name of the structure).

This is one among many stories where sci-fi influenced reality by inspiring capable minds of thinking something novel and transform our lives.

The fiction part

As it was very well point by others, the absurd nature of circumstances these novels often occur in the author automatically gains the freedom to explore things that aren't that far from our reality, but in the circumstance of the story is nothing so people just don't take it too seriously.

And then the science-fiction

If you are a technologist you might be interested in some space opera (a sub-genre of sci-fi) or you might like some utopian story on how AI and humans struggle only to find the balance in the end. But if your mind is curious about some strange ideas like zombies, post-apocalyptic warfare, surveillance states controlling human kind, a human kind without families and many values turned upside down.. these are just a tiny set of example of what you can find in this genre.

I believe the job of a sci-fi author is to give depth to the most weird, dangerous, and desirable ideas. Most people don't have the imagination of an author or their team that could include scientists as well, so they extrapolate what people think 1000 fold and then twist it and mix it with drama and thriller and everything else is there to add.

mic drop

My story with sci-fi started with me as a little boy dreaming to build an Evangelion-like robot, and from there onwards I never stopped. I play games, read books, dabble a little into writing as well, watch everything sci-fi, and this makes me a happier and better person. Or that's what I like to believe at least.

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 23 Dec 2024

Thanks for writing about this. I'm not one of those who only read non fiction. I have found plenty of truth in fiction. I am just not a sci fi reader. I have tried. I have enjoyed some Asimov and Bradbury, but I just don't want to devote my time to most of the stuff that people have recommended to me. I guess to each his own. Many people I respect mostly read sci fi, so I don't mean to sound judgmental.

41 sats \ 0 replies \ @fishious OP 23 Dec 2024

You don't sound judgmental at all! Sci-fi is not everyone's cup of tea. I know family members who read a lot but have absolutely no interest in sci-fi, which is totally fine. I guess my motivation for this post was to provide others a different perspective on why some people enjoy reading sci-fi. I feel like the stereotype of sci-fi readers are nerds who just want to geek out and fantasize about unrealistic science and technology lol.

10 sats \ 3 replies \ @Imyourfed 23 Dec 2024

That’s some real answer! I need someone to answer like that when I ask "Why do you like sci-fi?" Most people just say, "For fun and thrill," but your makes sense. Honestly I’m not a big fan of sci-fi because I don’t understand what’s going on or if it even matters. I’ve always enjoyed non fiction genres because I get the same thrill and enjoyment from learning cool facts if you know what I mean. But I think I should give fiction a try especially sci-fi. Any recommendations?

20 sats \ 1 reply \ @fishious OP 23 Dec 2024

There was a SN post (#607393) linking to a Top 75 Sci-Fi Books List that might be worth checking out.

Personally, I enjoyed Seveneves by Neal Stephenson but it is in the hard sci-fi category and can be a difficult read. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is a fun read that is more approachable.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 28 Dec 2024

I thought the introduction to the list was valuable. Many of the books and authors, I have never discovered, yet. The big disappointment was limiting the choices to only one book per author.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @cyphercosmo 29 Dec 2024

It does matter my dear friend, just think about the book 1984 by George Orwell was published in 1949 trying to predict a possible future, only to lead Elon Musk to say "it was meant to be a warning, not an instruction manual".

Think of Isaac Asimov who was both a scientist and a sci-fi author, many of his writings and ideas both from the science books and the fiction books are used in present days as we talk about robotics and AI.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryotosensei 24 Dec 2024

I enjoy watching sci fi movies, but not so sci fiction books. I think I just want the movie directors to do all the imagining for me, thus allowing me to immerse myself in the world without much effort haha