Why is Dystopian Sci-Fi Relevant?
From an
article found on www.Smithsonian.com entitled “How America’s Leading Science Fiction Authors Are
Shaping Your Future”
“In
the early part of the 20th century, American science fiction tended to present
a positive image of a future in which scientific progress had made the world a
better place. By mid-century, after several horrific wars and the invention of
the atomic bomb, the mood of science fiction had changed. The stories grew
dark, and science was no longer necessarily the hero.”
Dystopian
Sci-Fi is the scapegoat of the genre, in my opinion. We use it to portray some
of the worst facets of humanity, and hopefully, show how we, as a species, can
overcome those faults and come through the crisis, whatever it may be, as
having grown beyond those faults. It can be a message of hope in a world which
focuses on the negatives far too often. Through Dystopian Sci-Fi, we can watch
our worst fears come true, face those fears, and emerge victorious as we
conquer those fears. The article goes on to say:
“The
tilt toward dystopian futures became even more pronounced in recent decades,
partly because of a belief that most of society has not yet reaped the benefits
of technological progress. Smithsonian spoke with the eminent critic John
Clute, co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, who quotes Bertrand
Russell’s prophetic words from 1924: “‘I am compelled to fear that science will
be used to promote the power of dominant groups, rather than to make men
happy.’ The real fear today,” Clute continues, “is that the world we now live
in was intended by those who profit from it.””
While the world we live in today may very well be shaped and
dominated by those who profit from it, (i.e. the corporate megaliths who invest
billions of dollars into our flawed political processes to produce purchased
elections rather than earning the trust of the people they’re supposed to be
representing) we the people can take that power away from them if we realize
the strength of our own numbers. Dystopian Sci-Fi, in my opinion, may help us
to realize that we have the strength to make our world a better place, we just
have to have the courage to make that happen
Royce Sears
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