Comments on: So what is SF good for? http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2008/12/so-what-is-sf-good-for.html thoughts and opinions by author s. andrew swann Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:14:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: ryan http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2008/12/so-what-is-sf-good-for.html#comment-6312 ryan Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:21:16 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=652#comment-6312 science fiction/fantasy is the only genre in which Libertarian-type philosophy can make a case for itself. science fiction/fantasy is the only genre in which Libertarian-type philosophy can make a case for itself.

]]> By: Ryland http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2008/12/so-what-is-sf-good-for.html#comment-2204 Ryland Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:08:08 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=652#comment-2204 That and laser are cooool. That and laser are cooool.

]]> By: Bushey http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2008/12/so-what-is-sf-good-for.html#comment-2198 Bushey Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:40:17 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=652#comment-2198 The one thing that Sci-fi does better than any other genre, is focus and leverage the readers key emotions about the future, or potential presents (what could be rather than what is). These key emotions are perhaps the two most powerful we humans experience...Fear, and Hope. A western can't fill you with dread for tomorrow...even alternative history, or history by supposition can only make you fear what might have been. Mysteries are almost always solved by the end. Consider if you will the impact that The Day the Earth Stood Still, 2001, Contact, or The Andromeda Strain have had on our group consciousness. Standard fiction hopes and fears come and go like our day to day ones. Sci-fi fears and hopes resonate because they explode beyond our day to day ones, like pouring kerosene on a fire. The one thing that Sci-fi does better than any other genre, is focus and leverage the readers key emotions about the future, or potential presents (what could be rather than what is). These key emotions are perhaps the two most powerful we humans experience…Fear, and Hope.

A western can’t fill you with dread for tomorrow…even alternative history, or history by supposition can only make you fear what might have been. Mysteries are almost always solved by the end.

Consider if you will the impact that The Day the Earth Stood Still, 2001, Contact, or The Andromeda Strain have had on our group consciousness. Standard fiction hopes and fears come and go like our day to day ones. Sci-fi fears and hopes resonate because they explode beyond our day to day ones, like pouring kerosene on a fire.

]]> By: A.R.Yngve http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2008/12/so-what-is-sf-good-for.html#comment-2176 A.R.Yngve Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:59:40 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=652#comment-2176 "What (aside from the speculative aspect) does SF do better than other literary genres?" It understands the Darwinist version of reality: the world is changing, evolving, never standing still (except when things go wrong). “What (aside from the speculative aspect) does SF do better than other literary genres?”

It understands the Darwinist version of reality: the world is changing, evolving, never standing still (except when things go wrong).

]]> By: steve buchheit http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2008/12/so-what-is-sf-good-for.html#comment-2175 steve buchheit Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:45:42 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=652#comment-2175 "or of God for that matter" Strangely enough, that was the subject of my College Senior Paper to finish my Creative Writing Minor. Specifically it was on the presence of God (or gods) and how they relate to the stories of Arthur C. Clarke. “or of God for that matter”

Strangely enough, that was the subject of my College Senior Paper to finish my Creative Writing Minor. Specifically it was on the presence of God (or gods) and how they relate to the stories of Arthur C. Clarke.

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