Comments on: The Top 5 Lazy-ass SF Clichés http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.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: Steve Buchheit http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.html#comment-8445 Steve Buchheit Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:48:40 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=1808#comment-8445 linger, actually it's the Chinese that will dominate space (if you extrapolate from current trends). Sure, the US (not always "white" BTW) currently holds a technological lead, but it's been eroded over the past decade. We aren't graduating many "white" engineers lately (no, really, go look at the stats). Constellation and Altair should be a major leap forward, however it'll be closely followed by the Chinese and Japanese (who have a national drive to go into space). Plus, major advancements in space technology in the past decade have had a decidedly non-white face on it (as an example, the Xenon Ion engine, and exceptionally large leap forward for long-term space propulsion was perfected by a Latino whose name escapes me at the moment and my google-fu is full of fail today). Also, in my day job we have two major engineering firms we do business cards for. While it's about 50/50 now, the percentage of non-european names I've set has been growing for the past two years. linger, actually it’s the Chinese that will dominate space (if you extrapolate from current trends). Sure, the US (not always “white” BTW) currently holds a technological lead, but it’s been eroded over the past decade. We aren’t graduating many “white” engineers lately (no, really, go look at the stats). Constellation and Altair should be a major leap forward, however it’ll be closely followed by the Chinese and Japanese (who have a national drive to go into space).

Plus, major advancements in space technology in the past decade have had a decidedly non-white face on it (as an example, the Xenon Ion engine, and exceptionally large leap forward for long-term space propulsion was perfected by a Latino whose name escapes me at the moment and my google-fu is full of fail today).

Also, in my day job we have two major engineering firms we do business cards for. While it’s about 50/50 now, the percentage of non-european names I’ve set has been growing for the past two years.

]]> By: Mary Turzillo http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.html#comment-8424 Mary Turzillo Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:44:36 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=1808#comment-8424 Oh lord I wish your Lazy-Ass cliches could REALLY be expunged from SF. I hate it when writers are too lazy to actually research an actual historical period or country or culture so they just take some snippet from it and pretend it's an alien -- And it's not just amateurs that do it, that's the sad thing. Oh lord I wish your Lazy-Ass cliches could REALLY be expunged from SF.

I hate it when writers are too lazy to actually research an actual historical period or country or culture so they just take some snippet from it and pretend it’s an alien —

And it’s not just amateurs that do it, that’s the sad thing.

]]> By: S Andrew Swann http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.html#comment-8097 S Andrew Swann Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:21:34 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=1808#comment-8097 @linger: actually rich country = Caucasian is the same type of BS I'm ranting against. Even if you assume American/European hegemony up to the point we reach the stars, current demographic trends would have that hegemony be majority Hispanic and Middle Eastern descent. @linger: actually rich country = Caucasian is the same type of BS I’m ranting against. Even if you assume American/European hegemony up to the point we reach the stars, current demographic trends would have that hegemony be majority Hispanic and Middle Eastern descent.

]]> By: fritz freiheit.com blog » Link dump http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.html#comment-8082 fritz freiheit.com blog » Link dump Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:03:50 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=1808#comment-8082 [...] Genrewonk � The Top 5 Lazy-ass SF Clich�s (SF,Genre,Critique,Cliche) [...] [...] Genrewonk � The Top 5 Lazy-ass SF Clich�s (SF,Genre,Critique,Cliche) [...]

]]> By: linger http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.html#comment-8077 linger Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:59:56 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=1808#comment-8077 Regarding #4, I find whitewashed futures can be quite realistic, assuming they're space-traveling settings. Only rich countries have space programs, thus only rich (and White/Asian) countries will populate space. Regarding #4, I find whitewashed futures can be quite realistic, assuming they’re space-traveling settings. Only rich countries have space programs, thus only rich (and White/Asian) countries will populate space.

]]> By: Daemon http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.html#comment-8031 Daemon Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:03:42 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=1808#comment-8031 I find it amusing that Star Trek falls into 3 of the 5 (#1: as certain of the ST races adapted from earth cultures, or parts thereof, #2: ST is the poster child for this stupidity, and #5), and you could make a good case for #4, in the basis that caucasians are something like 1/3 of the human population, but make up 90% or so of the cast. They rarely spend enough time on any given planet to really make a case for or against #3, except on an episode by episode basis. It's a very lazy show. I find it amusing that Star Trek falls into 3 of the 5 (#1: as certain of the ST races adapted from earth cultures, or parts thereof, #2: ST is the poster child for this stupidity, and #5), and you could make a good case for #4, in the basis that caucasians are something like 1/3 of the human population, but make up 90% or so of the cast.

They rarely spend enough time on any given planet to really make a case for or against #3, except on an episode by episode basis.

It’s a very lazy show.

]]> By: Steve Buchheit http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.html#comment-8021 Steve Buchheit Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:07:52 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=1808#comment-8021 #5, yeah, but we'll have McDonalds and Starbucks everywhere, right? :) (actually I like that McD's in India has an all vegetarian menu). #5, yeah, but we’ll have McDonalds and Starbucks everywhere, right? :) (actually I like that McD’s in India has an all vegetarian menu).

]]> By: Posts about racism as of August 20, 2009 | Discrimination Law News http://www.sandrewswann.com/blog/2009/08/thetop-5-lazy-ass-sf-cliches.html#comment-8020 Posts about racism as of August 20, 2009 | Discrimination Law News Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:50:29 +0000 http://www.sandrewswann.com/?p=1808#comment-8020 [...] today, ‘you won’t win the healthcare debate calling people ’stupid racists.’ Agreed. The Top 5 Lazy-ass SF Clichés – sandrewswann.com 08/20/2009 (Inspired by some blog posts elsewhere ) The aliens are really [...] [...] today, ‘you won’t win the healthcare debate calling people ’stupid racists.’ Agreed. The Top 5 Lazy-ass SF Clichés – sandrewswann.com 08/20/2009 (Inspired by some blog posts elsewhere ) The aliens are really [...]

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