Be afraid. Very afraid.
01/05/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
Should there be more cautionary science fiction tales, and, if necessary, add a bit of optimism while at it? Uncle Geoff investigates. Hello everyone
A lot of early Science Fiction relied on confronting our fears. Whether it was the creation of life from dead bodies or alien invasion, there were metaphors representing something about the bad side of our world and society even if they might not be readily recognised. I mean, how many of you read HG Wells' 'War Of The Worlds' and thought of a similar situation between human nations? Not me. I was more concerned about what to do about the invading Martians.
In many ways, early SF was a cathexis to get things out of our systems...even if we didn't realise it!!! Some even regard it as the golden age although no doubt that has a lot to do with the flourish of ideas that caught people at the time because when there is a vacuum, there is always something there to fill and people to read it. The good stuff is remembered more than the bad. Those with active imaginations are far more likely to look at something less mundane than traditional general range fiction. SF could look at the wider picture and it was up to the individual as to whether they saw more or less in the material. It was also capable of optimistic when things looked most pessimistic.
With nearly a century of SF, I've questioned in the past about the need to explore new ideas and practically forgot one of the things that motivated and channelled through Science Fiction namely how our fears also shape our future. SF can also suitably disguise it to get past any potential censorship. Well, most of the time except for some rather accurate guesses related to nuclear bomb manufacture back in World War Two and that was after seeing print. Any story that starts after an atomic war had to demonstrate many writers thought that a conclusion of a certain situation and loaded the conclusion with some optimism that mankind would survive anything in some way.
If there's anything missing from our Science Fiction today then it has to be the exploitation, for the want of a better word, of our fears rather than leave it all in the horror genre which probably doesn't go beyond the boogie-man any more. Neither should this be confined to the rather luddite fear of science. There's the whole plethora of natural problems on this planet that has a lot of mileage as well. After all, what's the point of terraforming another planet when we can't do much with our own? The use of imagination should be able to see far beyond that. We need a reminding of our failings to live up to how we might see our future which hardly looks rosy at present. We need to see if there is a bright spot in the hole we're creating in our environment. We also need to be spooked sufficiently to know what we're doing has to be changed if we are to survive.
What is odd is the lack of cautionary tales these days. Although fears of cloning, etc have long been dealt with in SF, there has been little in the way of extremes in terms of looking at where, for example, global warming or even terrorism will lead unless something is done about it. All right, there has been a little trickle but certainly not the diversity you would expect on such subjects. It is still good versus evil rather than viva la differences and let's be careful out there. Even back in the hay day, SF authors were less concerned about actual nuclear war or germ warfare but how societies would recover from it later.
With what we know today, such things can really be brought home as truths as well as consequences. It needs to be accurate if people are to be aware of the consequences. Would it be politically incorrect to fictionalise a situation where say al-Qaeda ruled with a fifth column west becoming the terrorists for instance? I mean, Philip Dick did this with 'The Man In The High Castle' with Nazism in ascendant in an alternative reality. Nothing scares more than consequences. Mind you, there is always the fatwa that would make any author think it might be better to metaphor and put it on a different planet or distant future. Would such a story be regarded as propaganda for the enemy or voicing the dangers should they succeed? Would it be entertainment or passioned warning?
Science Fiction is still being classed as escapism when its diversity can and should be allowed to work in all its ways. There should be a reminder of all the bad as well as the good if we're to avoid complacency in how we see our future develop. This doesn't mean that it's necessarily wise to hold back our current reality or technology application from trying new things out but neither should it stop looking at the consequences being explored. We breed monsters only when we aren't aware of what we create. If anything, opposing factions have become too reluctant to change. The world changes and so do solutions almost clandestinely or too fast to denounce these days. They aren't always in the hand of our leaders nor with on/off switches. There are far more options to choose from, not to mention the directions any of them can lead that Science Fiction can portray. This also means there is plenty of room for optimism as much as cautionary tales out there. We can have both. There's a need for more fear.
At the moment, this definitely feels like a wasted opportunity waiting to be exploited with modern day sensibilities. If Science Fiction cannot be used to warn of the future then there is no other genre capable of doing so. Be afraid...very afraid if we want to test out all scenarios of the future.
Thank you, take care, good night and be safe
Geoff Willmetts
editor: SFCrowsnest.co.uk
(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 1: The TV series 'Invasion' is set in the Everglades. All right, so apart from the pilot episode, they shifted back to California. The real problem is that every time anyone goes out into the swampy areas which are supposed to be humid and damp that they all appear to be equipped with fans or anti-deodorants cos no one sweats and shirts remain sweat free. As to mosquitoes, maybe it's a hybrid thing...
A real Zen thought for everyone: When one has one cold, one is spared other colds.
A real Zen thought for potential writers: If you can express an opinion independently of others and aren't likely to bend to the masses then you might show potential as a writer.
BOOK REVIEWS PS Do you read? Think or can you write? Then read on...you maybe what we need... If you've survived this far in the editorial, let me reiterate something from the website newsletter and the above editorial. As you can see from the main page, we have one of the biggest SF/fantasy/horror monthly reviews columns on the Net. Our success has increased the number of books that comes in and our policy is to read everything before giving a review. You want the bottom line about what you're going to choose to read. We roadtest books so you have some idea of what you're letting yourself in for. That means we need people actually willing to read the book and tell others what they think in reviews. For that, we're always on the outlook for more reviewers. Do you think you have what it takes to review a book? It's a skill that can be easily mastered and we need a few more. Apart from the ability to put words into sentences, you also need to know how to précis, do a little research on associated subjects and can express opinions constructively about the good and bad points about the books you read. We even let you choose from our pile of received books rather than foster something on you that you wouldn't normally read.
You'll even get a little editorial help in how to write good copy and that can always lead to other things. I did say you have to love books and willing to read beyond your favourite authors, didn't I? If you like reading books in the genre, can really think and show you can write a decent review and, most importantly, live in the British Isles (sorry, expense, time and distance travelled mostly prohibits elsewhere), then use the link below and see our requirements. We can't pay you but a review for the price and regular supply of new books, this has to be a good incentive. We have one of the most popular and biggest SF review columns on the Net. Do you think you're up to writing a review? If you think you can, then you're really going to think you've landed your hands in the biscuit tin. It won't hurt to try and see if you have the right stuff. Look up the Review Guidelines
WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN CONTRIBUTORS AND WRITING GENERALLY PPS: For those keeping track, I'm still about 24 months (early May 2004) behind. With going through the ebook samples, I have removed some who've gotten published elsewhere. Thank you for your patience but let me know if you've sold elsewhere so I can reduce my pile or if you've changed address, especially e-mail address. I can't give you my comments unless either is up to date. Currently, doing spot-checks to see if you're still there when I reach your sample in the pile is making it easier on my time and catching up on the slush pile. This isn't much of a repeat, just to show you're not forgotten. Those sending in ebook samples, be prepared for a long wait and read the Guidelines elsewhere on this website They are there to help you do some of the right things and reduce the number of times I'm repeating myself over silly grammatical errors and spelling mistakes that you shouldn't be making. It makes editing a lot easier if any editor has less work pointing out poor English which should have been sorted out in the first place and more focused on other areas of your work. As a writer, it is your command of the English language and its grammar that will show how serious you are about writing.
NOVEL-LENGTH AND OTHER WRITING General advice for those who want to become writers of any sort: There's an old editorial adage, if you can't aim for perfection why should an editor nurse-maid you to that state? If you're a writer, then you should understand the words, sentences and grammar of the job you're supposed to be writing or are you considering it as mundane and boring as any other job to get right? Fall in love with making every sentence the best you're ever written, read up and understand the rules of grammar.
Put the time in researching any subject you're using in the story. Be prepared to put a story away for a few weeks and go back to it for a self-edit. Even I do that. A lot of the time, errors will just stare you in the face when you didn't see them the first time round. Once you know where your weaknesses are, they can be sorted out and allow you to move a little higher up the ladder towards making your material look its best. Look up the Common Problems Link:
SHORT STORY SLUSH PILE Please don't confuse the above link with my short story slush pile which is kinda low at the moment. We're always willing to give short story writers a chance to be seen if they can withstand my scrutiny even if we can't pay for their efforts, your material will be seen by a lot of people. If you can get a short story written well then it'll make it easier to move up to novel length. Look up the Short Stories Link:
FLASH OR ONE-PAGE FICTION Don't forget also, we've got a teaching ground of one page stories, so check out the rules elsewhere on the website. Flash fiction stories link: |
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