Although many may disagree, I think that the best sci fi can affect us in ways that are beneficial to all of society. Sometimes, it can even guide our thinking, helping us to new levels of creativity that we might otherwise not have achieved.
Main stream literature can inspire as well, but it usually only deals with the standard tropes of life, death, and how we deal with them. It is often so concerned with realism that it neglects imagination.
The best sci fi, however, can enlarge our perceptions and help us follow new avenues of thought. It can help us imagine what an artificial intelligence might be like. Or a species from another planet. In doing so, it also helps us look at ourselves in new ways.
Creativity can also be enhanced. Think of the influence Jules Verene and his 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea had on submarine designers. It's not a coincidence that the first nuclear submarine was named the Nautilus.
Traditional tales rarely explore the human experience in as many different ways as science fiction does. They are constrained by convention, and this often stifles the opportunity to let the imagination run wild.
Any writer that can create a world or an alien from scratch, and make it seem real, must have the same skills as any regular author. They should be taken just as seriously, and not dismissed because they choose to write in a different genre.
Too many critics often dismiss stories that aren't totally based on facts and reality. This is a shame, because they are missing the point of good story telling.
The point of all fiction, no matter what genre, is to convince readers that an imagined world or series of events is real. It makes no sense to shun stories that don't take place in the actual world, because all stories are essentially "made up."
For these reasons, it should be apparent that all fiction, no matter what genre it happens to adhere to, is an effort to change or escape reality. The most talented authors will also teach us some valuable lessons about ourselves along the way.
The innovation and creativity that the best sci fi offers the literary world should not be underestimated. More serious study should be given to this unique form of literature.
Main stream literature can inspire as well, but it usually only deals with the standard tropes of life, death, and how we deal with them. It is often so concerned with realism that it neglects imagination.
The best sci fi, however, can enlarge our perceptions and help us follow new avenues of thought. It can help us imagine what an artificial intelligence might be like. Or a species from another planet. In doing so, it also helps us look at ourselves in new ways.
Creativity can also be enhanced. Think of the influence Jules Verene and his 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea had on submarine designers. It's not a coincidence that the first nuclear submarine was named the Nautilus.
Traditional tales rarely explore the human experience in as many different ways as science fiction does. They are constrained by convention, and this often stifles the opportunity to let the imagination run wild.
Any writer that can create a world or an alien from scratch, and make it seem real, must have the same skills as any regular author. They should be taken just as seriously, and not dismissed because they choose to write in a different genre.
Too many critics often dismiss stories that aren't totally based on facts and reality. This is a shame, because they are missing the point of good story telling.
The point of all fiction, no matter what genre, is to convince readers that an imagined world or series of events is real. It makes no sense to shun stories that don't take place in the actual world, because all stories are essentially "made up."
For these reasons, it should be apparent that all fiction, no matter what genre it happens to adhere to, is an effort to change or escape reality. The most talented authors will also teach us some valuable lessons about ourselves along the way.
The innovation and creativity that the best sci fi offers the literary world should not be underestimated. More serious study should be given to this unique form of literature.
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