[folds arms, stares critically] So, Gary. What's your take on the new Optimus Prime, as opposed to the 80's version? And you better not say "much better!"
o [SF] Science fiction (rationally extrapolated or existing science)
o [DB] Douchebaggery (trying to look like SF, but failing)
o [Fy] Fantasy (honest hand-waving, mythology, tripe-tropes)
Examples: Two faces of Tomorrow - James P. Hogan; SF. Wizard of Earthsea - Ursula K. Le Guin; Fy. Fantastic Voyage, Isaac Asimov, DB.
Yes, that's right - Asimov, Mr. Science and Rationality himself, on the DB shelves. There's no scientific basis available that may be used to extrapolate the wholesale shrinkage of a macroscopic object. Temporarily or otherwise. Not in 1967, and not now.
Though I love a good SF novel, in 50 years of reading, I haven't encountered a large number of them. DB dominates. Not to say that DB is unreadable; just that it isn't SF by any means.
And that's on paper, where special effects are no more costly than an argument between characters. Movies... guh. Terrible stuff in terms of scientific extrapolation. Just awful.
Then there's the usual Hollywood plot-mangling; poster child for that is Harrison's "Make Room, Make Room", a great *SF* novel about the world running short of resources and long on people, which Hollywood turned directly into bottom-feeder fare without further ado. For the record, soylent green is made of seaweed. :/
Ok, Four shelves:
o [SF] Science fiction (rationally extrapolated or existing science)
o [DB] Douchebaggery (trying to look like SF, but failing)
o [Fy] Fantasy (honest hand-waving, mythology, tripe-tropes)
"Science fiction" has already changed its names through myriad substyles, each meant to address a more specific, and in many cases, contemporary audience. Like cyberpunk and steampunk. :p
@kuriakos: this has always been by central point...my real gripe with the term 'science fiction' is that the 'science' of science fiction isn't really science at all...but almost always 'technology'...science is not a thing, science isn't space, it isn't faster than light travel, it isn't lasers, robots, gene splicing...science is a process, a method, a way of looking at the universe, a way of asking questions and thinking about the proposed answers to those questions...and then asking more questions...
I'm really hard pressed to think of many(any?) fictional books or movies or TV that I would honestly describe with the word 'science'...
You know, the only flaw in Copore-Metal's argument is tht no bookstore I have found distinguishes between Science Fiction and Fantasy. Which bugs the hell out of me to this day.
06/08/09
Hi, Gary. PopWatch is the only part of EW worth anything.
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06/08/09
So, Gary. What's your take on the new Optimus Prime, as opposed to the 80's version?
And you better not say "much better!"
06/08/09
12/08/08
o [SF] Science fiction (rationally extrapolated or existing science)
o [DB] Douchebaggery (trying to look like SF, but failing)
o [Fy] Fantasy (honest hand-waving, mythology, tripe-tropes)
Examples: Two faces of Tomorrow - James P. Hogan; SF. Wizard of Earthsea - Ursula K. Le Guin; Fy. Fantastic Voyage, Isaac Asimov, DB.
Yes, that's right - Asimov, Mr. Science and Rationality himself, on the DB shelves. There's no scientific basis available that may be used to extrapolate the wholesale shrinkage of a macroscopic object. Temporarily or otherwise. Not in 1967, and not now.
Though I love a good SF novel, in 50 years of reading, I haven't encountered a large number of them. DB dominates. Not to say that DB is unreadable; just that it isn't SF by any means.
And that's on paper, where special effects are no more costly than an argument between characters. Movies... guh. Terrible stuff in terms of scientific extrapolation. Just awful.
Then there's the usual Hollywood plot-mangling; poster child for that is Harrison's "Make Room, Make Room", a great *SF* novel about the world running short of resources and long on people, which Hollywood turned directly into bottom-feeder fare without further ado. For the record, soylent green is made of seaweed. :/
Ok, Four shelves:
o [SF] Science fiction (rationally extrapolated or existing science)
o [DB] Douchebaggery (trying to look like SF, but failing)
o [Fy] Fantasy (honest hand-waving, mythology, tripe-tropes)
o [Ki] Kindling (primarily useful to start fires)
12/08/08
You sound like the most boring person I don't ever want to meet.
12/07/08
Something like:
Nerd Mating Call Fiction
High School Social Status Divider Fiction
Will Never Appreciate Hemmingway Fiction
hahaha.
12/07/08
I think the whole thing has now reached the status of an entirely closed system.
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12/07/08
I actually agree. Why not Science Fantasy?
12/07/08
I'm really hard pressed to think of many(any?) fictional books or movies or TV that I would honestly describe with the word 'science'...
where is the science in our 'science fiction'?
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"Each of us are mourning (in a special way)"
"The dust on (the roses) of life"
12/07/08
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