Not being a fan of science fiction, I have been both amazed and enlightened about how broad scifi ventures into our society and how many people are truly passionate about it. Some people simply enjoy scifi as entertainment, others, the junkies as I call them, may read it, view it, and ingest every detail faithfully, and still others, the extremists or fanatics, as I call them, may regard it or act as if it were true to life beliefs and ideas. Since I am not a scifi junkie, fanatic, or fan for that matter, my blog has to do mainly with my introduction into and my observations of the many different views or aspects of science fiction in our society. After considering my introduction and my observations thus far, I have concluded that science fiction has many different forms, has no socioeconomic boundaries, and revolves around individual interpretations.
Before this introduction, my ideas of the different types of science fiction were books or movies – that was it. I remembered the Scifi Restaurant at Disney World playing all these really old scifi movies on a huge screen filled with giant creatures and that’s where my idea was formed and I guess it stayed there too. I guess I never really considered modern movies like Bladerunner to be science fiction until now.
Since then I learned that science fiction began very long ago, and the exact era or time has been thoroughly debated with no real solid conclusion reached. I was surprised to learn of the many different types of science fiction. I was introduced to types of scifi like hard science fiction, fiction that uses real science facts and technology while telling its stories. Soft science fiction, on the other hand, focuses less on real scientific facts and more on the stories. Other types and areas of scifi introduced were space operas, robots, androids, and science fiction as social commentary. Space operas are simply scifi stories, sort of like television soap operas, thus the name space opera, that take place in outer space. Most of the scifi series like Star Wars and Star Trek would fall into the space opera category. Scifi has explored many mechanical devices as in the regular old robots or droids like R2-D2 and C-3P0 of Star Wars to the Nexus – 6, the most human-like androids of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Last, but definitely not least is science fiction as social commentary. Some authors of scifi, like many authors of other genres, use current social, moral, religious, or political issues within their writing. One author and novel that illustrates this point perfectly is Robert Heinlein’s 1961 science fiction novel, Stranger in a Strange Land. This novel has been labeled by many scifi fans as the most famous science fiction novel ever written. It has also been credited by some as the work that opened up the best sellers list to science fiction works. Maybe the most controversial thing about the novel is what made it so famous. The controversy was rooted around the many social, moral, religious, and political issues that filled its pages and its influences on society. The novel may have served as an introduction into or a vision of the care-free, make love – not war, hippy society of the 60’s and 70’s. Some extremists of the time actually tried living by imitating the fictional lifestyle of communal marriages, free sex, etc. described throughout the novel.
As far as I can detect, science fiction knows no socioeconomic boundaries. People of all ages, education, personalities, ethnic backgrounds, gender and religions enjoy science fiction; a fact that many, like myself, may find surprising. I was rather surprised to find out that my college English professor of two years, a Dr. of English Education, enjoyed this genre as much as some of her students.
After considering all the reading materials, movies viewed and class discussions, I have concluded that science fiction is all about the individual interpretation by the viewer or reader. Those who simply enjoy scifi as a form of entertainment will interpret it as fun and entertaining. Other more serious or devoted faithful fans may interpret it a little different. They may look for every clue in order to dissect every word or detail in search of a deeper meaning. Still others, the extremists or fanatics, as I call them, may take what they read or view as a sort of real preview to truth, happiness, or a new way of life.
So in closing, I guess the real point I am making is that science fiction, like most other forms of entertainment, is what each individual makes of it or takes from it. Compare football, I know it is a far stretch from scifi but it is one of my true passions, it is a game played for enjoyment by both players and spectators. Some people are the casual occasional fans, some are the more devoted fans, and still others are considered the fanatics, on the brink of obsession. But no matter if it is science fiction, football, music, or any other form of entertainment; it’s still about how each individual interprets it. You may make of it whatever you choose – it’s your choice! You may be thinking, all this insight on scifi coming from a football player who really doesn’t like scifi? Yes, in the words of Robert Heinlein, “I am only an egg,” but at least I grok this much about science fiction!
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