Introductory Essay
Astronauts flying from Earth and landing on the moon. People (or objects)
being instantly teleported from one location to another.
Soldiers wearing armored exoskeletons to increase combat effectiveness.
Virtual displays that appear in front of your eye or on windows. Objects that
can be controlled by one’s voice. All of these items may appear totally random
and unconnected, but they all have one common thread. That is, they were all
predicted in science fiction literature, and are all now real technology.
Science fiction has often been regarded as an area of literature that
creates imaginary worlds, breaking the laws of physics at will and making
equally imaginary science monsters and catastrophes, in order to entertain their
audiences. However, as the examples above illustrate, science fiction may not be
more fiction that science. Science fiction has had, and continues to have, a
positive effect on our society as whole. From piquing people’s imaginations to
giving writers a way to analyze society, science fiction has proved to be an
invaluable part of literature as a whole.
One of the most obvious ways the science fiction benefits society as a
whole is its unique ability to act as a vehicle for writers to analyze issues in
society. For example, one might look at George Orwell’s 1984. Required
reading in most high school or college literature classes, 1984, which
was published in 1948, is the story of Winston Smith, a man who opposes the
power of the state, personified in Big Brother. Mr. Smith’s personality is
destroyed, and Smith is recreated in the Party’s image, demonstrating with
grim finality the results of a government with too much power. While it is
clearly a science fiction novel, with a setting 36 years in the future and
technology totally unheard of in the 1940s, Orwell contends that his only reason
for writing 1984 was to “alter other people’s idea of the kind of
society they should strive after.” As to the impact on readers and society as
a whole, passages from 1984 have been used to protest against the Homeland
Security Act, passed in 2002. (Hentoff) 1984 isn’t the only novel of
its type, either. Literature teachers also include Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit
451, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, and Ayn Rand’s Anthem
as part of their reading lists for studies in literature and society.
Similar to its ability to let writer’s analyze issues in society,
science fiction can also provide a way for writers to analyze people. In the
1940s and 50s, science fiction was reaching its peak on the television. Children
everywhere gather to watch the original adventures of Superman, the
intergalactic battles of Buck Rodgers, or the villainous antics to Fu Manchu.
Besides providing children with endless hours of entertainment, science fiction
writers were starting to create the image of the perfect person. While one might
not have to be as strong as Superman, or as brave as Buck Rodgers, people
everywhere began to agree on certain values; honesty, integrity, standing up for
the oppressed, and the value of serving others selflessly. While it is true that
people had generally agreed on most of these values before the advent of
television, the science fiction series of the 1950s were the first to really
define it and personify it into characters people saw on a daily basis. Another
interesting facet of 1950s television and people were the roles different groups
played in the shows. Superman was often shown fighting with Nazis in his comic
books and TV shows. Similarly, a popular show entitled “Captain Midnight”
had a “Secret Squadron” viewers could join. The Secret Squadron was
abbreviated as SS, and members could wear pins and badges proudly showing off
their membership, until the advent of World War 2 and Hitler’s elite
Schutstaffel (SS), when the abbreviation was changed to SQ. (Magic Dragon Media)
Prejudices were also demonstrated in science fiction series. For example, during
the Korean War in the 1950s, space people were often vaguely Asian in
complexion, while Fu Manchu (another Asian) was humiliatingly defeated by
brilliant Americans every episode. (Magic Dragon Media) When one looks at
science fiction’s demonstration of people’s values, prejudices, and ideals,
it becomes clear that science fiction provides an important role in helping to
analyze people, especially in different time frames.
Science fiction also benefits society by providing a way to awaken the
imagination of its readers. One might look at Star Trek as an example case.
Conceived in 1960, Star trek immersed viewers in a world a teleportation,
communicators, and phasers. Star Trek crew members set out to “boldly go where
no man has gone before.” Officially, their mission was to go out and chart the
universe, looking for other forms of life, while have entertaining missions once
a week. Some of the more unusual pieces of technology were the computer cores,
consisting of hundreds of nano-computers working simultaneously to control the
starship, energy shields, phasers (energized lasers), tractor beams, and both
impulse and warp engines. An interesting fact is that, with the exception of
energy shields, all of the other technology has either been invented or proven
physically possible. In fact, teleportation has become such a reality that the
United States Air Force released a “Teleportation Physics Study” by Eric
Davis of Warp Drive Metrics. It was the result of the Air Force’s interest in
the possible military ramifications of teleportation. In the study, Davis
analyzes different possible ways of teleportation, concluding that psychic
teleportation is most plausible and that “this phenomenon could generate a
dramatic revolution in technology, which would result from a dramatic paradigm
shift in science.” (61) Other laboratories have also claim to have transported
matter by instantly teleporting one atom quantum state to another atom, using
the theory of particle entanglement and squeezed light (Caltech). The study also
shows that theoretically, man could make rips in space-time and send objects
(such as starships) through it. (26) And while we may not have phasers in the
same form as Captain Kirk, we do possess the technology to create lasers with
sufficient energy to cut through the metal of, say, a space ship. (CBS News)
While it may be hard to imagine, one must find it entirely unlikely that
research and innovation would be applied to create such inventions would have
occurred, if it was not for science fiction. For example, what person would
desire to know if a person could create a hole in space time (or even to know
about space-time) in order to travel through it? When one considers many of the
other modern inventions and innovations (Segway transporters, quantum computers,
nanotechnology, S.E.T.I,) it becomes clearer and clearer that without the
creativity born from science fiction, most of them would not exist, or at least
not in this time period (as opposed to further in the future).
Other examples of science fiction and the technology it inspires are more
evident throughout history. In the 1950s the predominant image of
extraterrestrial life was of men in metallic suits flying smooth, round,
metallic ships. Air Force projects at the time also concentrated on the Avrocar,
a round metallic ship designed to be crew by two people. Coincidence? Most of
the data presented earlier in this essay show that it isn’t. Another
interesting piece of information: the most commonly seen UFO from the 1950s
until the release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind? You guessed it;
smooth metallic saucers crewed by metal covered hominoids. After Close
Encounters of the Third Kind, a science fiction movie where
extraterrestrials are shown as short grey beings with dark eyes crewing ships
with complex light displays? The largest portion of UFO reports was of ships
with complex lights, and short beings with large dark eyes were predominantly
reported. (Willis) This data supports both the fact that society has an effect
on people and society (the perception of aliens) as well as its involvement in
directing the efforts of innovation. Space flight using rockets was also
predicted by science fiction writers, most of whom lived in a time when rockets
could barely fly alone (let alone carrying something) or when they were regarded
as a military weapon (not a vehicle.) (Blaze)
Other commonplace inventions science fiction writers had envisioned
decades before such technology existed: laptop computers, the internet, genetic
engineering, A.I, and most modern electronics. (“Anything…to mainstream?”)
While some of these inventions may have just been the result of progress in
other areas (especially the final one,) some innovations replicate their
literary precursors in a way that leaves little doubt as to the source of their
ingenuity. For example, the computer watches. First mentioned in the science
fiction/action series Dick Tracy, the watch first evolved into the
digital watch, then the calculator watch, then the scheduler watch, and finally
into the modern calculator watch, complete with altimeter, cell phone, heart
rate monitor, contact list, scheduler, and anything else you could possibly need
on your wrist. One might look back and ask, “If Dick Tracy had never existed,
would we have computer watches?” Without the creative drive from science
fiction, why would one even desired anything more than a digital watch? Clearly,
science fiction has provided some sort of creative goal for technology to rise
for normality to the once-imaginary, giving a very tangible benefit to society.
There
are many people today who would argue that for all the positive effects science
fiction provides us, the negatives of science fiction are worse.
One of these negatives effects is the way Science
Fiction portrays religion in a bad light. Religion is often marginalized in
works of science fiction. Or if it does play a role in the story it often
plays the role of the bad guy. Most science fiction books do not write
about religion even though it plays a major role in our life today. If
science fiction is writing about the future it would be reasonable to expect
religion to have a major role in the story. Also in works of science
fiction that do contain religion, religion is often used as a scapegoat.
It is true that much of science fiction does not contain
religion. Many authors may not want to include religion, because people
may disagree with what they say about religion. The author is writing a science fiction novel and may not
want religion to dominate it. There
are several possible reasons for religion being portrayed in a bad light. One
would be that science and religion are often viewed as conflicting forces.
Religion often has problems with scientific theories like evolution, which run
counter to the traditional religious beliefs. This means that a genetic
researcher of the future, who is the protagonist of the science fiction story,
may see a religion, which is trying to destroy his work, which it deems an
abomination is appropriate. Science fiction works that marginalize
religion may take into account that many people are less religious than in the
past. People today, do not visit church as often as they used to. If
this trend were to continue we could see the end of religion, or a much smaller
influence of religion in a far distant future. Most science fiction
focuses on humanity and what it can accomplish. In order for this
forward-looking view to work humanity must solve its own problems, and it cannot
rely on a god or religion to solve them for it. One part of religion that
is seen more often in science fiction is mysticism. The mind over matter
idea and out of body experience is often a central concept to some science
fiction works. In works that contain mysticism the people who practice
mysticism often have amazing powers, which result from it. Another
religious theme found in Science Fiction is that of a messiah. This is
clearly seen in Frank Herbert’s Dune. It examines how messiah figures
are created. First, the Bene Gesserit a secret organization of women sows
myths of a messiah who will transform the desert planet of Dune into a paradise
into the native culture. They do this for their own benefit in case their
genetically superior Kwisatz Haderach, which is also a messiah figure, would
happen to need the protection of this myth. Then Paul Atreides who is a
charismatic noble trained in ruling the masses comes along and fulfills this
prophecy. Take into account that he has the special training of the Bene
Gesserit from his mother and you have your messiah. Dune also has in it a
religion that combines Islam and many eastern religions.
Although the view of how messiahs are created may not flatter religion it
raises awareness on how such things could occur.
Another
claim against science fiction is that it is unrealistic. Some concepts of
science fiction are unrealistic. They portray space as a more
accommodating place than it is. In reality there are not many planets and
none of them that we know can support life. It is common for science
fiction to use faster than light travel, which defies the known laws of physics.
The genetic mutations portrayed in some science fiction novels are most likely
impossible. Science Fiction no longer relies on science and has become
more of a futuristic fantasy. The fact that some concepts of science
fiction are unrealistic may result from the fact that it is fiction.
Fiction is by nature not true, and much of science fiction may never come true.
However, to answer the charge that much of the science behind it seems
impossible I will point out that a hundred years ago we thought that flying was
impossible. Many of today’s inventions were predicted by, H.G. Wells, an
early science fiction writer. He wrote about going to the moon, flying,
and submarines. Faster than light travel may be just around
the corner with the right breakthroughs even though it defies the know laws of
physics. We once thought that the
world was flat. Theories are made
to be disproved. The technology in a science fiction novel is a combination of
our current technology, the author’s vision of the future, and the author’s
need for technology to convey his purpose.
This may result in technology that seems impossible, but it is my belief
that nothing is impossible.
Another negative claim about Science Fiction is that it
causes fear of future technologies such as cloning and genetic manipulation by
telling horror stories about them. This causes people to take a negative
view of the scientific possibilities. There
are indeed two sides of science fiction. One of these sides shows the
positive benefits of technology and how it is incorporated into daily life.
The other shows the horrible effects when science is pushed to far.
Science is like a two edged sword if it is used for the right reasons it can be
extremely beneficial to humanity. We have seen in the past that science is
not always used in the right way. Examples of this can be seen in the
development of the atomic bomb in World War II and in the chemical warfare of
World War I. This type of science fiction is to warn us about the darker
side of technology. If we recklessly use science we must understand the
price we will pay for it. This type of science fiction is a warning
beacon, so that we may avoid the “rocks” so to speak. People need to
understand this when reading Science Fiction stories.
The negative science fiction story may also show how humanity is able to
overcome these obstacles despite tremendous opposition.
A claim could be made that Science Fiction has ruined the
entertainment industry because of its emphasis on special effects rather than on
the storyline. Many recent science fiction movies place so much emphasis
on the special effects the movies have no storyline and are terrible.
The disappointment with Star Wars Episode 1 and the Matrix Sequels
could be examples of this. This emphasis in special effects has carried
over to other genres of movies thus bringing the quality of movies down.
Science Fiction is not to blame for the emphasis on special effects over
storyline. There are many science fiction movies with excellent storylines
take for example the original Star Wars Trilogy.
Perhaps much of the problem is the hype from the media, which the Science
Fiction movies are unable to live up to. Special
effects enhance the quality of the movie, it is the director and the writer of
the movies job to make sure the storyline is good. Special effects are
tool in which a good science fiction movie is made; it does not make a good
science fiction movie.