Why I like Sci-Fi

Yes, I’ve already admitted I’m a dork, but I’m also a huge sci-fi guy. To give you a little a little bit of a reference of my dorkitude, check out this. Yes I found this to be absolutely hilarious. If you didn’t, then you’re either not a dork and weren’t entertained, or you more of a nerd and it just made you mad. (he really made a lot of nerds mad with that)

And right there was another example of my dorkiness. I made up a word, or least I haven't heard it before. What’s even worse is that I can even define it for you if you really want. Dorkitude: a conjugation of dork and altitude, meaning the level, or height of ones dorkiness.

Any way I’m getting off topic. I like Sci-Fi. I have pretty much always found it the most appealing genre to me. I’ll go through most of the other major genres later and explain my views on them, but today I’m going to stick with Sci-Fi.

To me with Sci-Fi you are completely relying on the ability of the writer to make stuff up. Now you could say that all fiction does this, but there are some differences. These are what make it appeal to me.

Sci-Fi keeps things in the real world. Its not some fantasy world where magic, ghosts and goblins and everything else. It’s the real world, with real people. Everything that happens or exits has to be able to be explained.

Technology right now doubles about every 4-5 months. Things we could do 4-5 months ago we can to twice as fast and twice as well now than we could 4-5 months ago. Now look at the different leaps we’ve taken throughout human history and how much we rely on technology.

Here are a couple Examples: Look at the automobile. No one ever would have thought such a thing was even possible 200 years ago. Today there are over 806 million cars and trucks worldwide. Think of how much the world has changed because of it. Here is another one, the PC. 30 years ago no one would have ever consider having a computer in their one home. They were the size of most homes after all. Now most people couldn’t live their lives with out them. I bet you’d be hard pressed to find a home with out one (we have 2). These are just 2 things that have changed the way we live. There are plenty others that now a days we take for granted. Refrigeration. Ovens. Microwaves. Ect.

Now try to imagine what it’s going to be like a few hundred years in the future. People are going to wonder how we ever survived just as we wonder how people ever survived when they were settling the west. The author has to imagine all those new technologies’, how they work, and how people would begin to rely in them in their daily life. That takes a lot of work, and a lot of imagination. That’s a big test of an author’s skill.

Now another thing I really like about Sci-Fi is that it drives real technology. That’s right people. Stuff of some author’s imagination has become real world application. You don’t believe me? Go back and watch some of the original Star Trek TV shows. I know they are kind of bad and cheesy. But just try it for a bit. Pay special attention to the thing they call a communicator. Now look at the little squareish thing you probably have in your pocket right now. You call it a cell phone. Pretty crazy huh? Look at the space program. Look at just about anything in the military. Heck Robert Heinlein came up with an idea called powered armor in the late 50’s that the military is spending billions a year on trying to make a reality. When they do, it’ll be a huge advantage to our troops. (Think Ironman but the whole Army)

So in closing I like Sci-Fi for many reasons. It can be used many different forms. It can be use as a social commentary like the movie District 9 that just came out last month (which I loved) to highlight race relations (among many other that it hit). It can hit on many of the “What If” questions, or "What would we do?" It can inspire just about anyone. Doctors to look in directions. Scients to look at things in a new light. Everyone to wonder if we are alone. "To boldly go where no one has go before." (Fun fact most of the superhero genre is considered sci-fi)

Just remember with great power comes great responsibility.

(There is after all a lot of bad sci-fi out there. My guess is for every good sci-fi novel I’ve read 2 bad ones.)