WindDancer - And what of the great Asimov?
I have been waiting for the time when I get to experience Asimov's world (thought perhaps Mr Lucas could produce/direct the Foundation 😮 ) The Bicentennial Man was made (with Robin Williams) and now I,Robot (with Will Smith) is coming soon.
First Law:
A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Second Law:
A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
Third Law:
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
I like what the Brothers did in the Animatrix taking us on a tour of how the matrix came to be... from the beginning of the machines/human relationship (androids etc) to Revolutions.
And thank you, Ushgarak, for providing the correction re: Verne 😄 Always a fountain of (correct) information.
"All these freaky things are of a kind, created by our fear of the unknown and our inherent desire to see patterns within chaos."
Digress - There was this person I knew from one of the other message boards who thought that the fifth dimension was... I forget what he called it... multiversity or multidimension... the idea of parallel worlds and worm holes etc. 😄
Haven't gotten the chance to get into Asimov. 🙁
I'm currently reading some works of Ursula K. Le Guin. I mention earlier about Utopias, but as some of you know there is the opposite of Utopia. That would be called "Dystopia" for those of you that don't know what a Dystopia is here are some definition:
* An imaginary, wretched place, the opposite of Utopia." (Cassel's Consice English Dictionary)
*An imaginary place where people lead dehumanised and often fearful lives. (Merriam-Webster's On-line)
* The word 'dystopia' is the commonly used antonym of 'eutopia' [i.e. utopia] and denotes that class of hypothetical societies containing images of worlds worse than our own. Dystopian images are almost invariably images of future society, pointing fearfully at the way the world is supposedly going in order to provide urgent propaganda for a change in direction." (Grolier's Multimedia Encyclopedia of Science Fiction)
* Dystopian fiction looks at totalitarian dictatorship as its prototype, a society that puts its whole population continuously on trial, a society that finds its essence in concentration camps, that is, in disenfranchising and enslaving entire classes of its own citizens, a society that, by glorifying and justifying violence by law, preys upon itself. [...] dystopian society is what we would today call dysfunctional; it reveals the lack of the very qualities that traditionally justify or set the raison d'être for a community." (Erika Gottlieb's Dystopian Fiction East and West: Universe of Terror and Trial)
* A dystopia is any society considered to be undesirable, for any of a number of reasons. The term was coined as a converse to a Utopia, and is most usually used to refer to a fictional (often near-future) society where current social trends are taken to nightmarish extremes. Often, the difference between a Utopia and a Dystopia is in the author's point of view. Dystopias are frequently written as warnings, or as satires, showing current trends extrapolated to a nightmarish conclusion. A dystopia is all too closely connected to current-day society." (Wikipedia On-line Dictionary)
In certain works of sci-fi and fantasy worlds tend to start as a Utopia and then transform into a Dystopia. And in other cases it starts a Dystopia and ends as Utopia. But notice some works of Sci-fi always include a character which brings order (or a certain balance to their world) Doesn't it make you wonder if authors are actually creating a sort of religion out of their works? I'm not saying that they are doing intentionally, but is like there is always a savior like character in most stories.
Originally posted by WindDancer
In certain works of sci-fi and fantasy worlds tend to start as a Utopia and then transform into a Dystopia. And in other cases it starts a Dystopia and ends as Utopia. But notice some works of Sci-fi always include a character which brings order (or a certain balance to their world) Doesn't it make you wonder if authors are actually creating a sort of religion out of their works? I'm not saying that they are doing intentionally, but is like there is always a savior like character in most stories.
I think it's the hero/quest idea that we are all so fond of. The idea that someone or something will "save us" and with that the journey that our hero will/must overcome to accomplish this... the idea of destiny. Think Neo, Frodo, Aragorn and Aspen 😄 😛
There is something exceptional about these characters but... even the smallest person can change the course of the future 😉
As for Dystopia... 1984 comes to mind.
It makes us think about what we do not want, but can easily fall into.
Originally posted by Serif
I think it's the hero/quest idea that we are all so fond of. The idea that someone or something will "save us" and with that the journey that our hero will/must overcome to accomplish this... the idea of destiny. Think Neo, Frodo, Aragorn and Aspen 😄 😛
This is one aspect of the hero. Another one, I think, is to be one we can identify with, as well as project some longings/fantasies into. By going through what they go through we can identify with them, and through this identification experience a katharsis in a safer way than by actually doing what the hero does - which would af course often be completely impossible for us.
The Mythology of the hero is an old idea that goes back to the early epics. Centuries ago the stories Gilgamesh, King Arthur, El Cid, Beowolf captivated the imagination of many. Maybe the early storytellers wanted to awaken that inner desire that we all share for adventure. I like the way Joseph Campbell explains it:
Bill Moyers: Why are there so many stories of Heroes in mythology?
Joseph Campbell: Because that's what's worth writting about. Even in popular novels, the main character is a hero or heroine who has found or done something beyond the normal range of achievenment and experience. A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.
Originally posted by WindDancer
Joseph Campbell: Because that's what's worth writting about. Even in popular novels, the main character is a hero or heroine who has found or done something beyond the normal range of achievenment and experience. A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.
Joseph Campbell was writing in the "golden age" of Sci-fi 😄
How wonderful would it have been for the writers in that era.
And then to be able to influence film makers like Lucas.
Just bumping my old thread. Lately I been reading The Martian Chronicles and I can't help but enjoy these kind of fiction. At the same time I wonder what drives me to read this kind of books? I do admit that there is a sense of inspiration and awe. Even thought is just fiction. There is that drive to engage my mind into such dreams. Why do we humans have this desire to create imagination worlds? Is not just fun...is a desire. And is also satisfiying.
Like most writers, they just want to create. They don't think about the commercialism or the fanbase, they just create what thier soul commands them too. If they are given the talent of creation, then they will show it. Notice it's ussualy the trilogies who have a large impact on our lives. The power of three will set us free.
But George Lucas sold his soul to the coporate machine. He no longer controls his creation, which is why SW is an abomonation of moves versus paperback versus comic book fanbase..
I think, to semi-agree with Spelljammer, they just want to make people think creatively. Not primarily, but it's somewhat of a secondary goal. I think primarily all sci-fi writers aim to achieve a certain goal for themselves.
People like The Wachowski Brothers obviously wanted to make people think with The Matrix, they did so. William Gibson wrote the book from which they drew a bulk of their inspiration though, Neuromancer. Not forgetting Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.
I think the reason why sci-fi writers have such devoted followings is because with literature, there are just words. So what better way to invoke thinking freely than giving someone a blank canvas and somewhat passively forcing them to create their own mental environment?
Escapism and free thinking is all it comes down to really. Like if you spoke to 10 people who read Brave New World or Neuromancer and asked them what they imagined the story's locations to look like, they'd all produce a different image.
-AC
http://www.infowars.com/articles/ps/darth_nwo.htm
The Star Wars story has had, without a question, the greatest impact on popular culture of any movie in world history. We will now explore why it has resonated so strongly with so many people across generations.
At last, the mainstream media is picking up on something we've been talking about for years. The plot lines of George Lucas' six Star Wars films mirror, in many respects, the activities of western governments.
George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars saga, has said over and over again that he simply plays on subconscious archetypal symbols that evoke primeval fears and passions. Lucas has also stated on many occasions that he draws from historical examples of imperial leaders' lust for war and total power.