May 30, 1999

On Science Fiction

There are two types of science fiction out there. The first is the techno-jargon babbling, pseudo-scientific diatribe that relies on purely the fanastic. This type is hazardous to your health and unfortunately what most people consider science-fiction.

The other type is different and perhaps one of the best of all story forms alive in our world. It is human nature to explore the limits and possibilities of what we call humanity. It is impossible to explore the infinite possibilities in any of the lifetimes we have, so we use imagination. We place ourselves and others in situations that we cannot directly experience to understand our reactions. Sometimes these situations are more fantastical than others. We might find ourselves with the powers to destroy evil on a universal scale. We might find ourselves standing between a powerful force that gave us everything and a moral choice. We might have to ask will the sacrifice of one be worth the lives of many. These are all questions asked by Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Asimov, Star Trek, Kronk, Heinlein-- all science fiction.

I've heard a lot about sci-fi and its faults since the premiere of the new Star Wars movie. This genre is just another means to explore what is human. Any help or query works in answering something we just never get.