Starlight2001 wrote:
For me philosophical/speculative sci-fi is the best kind. My favorite book/movie is 2001: A Space Odyssey. I saw an earlier post in this thread that was mainly dystopias. I don't consider most of the famous dystopias science fiction because there's not much science in them. I've read a few of them and while they all describe possible futures there's little in them that talks about technological progress or discoveries. Those books are exceptions to what I usually read however. My favorite genre is optimistic science fiction. Seeing the good things people have envisioned for the future is wonderful, especially in times like these. 2001 has an insane computer in it but the world it describes is wonderfully optimistic. It's one of the few times I've encountered a fictional world I'd rather live in than this one.
I 100% concur on optimistic science fiction! It may be naivete but I certainly prefer to imagine a future in which things ultimately work out for the best. 2001 is one of my all-time favorite movies as well, and I was lucky enough to see it in a limited showing at a theater last year which was an awesome experience. I have had the book on my reading list for a long time but never have read through it in its entirety so this may be the push I need to start! I don't want to sound like a parrot, but at risk of just rehashing your points, I have a similar view to you in regards to dystopian fiction as well - I think it depends mostly on socio-political pessimism and does not explore the hope for a brighter and more advanced future (from my experience, the genre often displays a sort of regression of technology, discovery, and knowledge if anything, but my experience is somewhat limited). Although, I do love the mixing of themes with the so-called 'space western,' and am a fan of
Cowboy Bebop and
Firefly (tv shows, not books) but I love the technological setting of easy space travel with the somewhat familiar genre of the western.
I enjoyed Firefly and Cowboy Bebop as well, though Mal and Jayne annoyed me. We seem to have similar ideas and interests. If you want to talk with me sometime you can PM me. I'm usually able to answer quickly.
06 Jun 2020, 4:37 pm
