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Comment by m463

9 months ago

I think optimistic scifi needs to lie a bit:

- allow you to exceed the speed of light, or better yet portal somewhere

- learn we are not alone in the universe

- store basically infinite energy in your hip-mounted blaster

- get the girl/guy in the end

11 comments

m463

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aleph_minus_one  9 months ago

> - learn we are not alone in the universe

This is neither a message that is optimistic nor pessimistic. Isn't it much more likely that this species (despite having something that can be called "intelligence" in an appropriate sense) simply be so different that the difference is insanely much larger than between an human and an octopus?

Example:

Stanisław Lem; Solaris

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solaris_(novel)

where the alien species is an intelligent ocean.

  • nathan_compton  9 months ago

    Everyone read Solaris.

    • blacksmith_tb  9 months ago

      It is of course an absolute classic, but funny to recommend in this thread, as it's probably the most pessimistic first contact story I can think of, in fact I think it raises serious questions about humans communicating successfully with each other (let alone anyone else).

      2 replies →

nathan_compton  9 months ago

I think Greg Egan writes very optimistic science fiction that only really does 2 sort of. Exceeding the speed of light is, from my point of view, so absurd a premise as to make me feel that any hard science fiction which tries to get around it is not serious.

Its not that I can't enjoy that kind of science fiction, its just I can't take it seriously as having anything to do with actually reckoning with our position in the universe as human beings. Universe Big.

  • m463  9 months ago

    Without exceeding the speed of light, "Universe Big"... and universe too far away to explore. :(

    I guess we could have a story set it the far far (far!) future...