Strange Shit That Tom Says...

We live in a world where other people's delusions dictate what we accept as reality.

I propose changing our national bird symbol from Bald Eagle to Hooded Vulture because our government is feeding on the remains of a once great nation.

For me, Science Fiction is the Unknown, Unthinkable and Undiscovered being expressed. A look at the reality of a Universe that is over 15 Billion years old. The age and vast distances involved can make nearly anything a possibility. Including a parallel you on a parallel Earth but with subtle differences.

Being locked on this planet at this time in this part of the galaxy without a clue as to what is actually out there most people want science fiction to explore things we already grasp. Social complexities and moral conundrums we face. We take comfort in those subjects because we can identify with them.

I want my Science Fiction to break those human concepts and step outside those limited concepts. I don't want to read about what happens to society with the next major scientific advancement. I want to read about what happens to dolphin societies after a thousand scientific advancements. What happens to the society of the sentient lifeforms we discover 10,000 years from now on a different planet that we decided to colonize. What are the issues future humanoids will have to deal with during a 1,000 year voyage to a new world. How will our bodies change after generations in space and what might be the new social issues arising directly related to those changes?

It is sad to think that people believe our focus on fear, greed and power is what constitutes Science Fiction. I want someone that can put unheard of technology in my grasp. I want to explore planets, cosmic storms and star systems with plausible scientific ideas. Our environment on this planet is so unique it is unlikely any other species is similar to us in physical or social form.

One of my biggest letdowns of the Science Fiction that hits mainstream is that aliens look and act like humans. They have the same reasons for doing things that we do. They use the same or similar construction methods that we do. There are power struggles and wealth just like we have.

In Star Trek, the transporter technology and replication technology is pretty commonplace yet we still construct building and ships that have doors? Why? They have antigravity technology yet all the buildings have foundations using up space that could be better suited for crops. People still die yet Scotty locked himself into a transporter buffer that if it was properly maintained could keep him alive indefinately. Why is there still hospitals and medical programs? Why not just replicate the damaged cells as they fail?

No, Science Fiction is not dying but it is pretty watered down with the same ole same ole. Back when most of the new ideas and unique perspectives were being written our technology was limited and our science was infant. Not to presume our science is not still in infancy but we now have a world view of social implications. I want Science Fiction that goes beyond our world view of society and considers multi-species or multi-world society issues.

The 24th century or in The Time Machine, 800,000 years into the future, those time periods are amazing to most people. We have rocks on this very planet that are over 3,000,000,000 years old. Dinosaurs roamed our planet 65,000,000 years ago. Our Science fiction is limited to 10,000 to 100,000 years? To me that is a real let down.

Is it because nobody wants to make the genetic jump to the next or future human forms? In 10,000,000 years we will still resemble the current human form but in 100,000,000 years will our human genes even be part of the quation anymore? I've read some works of genetically engineered humans and always find those fascinating but even those are limited by our current human expectations.

There is too much science, real science right now to limit our expectations at all. Nanotechnology, mind uploading, cybernetics, virtual presence, prototype printing and the list goes on and on. Sure the immediate Science Fiction ideas are written to prey on our fears of the unknown but what if the fear no longer exists? What if we really do know how to prevent the possibility of a nano grey-goo scenario? What if the AI singularity does become a reality in our lifetimes? What if the positronic brain is but a decade from actuality? Should Science Fiction propogate our fears or possibilities?

So, you keep reading and writing all that Social Science Fiction and I will keep not reading it. When you grow up and write something truly Science Fiction I will be the first to praise it. I just no longer have fears that you can latch ahold of to sell me your work. I live here and I know how humans react to things. Tell me something new and unique so I can dream your dream with you.