One of the most interesting comments I’ve had since the
release of “The Eye of the Beholder” is how many people I know that said they
“wouldn’t usually read that kind of stuff” (that kind of stuff being sci-fi),
then added on “but I really enjoyed it, and I’ve told such and such to read it
too.”
You can probably guess that this is from people I know who
wanted to support me, like aunts and uncles, who would not normally venture
into the final frontier.
It got me thinking.
Why do people say they don’t like sci-fi?
Sci-fi is a huge genre.
It covers everything from the past, present and future. It can be as simple as a present-day world
with one change, such as advancement in medical science or robotics, to the
grand space operas which take place in galaxies far, far away.
I think a lot of people who “don’t like sci-fi” don’t
actually realise that they have probably been watching or reading stories that are sci-fi. They may actually mean to say “I don’t like
stories about spaceships.” (Which is
weird anyway, I mean, who doesn’t like spaceships?!)
Perhaps they just got stung once. After all, not all sci-fi is great - just as
not all fantasy, romance, crime or general fiction is great. However people are much more likely to have
read a sci-fi book, and assume it represents the entire genre, than they are to
read a general fiction book and say “Well that’s it. I don’t like fiction.”
I think most people do like sci-fi; they just don’t
realise that they do.
So why not give it a(nother) chance? You might like it.
I've always through sci-fi was more of a setting than a genre; you can have a romance, thriller or comedy book all within a sci-fi universe.
ReplyDeleteI think that's why I'm a bit disenchanted with sci-fi. I remember when sci-fi was about big ideas or strange new worlds. Asimov's psychohistory. Gibson's virtual reality. Sci-fi used to be about a sense of wonder. When was the last time you heard anyone use that phrase?
DeleteNow it's indeed just a setting. An ip. A wooden facade in front of which a story is acted out.
I blame Star Wars.
Exactly - and perhaps a person doesn't like romance and accidently read a romantic sci-fi story once. Time to try a sci-fi thriller! :D
ReplyDelete"I had not thought Mr. Darcy so bad as this— though I have never liked him. I had not thought so very ill of him. I had supposed him to be despising his fellow-androids in general, but did not suspect him of going against his programming, seeding such injustice, such inhumanity as this."
ReplyDeleteBlogger needs a like button!
DeleteI think that when most people think of sci-fi they immediately picture Star Trek. I was only about 8 when The Next Generation started, and then DS9 and Voyager followed. And while myself and my Dad loved them, both my Mam and sister were not impressed, I think it may have been all the technical jargon and gibberish they loved to come out with. However when the Star Wars Special Editions were released at the cinema I dragged my little sister to see them, she wasn't looking forward to it, and then after seeing the first one, she was asking when is the next one? Also, Farscape and Firefly. Both my mother and sister loved those, so I don't think it's generally Sci-fi that people hate or say they're not interested in it, it's the assumption that all Sci-fi is like Star Trek. And that can put them off of exploring a lot of fantastic shows, movies and books simply because they feel they're going to be bombarded with a lot of techno-babble and "fire a Tachyon beam at it, that will fix everything" kind of scenarios.
ReplyDeleteHeehee, a new meaning to classic sci-fi. :D
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to hear when people find a thing they enjoy. Firefly is probably my favourite TV show. :D
On a related note: http://envisioningtech.com/envisioning2012/
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome.
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