Hifi, low fi, sci fi

Science fiction has been around for quite a while; the nineteenth century (well, 1898) 'War of the Worlds' is often seen as the starting point for modern sciene fiction, but it stretches further into the past. Simply put: if you consider it a theoretical science, it's called futurology (a silly name for a very uncertain science), if you consider it fiction, it's called science fiction and if you consider it truth, it's called religion or insanity (depending on the amount of people that consider it truth: this is just as likely as the church doctrine; this is just as likely as the islamic doctrine). Yes, that was a jab at religion; one has to stay in shape.

Recently, with changes in both knowledge and technology, science fiction has also evolved. While the concept of alternate realities is not a new one (in truth, every work of fiction can be seen as an alternate reality), science fiction usually took on one of two forms: either a single event impacts our reality (an alien invasion, anyone?), is resolved and the reality (ie. the story) ends. Just as often, the starting point is a universe different from our own, be it in the (far) future, or in a very different place, or simply slightly off.

Now, I am fully aware that the examples I'm going to give of this 'evolved sci-fi' will undermine anything I have said or will say, but so be it. The concept of both examples, one British, one American, is a sustained alternate reality that has our reality as a starting point and anchor point. And while the fiction always outweighs the science, both have a terrestrial civilization (that's us) that evolves under the influence of other civilizations, human or otherwise, allies or enemies. And while national identities never disappear (and yes, both are in English, but the relation English-imperialism is the same one as bird-robin), it adds substance to the idea(l) of a planetary identity. At the same time, our technological evolution is sped up, and somehow I just love the concept of a human interplanetary fleet.

But more importantly, it enlarges the scope of what is at the core of 'good' science-fiction: ask the questions that will become more important as our technology catches up with our imagination, the key question being 'what is it that makes us human?'
Of course, as I said, as soon as I give you the examples, you'll probably be irritated that you have read through an entire text that misses a valid point (I thought I had one, but I lost it somewhere in the second paragraph). Still, both the Stargate universe (comprised of the film with the same name and the series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis) and the Doctor Who universe are intricate and potentially infinite sources of what are in fact elaborate allegories. And besides, the latter is the longest running sci-fi show, the former is the longest consecutively running sci-fi show. This is no argument for quality, as that many people watching does not mean anything, as that many people may very well be very wrong.

But to make a long story short: exploring the future, even only in our imagination, gives us the possibility to at the very least have some fun, and who knows, maybe, just maybe, some good may come of it.

Boy, what a time waster this was...

Oh, you can watch the Stargate series here; Doctor Who you find here.