Science fiction worth reading doesn’t have to be predictive or prescriptive. It doesn’t have to tell us what our futures will look like, nor does it need to tell us exactly how to get there. Can any author truly have that kind of foresight? More importantly, do they need to? There is still a lot to learn from stories that are more reflective of trials and enduring their fallout, not merely foreseeing them or making them all go away.
[0:21] Ashley Deng’s SFWA article examines the portrayal of cures in literature.
[1:38] Sci-fi cures don’t need to erase the trauma that led to the triumph.
[2:55] Characters still contend with the challenge before and after the cure appears.
[6:30] Sci-fi’s purpose is not to be a compass or a survival guide.
Resources/links mentioned in the episode:- Ashley Deng’s article “Sci-Fi Has a Cure Problem”: https://www.sfwa.org/2021/11/02/sci-fi-has-a-cure-problem/
For more:- Show transcript: https://thepagestation.com/sci-fi-doesnt-have-to-be-predictive-or-prescriptive
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