When you think of science fiction, you usually think of stories set far into the future with advanced technologies that would be practically unimaginable today. Some that we've read, though, especially Cory Doctorow's work, takes a very different approach, and uses a setting just barely ahead of when it was written, exploring technologies that are plausible based on current developments. This is actually something that I really like about Doctorow's work, because he uses it to extrapolate the implications of current events, be they legal proceedings or technological developments, into a world of science fiction. Good examples include Little Brother, which took the US political climate at the time it was written and applied it to technology just barely more advanced that what was really available, or "The Jammie Dodgers and the Adventure of the Leicester Square Screening" which extrapolated current developments in British copyright law into the fairly near future. Another example is Dollhouse, set only a few years after it aired, in which the only difference from the present day is the existence of the neural technology that drives the plot. This technique really allows an author to get readers to think about current events, or about the kind of changes to society that might occur given the technological possibilities of the near future. As much as I like the idea of exploring completely new and different worlds with science fiction, I do enjoy this approach every once in a while, especially when it's as well done as a lot of Doctorow's work.
Which does everyone prefer in their science fiction: the near future or the distant? Technology that's incredibly advanced, or currently plausible?
For me, it really depends. The distant future can be a really awesome way to stretch your imagination, but the "plausible future" can give the story a very "real" feeling, and sometimes that's what I'm more in the mood for. It's easier to connect with characters that could literally be living down the block from you today.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Caleb, it really depends on what type of mood I’m in. So far this semester Doctorow's works have been my favorite. As long as it is well written and has an interesting plot then it really doesn't matter to me.
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