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Kegg · October 24 2012, 01:44 AM

True.

I think the gauntlet laid down in McCalmont's article is probably the most interesting of the ones you linked in that he wants science fiction to be both actually dealing with science but also to be socially conscious and politically motivated (and to be honest is a more interesting and articulate read than Kincaid's). The idea that science fiction wasn't able to meaningfully engage with the 2008 economic collapse because we default to capitalism so reflexively is particularly pointed. I like China Mieville, but he has a point - when Iron Council is his novel that people criticize for being overtly political but to the extent it is it's about the Parisian Communards and the spirit of 1848

On the other hand there are some ah... odd turns of phrase. World Cinema is strongly defined by its relationship to Hollywood, which is massive, but there's a lot more to it than that, distinct non-Hollywood and non-Western traditions of cinema, many films made by and for non-American audiences, and a kind of circular loop - Hollywood is always absorbing talent, concepts, and remaking entire films from outside its reach. While the reality is Hollywood has a lot of power and a lot of money, and the West in general has a fair bit of that, it's not quite as dire as 'Iranians must make Taxi Driver references to have movies.'

October 24 2012, 01:44 AM	#10
Kegg Rear Admiral Location: Ireland.	Re: Is SF in a state of exhaustion? True. I think the gauntlet laid down in McCalmont's article is probably the most interesting of the ones you linked in that he wants science fiction to be both actually dealing with science but also to be socially conscious and politically motivated (and to be honest is a more interesting and articulate read than Kincaid's). The idea that science fiction wasn't able to meaningfully engage with the 2008 economic collapse because we default to capitalism so reflexively is particularly pointed. I like China Mieville, but he has a point - when Iron Council is his novel that people criticize for being overtly political but to the extent it is it's about the Parisian Communards and the spirit of 1848 and the revolution ends with cyclic failure anyway. On the other hand there are some ah... odd turns of phrase. World Cinema is strongly defined by its relationship to Hollywood, which is massive, but there's a lot more to it than that, distinct non-Hollywood and non-Western traditions of cinema, many films made by and for non-American audiences, and a kind of circular loop - Hollywood is always absorbing talent, concepts, and remaking entire films from outside its reach. While the reality is Hollywood has a lot of power and a lot of money, and the West in general has a fair bit of that, it's not quite as dire as 'Iranians must make Taxi Driver references to have movies.' __________________ 'Spock is always right, even when he's wrong. It's the tone of voice, the supernatural reasonability; this is not a man like us; this is a god.' - Philip K. Dick Last edited by Kegg; October 24 2012 at 02:00 AM.