Culture

Cool Futurism: You Can’t Have Science Fiction Without Science

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So as we come to the end of my posts on what happened to Cool Futurism, let’s go on and whack reality with the truth stick: Anti-Scientific attitudes really put a cramp in the Cool Future.

As naive, distant, and consumeristic as the Cool Future we remember from the Omni days was, it was all about the science. It was all special materials and computers and sexy tech. There was also a lot of reality in there, even if some ideas seem laughable or we’re proven wrong or were modified.

However, science really has taken a beating in American culture. Wether its denial of global warming despite the evidence, or the idea that a well-used theory like evolution is completely equal to Creationism, that vaccines are worse than diseases, or that smoking really isn’t bad for you, science was a might inconvenient for some folks. It gets questioned a lot – and of course the bizarre trend in America to blame teachers and education for everything didn’t help (you don’t support by education by acting like everyone doing it is a moocher out to destroy society).

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Thoughts On The Psychology of Crowdfunding

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We’re no strangers to Kickstarter here. Hell, Rob is writing his own series on the experience (which you should be seriously reading just for the resources). Our friends are using Kickstarter. I interview people using Kickstarter.

There’s also other sources of fundraising. There’s Indiegogo. There’s Rockethub. There’s specialist sites from Gambitious for games to – and I’m serious – Offbeatr for adult (and no, no link sorry).

Even tightwads like me get into the act. I got my Ouya fully knowing it was more of a lab experiment than anything else, but it was worth participating. I’m waiting on several projects to move forward now and really enjoyed being a part of them.

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Competence Porn In Fiction Versus Gaming

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I loved the article io9 did about the loss of Competence Porn (watching competent people do competent things) in SF. It noted how many SF stories had lost that element, leaving us with assorted “average” guys, non-scientists, and the like facing SF situations. I had to agree, at least on an intuitive level.

I miss tales of scientists and engineers solving stuff. I grew up with Dick Seaton (real name) of the Skylark stories. I, like many, wanted to be Spock or Scotty. I loved the idea of Iron Man and engineers making cool stuff.

I wasn’t into the idea that someone someone who lacks knowledge and skill (and doesn’t acquire them) is going to solve things. Wasn’t believable. Wasn’t a good story really. Didn’t give me anything to aim for.

(I could go into this as part of anti-intellectualism or “My ignorance is the same of your knowledge” trend or whatever, but that’s for later).

This got me thinking about gaming, another form of storytelling.

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