Thoughts? Opinions? I'm not in love with it, but I've just had a hard time wrapping my head around anything else about which I could write 2000 words.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
My Potential Topic
There were several topics that I kept toying with in my head, but the one that I can't seem to stray from is the exploration of how the future is imagined in science fiction. I'm thinking about looking at science fiction from the past and seeing how wrong or right they were about today's setting, as well as what perhaps motivated them in making that prediction. I would also look at today's science fiction (using the material from class) and compare/contrast its depiction with past science fiction. And finally, I might try to imagine how the genre will evolve in the years coming concerning its depiction of the future.
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These topics are so hard to comment on, I have no idea what to say! All I can think of is if it interests you, then write it, you'll do a better job writing about something you're genuinely interested in.
ReplyDeleteI feel like that is your nice way of saying my topic sucks, Alan. Haha. Actually, I agree. I really don't have any thoughts or opinions on any other topics.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this is continuing the thread "hijack"/off topic nature. But I agree with the both of you Alan and Eric, I have no idea what to say and am totally lacking in anything helpful.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, to try my best to be helpful. I like the sound of your idea, but I'd suggest maybe comparing two to four works or something, because else youll have far too broad a topic with too much going on.
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ReplyDeleteThat's not a bad idea Ken. I think I will try to do that. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hate how it says my post was removed. It makes it look like I posted something inappropriate and felt ashamed. I was just adding "thanks" to my message ha.
Eric, it would be much easier for us all to think about and talk about your idea if you had some specific texts in mind. For example, how does the treatment of the "rogue AI" theme in River of Gods differ from the treatment of the same theme in a "classic" text such as 2001? That's just an off-the-top-of-my-head example, but the moment you start applying actual examples to your idea, the clearer it becomes. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that your topic is less mystical than it seems; take rogue AI in River of Gods and rogue AI in 2001: A Space Odyssey for example
ReplyDeleteIn River of Gods, rogue ai can take over a machine and make it do bad stuff, and this is influenced by modern problems with computer viruses. In 2001, HAL itself has a problem in his coding, which conveys an ENTIRELY different theme: that mankind cannot create anything in its own image, so to speak, without it containing a fatal flaw. A computer virus, however, can be something that is created with malicious intent.
Your topic could work well if you took two similar symbols, like HAL's screwup and the rogue AI in River of Gods, and examined how the same sort of action or event has radically different meaning in two different works as a result of the chronological difference or the motives of the author (how they are envisioning the future, which is your original idea).