Of course not. Cyberpunk and tech noir usually isn’t just about the future, it’s arguably about now. More generally, science fiction is often used as a ‘safe’ way to criticise existing society or say what can’t otherwise be said.
Prime example: Tarkovski’s science fiction films (Stalker, Solaris, …), which smuggled very religious themes past the soviet censor, because ‘it’s only science fiction’.
Make a movie glorifying terrorism? Likely jail sentence and on a list. Make a movie glorifying a terrorist that blows up parliament in a dystopian future? Cult classic.
Make a movie which compares American nationalism to the nazis? You’ll never work in Hollywood again. Make it about humans fighting space aliens? Would you like to know more?
Make a movie about how capitalists indoctrinate us all via advertising? You filthy communist! Make a movie about how aliens indoctrinate us all via advertising? They Live, John Carpenter, cult classic.
Make a movie about transitioning? No thanks. Make a movie about freeing yourself from the Matrix with the help of a red pill which looks a lot like the hormone pills the directors used to transition? Become a millionaire.
Make a tv episode where one of the main cast has a sexual relationship with a trans character, who is later forced to undergo gender reaffirming therapy in 1992? Impossible. Make it about Riker having a relationship with an alien who’s not androgynous because her race finds gender weird? Prime time tv.
Make a tv programme about the guilt of a Nazi who worked in a camp while the Jews were being exterminated? No way that’s happening. Make a tv programme about the guilt of a space alien who worked in a camp while other space aliens were being exterminated? That particular Star Trek episode was broadcast in prime time, to wide acclaim.
For this reason, and on a related note, anyone who complains about a science fiction show or movie being ‘too political’ is more often than not a moron and/or disingenious.
Your grandmother is choking. YouTube believes in preventing elder abuse. You are an unfit guardian. Your grandmother will be put in the custody of YouTube. YouTube: “Fuck you, I’m streaming.”
“Sorry your gran’s dead, but you can get YouTube Premium for £12.99 a month for an ad-free experience.”
Cyberpunk isn’t too far off…
Of course not. Cyberpunk and tech noir usually isn’t just about the future, it’s arguably about now. More generally, science fiction is often used as a ‘safe’ way to criticise existing society or say what can’t otherwise be said.
Prime example: Tarkovski’s science fiction films (Stalker, Solaris, …), which smuggled very religious themes past the soviet censor, because ‘it’s only science fiction’.
Make a movie glorifying terrorism? Likely jail sentence and on a list. Make a movie glorifying a terrorist that blows up parliament in a dystopian future? Cult classic.
Make a movie which compares American nationalism to the nazis? You’ll never work in Hollywood again. Make it about humans fighting space aliens? Would you like to know more?
Make a movie about how capitalists indoctrinate us all via advertising? You filthy communist! Make a movie about how aliens indoctrinate us all via advertising? They Live, John Carpenter, cult classic.
Make a movie about transitioning? No thanks. Make a movie about freeing yourself from the Matrix with the help of a red pill which looks a lot like the hormone pills the directors used to transition? Become a millionaire.
Make a tv episode where one of the main cast has a sexual relationship with a trans character, who is later forced to undergo gender reaffirming therapy in 1992? Impossible. Make it about Riker having a relationship with an alien who’s not androgynous because her race finds gender weird? Prime time tv.
Make a tv programme about the guilt of a Nazi who worked in a camp while the Jews were being exterminated? No way that’s happening. Make a tv programme about the guilt of a space alien who worked in a camp while other space aliens were being exterminated? That particular Star Trek episode was broadcast in prime time, to wide acclaim.
For this reason, and on a related note, anyone who complains about a science fiction show or movie being ‘too political’ is more often than not a moron and/or disingenious.
Scifi has always been about sociological commentary.
This is a very well written take. Have my upvote.
The Matrix comment there gave me a moment of sudden clarity. Literally never considered that interpretation until now.
I remember when cyberpunk’s vision of the future was grounded in ridiculous cynicism instead of a charitable assessment of reality.
Your grandmother is choking. YouTube believes in preventing elder abuse. You are an unfit guardian. Your grandmother will be put in the custody of YouTube. YouTube: “Fuck you, I’m streaming.”
I hate that I read it in the exact voice from the movie. Thanks
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Lol I can’t tell if that was a real reply. I assume it’s a satire account?