The year is pretty much arbitrary. It’s a simple calculation: date(published) + 50 or so.
This is why I often prefer SciFi that distances itself from any idea of “our near future” - by using a completely different dating system for example.
The thing that actually gave SciFi its name - fantasizing about where science and technology might go from here - is not my favorite, esp. if there’s no consideration for societal development. Like misogynistic cowboys with laser guns.
I read first few stories from Asimov’s I, Robot, and, holy shit, his robots are pretty much stand-ins for slaves. They are property, get threatened with violence, are forbidden to be in the streets at night, and some models even address their owners as “master”. But none of that is addressed anywhere, it’s some convoluted logic puzzles instead. So I don’t know if author was oblivious or thought such things are OK because they are not humans (terrible slippery slope to go on).
Except we’ll get well into 2552 and people will still be struggling to survive paycheque to paycheque while reading the Halo series wishing John Halo would save them.
The year is pretty much arbitrary. It’s a simple calculation:
date(published) + 50or so.This is why I often prefer SciFi that distances itself from any idea of “our near future” - by using a completely different dating system for example.
The thing that actually gave SciFi its name - fantasizing about where science and technology might go from here - is not my favorite, esp. if there’s no consideration for societal development. Like misogynistic cowboys with laser guns.
I read first few stories from Asimov’s I, Robot, and, holy shit, his robots are pretty much stand-ins for slaves. They are property, get threatened with violence, are forbidden to be in the streets at night, and some models even address their owners as “master”. But none of that is addressed anywhere, it’s some convoluted logic puzzles instead. So I don’t know if author was oblivious or thought such things are OK because they are not humans (terrible slippery slope to go on).
Robot literally came from the Czech word “robota”, meaning slave.
This is a commonly repeated falsehood. “Robota” in Czech (and many slavic languages) means work. So it’s a worker at that.
Except we’ll get well into 2552 and people will still be struggling to survive paycheque to paycheque while reading the Halo series wishing John Halo would save them.
Social values go up and down. It’s not linear.
Look at how right Gen Z is or gay acceptance/persecution every few centuries.