The Best of Science Fiction

For the Wonder of Science Fiction

Science Fiction is one of the most diverse film and

literary genres that exists today. It's versatility is

unmatched when it comes to conveying man's hopes,

dreams, aspirations, and desires.

Science Fiction exists in many forms. Unfortunately,

many people think of it as a bunch of geeky college

students sitting around watching re-runs of "Star Trek"

while looking for nitpicks to discuss on the internet

(because we all know that only nerds use the internet).

However, Science Fiction is best used as a reflective

canvas to mirror the issues and problems which we deal

with from day to day in the real world. Golden Age

sci-fi (like the work of Ray Bradbury and many of Rod

Serling's "Twilight Zone" epsiodes for example) served

as a way of expressing what could not be expressed in

more traditional ways.

In Ray Bradbury's serial book "The Martian

Chronicals" we see satirical charicatures of our most

human qualities. As we see mankind colonize Mars it is

all of what they want it to be. Through this exploration

we see the darkness, the humor, the sentimentality, and

the greed of mankind spread through the stories that

make up this novel. We read this and see ourselves for

what good and bad qualities exist.

In "The Twilight Zone" we see even better examples

of what makes up the human condition in Serling's

weekly playettes. In "The Eye of the Beholder" we see

that beauty is relative, in "People are Alike Everywhere"

we see the familiar adage rings true, and in "To Serve

Man" we learn that there is no such thing as a free lunch.

In all of these episodes/stories, we see our most

human qualities, good and bad, imputed in an alien race

or displayed in some distant reality. They draw us in and

we learn a message through the medium of science

fiction which would not be available or acceptable if

presented in other forms. By adding that element of the

possible or the fantastic we readily watch and accept the

image of who and what we are. Some may never catch

on but others will see the connection between the fantasy

world of sci-fi and our real life problems.

It was science fiction which has brought us fights of

good v. evil ("Star Wars"), messages of accepting those

we have been taught to hate ("Enemy Mine"), and

reminders that the human spirit is our most powerful

asset but is also one of the most destructive.

Even the most hoakie episode of "Star Trek"

contains some message of the human condition or of

the issues we face daily. It deals with issues of race

and acceptance, war, and greed just as evenly as it

deals with the triumph of the human intellect and our

own self discovery. For all of it's critics, "Star Trek"

was the first prime time show to have an interacial cast

where anybody had a chance to reach their aspirations

(it was also on "Star Trek" that we saw the first

interacial kiss on television).

Only through the medium of Science Fiction can such

difficult matters be presented for our inspection so

routinely. Sci-fi is a medium where we can escape our

daily routine but at the same time see that routine through

the eyes of another. For those reasons I encourage

everyone to join me on that quest for ourselves so that

we may discover who and what we are; as well as what

we can become.

--Chris (4-19-97)

My Top Ten Sci-Fi Films

Back to the Cookie Jar

last updated: 4/19/97

Science Fiction is one of the most diverse film and
literary genres that exists today. It's versatility is
unmatched when it comes to conveying man's hopes,
dreams, aspirations, and desires.

Science Fiction exists in many forms. Unfortunately,
many people think of it as a bunch of geeky college
students sitting around watching re-runs of "Star Trek"
while looking for nitpicks to discuss on the internet
(because we all know that only nerds use the internet).

However, Science Fiction is best used as a reflective
canvas to mirror the issues and problems which we deal
with from day to day in the real world. Golden Age
sci-fi (like the work of Ray Bradbury and many of Rod
Serling's "Twilight Zone" epsiodes for example) served
as a way of expressing what could not be expressed in
more traditional ways.

In Ray Bradbury's serial book "The Martian
Chronicals" we see satirical charicatures of our most
human qualities. As we see mankind colonize Mars it is
all of what they want it to be. Through this exploration
we see the darkness, the humor, the sentimentality, and
the greed of mankind spread through the stories that
make up this novel. We read this and see ourselves for
what good and bad qualities exist.

In "The Twilight Zone" we see even better examples
of what makes up the human condition in Serling's
weekly playettes. In "The Eye of the Beholder" we see
that beauty is relative, in "People are Alike Everywhere"
we see the familiar adage rings true, and in "To Serve
Man" we learn that there is no such thing as a free lunch.

In all of these episodes/stories, we see our most
human qualities, good and bad, imputed in an alien race
or displayed in some distant reality. They draw us in and
we learn a message through the medium of science
fiction which would not be available or acceptable if
presented in other forms. By adding that element of the
possible or the fantastic we readily watch and accept the
image of who and what we are. Some may never catch
on but others will see the connection between the fantasy
world of sci-fi and our real life problems.

It was science fiction which has brought us fights of
good v. evil ("Star Wars"), messages of accepting those
we have been taught to hate ("Enemy Mine"), and
reminders that the human spirit is our most powerful
asset but is also one of the most destructive.

Even the most hoakie episode of "Star Trek"
contains some message of the human condition or of
the issues we face daily. It deals with issues of race
and acceptance, war, and greed just as evenly as it
deals with the triumph of the human intellect and our
own self discovery. For all of it's critics, "Star Trek"
was the first prime time show to have an interacial cast
where anybody had a chance to reach their aspirations
(it was also on "Star Trek" that we saw the first
interacial kiss on television).

Only through the medium of Science Fiction can such
difficult matters be presented for our inspection so
routinely. Sci-fi is a medium where we can escape our
daily routine but at the same time see that routine through
the eyes of another. For those reasons I encourage
everyone to join me on that quest for ourselves so that
we may discover who and what we are; as well as what
we can become.

--Chris (4-19-97)