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A comment on The Rise of Dismal Science Fiction.

Re:The Rise of Dismal Science Fiction by mirimir on Friday March 23, 2018 @08:05PM (#16663758)
As I started reading this, I had to recheck the date. Because this is such an old topic. I mean, haven't Stephenson and crew beaten it to death? And then he went and wrote D.O.D.O., which lacks even the thin edge of hope in Seveneves. Both of which I love, by the way.
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Re:The Rise of Dismal Science Fiction by letlambda on Friday March 23, 2018 @10:05PM (#16664345)
Yeah, but he feels sort of bad about it... http://hieroglyph.asu.edu/book/hieroglyph

All the way to the bank.

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Re:The Rise of Dismal Science Fiction by TheOtherHobbes on Friday March 23, 2018 @10:21PM (#16664404)
SF is the only literary form to focus consistently on politics and economics. This goes back past Heinlein to the pulps of the 30s and 40s.
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Re:The Rise of Dismal Science Fiction by mirimir on Friday March 23, 2018 @11:13PM (#16664595)
And further back, if you consider Swift's Gulliver's Travels (1726) to be SF. There is a flying island, after all.

SF and fantasy give authors much greater leeway to challenge cherished beliefs. Because it's all so preposterous.

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