tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post7093147688440617498..comments2023-11-02T06:50:17.503-07:00Comments on <ul>Fantasy & SciFi Lovin' Reviews</ul>: The Body PoliticSQThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-39684304115235025082007-01-16T12:58:00.000-08:002007-01-16T12:58:00.000-08:00you can't have a complete society without politics...you can't have a complete society without politics or religion -- and the best sci-fi/fantasy books are about complete societies.<br />So yes, they are relevant.<br />moMo and The Purrieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16654573008006116939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-44724163709727495232007-01-15T13:48:00.000-08:002007-01-15T13:48:00.000-08:00Well, if you had not posted about the double stand...Well, if you had not posted about the double standard, Stewart, I might have :)<br /><br />Supposedly, Lucas said he had no intentions of politicising Star Wars(but everyone has an agenda)... though I hated Obi-Wan saying 'Anakin, we are a democracy!' when in fact a Republic is not a true democracy, especially their bloated republic, but as someone with a background in poli sci I am amused at the terms thrown out about our government that are not true... A federated republic doth not a democracy make :)<br /><br />On the politicizing issue in fiction, the best recent book I read regarding it was Michael Crichton's 'State of Fear'. Terribly wordy at time, but it attacked both views of the contentious global warming issue and he made some excellent points about politicising sciences (especially in his afterword and an article on eugenics)... anyway, great book that got scathed because Crichton really refused to take a side but offered all points of view in the process.<br /><br />And I agree with you on Gibson and 'The Passion' but I could go on all day about the historical Yeshua as opposed to the faith-based Jesus... but since this is a sci-fi based blog, I will cast such aspersions on religion in my blog sometime.jedimerchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00081179932849147550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-1400640353812936582007-01-15T12:37:00.000-08:002007-01-15T12:37:00.000-08:00No, never that Stewart, never that.No, never that Stewart, never that.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-59799747841851691982007-01-15T11:32:00.000-08:002007-01-15T11:32:00.000-08:00What, so you're saying I'm like...what...nothing?What, so you're saying I'm like...what...nothing?Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00895152179113722902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-35952435221557385232007-01-15T10:07:00.000-08:002007-01-15T10:07:00.000-08:00Lolol
Stewart, you are nothing if not fair.Lolol<br /><br />Stewart, you are nothing if not fair.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-86575402703353692492007-01-15T09:45:00.000-08:002007-01-15T09:45:00.000-08:00Stewart.....
:-PStewart.....<br /><br />:-PCrunchy Carpetshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09543476826068578576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-6730043434995455022007-01-15T07:18:00.000-08:002007-01-15T07:18:00.000-08:00actually that anonymous post was me...just wanted ...actually that anonymous post was me...just wanted to give the other side a voice. seemed only fair.Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00895152179113722902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-19067397717854578992007-01-15T07:17:00.000-08:002007-01-15T07:17:00.000-08:00Interesting Stewart, perhaps what you are showing ...Interesting Stewart, perhaps what you are showing is the left wing bend of Hollywood and other elitist intellectual types. Did you notice though how outraged people got when Mel Gibson released his "Passion of the Christ"? Like the left, he had an agenda, but it was a conservative religious agenda, and so many held his feet to the fire.<br /><br />I understand we should have vigorous political discourse in this country, I just get annoyed when there is a double standard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-85944341362860714242007-01-15T07:13:00.000-08:002007-01-15T07:13:00.000-08:00You are correct..actually several political questi...You are correct..actually several political questions which has been thrust upon us by the Bush administration have insinuated themselves in several television shows. Battlestar dealt with the themes of crooked elections and the morality of torture. The torture issue was brought to the fore as Darth Cheny was pushing the torture bill through congress under the blanket of national security.<br /><br />Also, speaking of Darth Cheney, the last Star Wars film had blatant overtones and took more than a couple jabs at the Bush administration.Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00895152179113722902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-15527220341751796882007-01-15T01:35:00.000-08:002007-01-15T01:35:00.000-08:00The best thing about the current bsg is the politi...The best thing about the current bsg is the political commentary "hidden" in the story...ShadowFalconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15705530281109481071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-89835145663867418132007-01-14T20:58:00.000-08:002007-01-14T20:58:00.000-08:00The beauty of sci-fi is that it most often occurs ...The beauty of sci-fi is that it most often occurs in what we imagine as our future, and the politics can be whatever the author imagines will happen.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-84354648242650149132007-01-14T20:03:00.000-08:002007-01-14T20:03:00.000-08:00Miss me! (I PROMISE I will write something for her...Miss me! (I PROMISE I will write something for here soon!)<br /><br />Excellent essay and great topic.<br />I think that is why I LIKE sci fi so much...you CAN explore so many current issue's 'safely' in an unreal universe.<br /><br />It is also fun to try to imagine how the world will turn out if this or that does or does not happen.<br /><br />Sci fi can make political statement timeless. You are not picking on some current event or person...but you can sure extrapolate what could happen without the novel or movie dating itself either.<br /><br />I was thinking of non-sci fi Bob Roberts last night...watching all the stuff about Iraq. Wow.<br /><br />Heck, even Robo Cop loses it when the are watching a crappy old tv and the McD's is still in the styrofoam containers.<br /><br />I think that a majority of the current writers out there do a fine job. Probably as good as the old masters themselves.<br /><br />I am thinking of Brin and Bear of the top of my head.<br /><br />I think the cyber punk crew did a great job of this too.<br /><br />I wonder how historians will look on the 21st Century writers and their influence on politics etc.Crunchy Carpetshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09543476826068578576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-48776271272548848342007-01-14T13:56:00.000-08:002007-01-14T13:56:00.000-08:00Yeah, I can't compete with playoffs.Yeah, I can't compete with playoffs.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-73382138270831012062007-01-14T12:36:00.000-08:002007-01-14T12:36:00.000-08:00It's the playoffs :)
As for Asimov, I think it w...It's the playoffs :) <br /><br />As for Asimov, I think it would be cool if say, sci-fi or some other outlet did a mini-series on the Foundation series, but one can hope...jedimerchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00081179932849147550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-17718526209958191592007-01-14T09:50:00.000-08:002007-01-14T09:50:00.000-08:00Boy, the weekends are sure slow, aren't they?Boy, the weekends are sure slow, aren't they?SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-75639436668248206632007-01-14T08:17:00.000-08:002007-01-14T08:17:00.000-08:00A good well-written post. Invasion Of The Body Sna...A good well-written post. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers was a classic for the themes it pursued.Jean-Luc Picardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01689798190618944262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-54882326589899621162007-01-13T19:54:00.000-08:002007-01-13T19:54:00.000-08:00Oh don't get me wrong, I LOVE light, mindless fare...Oh don't get me wrong, I LOVE light, mindless fare. Sometimes, I really don't want to think at all. I don't watch a lot of drama's because I think entertainment should be escapist. Life's dramatic enough, right?<br /><br />But if someone can throw in a pointed political or religious commentary that's really on target, well, you gotta love that too.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-19100827339463445552007-01-13T17:09:00.000-08:002007-01-13T17:09:00.000-08:00jedimerc, God bless you for mentioning Asimov. As ...jedimerc, God bless you for mentioning Asimov. As we walk into the new century, his name seems to be fading. I sincerely hope something ignites a renewed interest in his work. I don't mean a sequel to the abomination that was "I, Robot".<br /><br />And jedimerc, I think you are correct as well about the need to escape into light fare from time to time. Lord knows we all need release. And trust me, I read an amazing amount of garbage. It keeps the drool from collecting in my cheek.Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00895152179113722902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-83664651710084826962007-01-13T15:04:00.000-08:002007-01-13T15:04:00.000-08:00I agree with you on 'Batman Begins', and sometimes...I agree with you on 'Batman Begins', and sometimes a little light fare is nice (though Eragon was an utter waste of celluloid) and you make an interesting parallel with 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. <br /><br />Most of the great authors rebelled with comments on the body politic, some subtle and some not so subtle. Arthur C. Clarke was not as subtle at times, but to me, Asimov, was endearingly subtle. I think a comparison with current 'commentator' authors is not as apt. I mean Ann Coulter makes Rush Limbaugh seem rational. Political commentary seems to me a lost art. Even proper histories are laced with commentary and as Napoleon wrote 'To write history one must be more than a man, for the keeper of this great justiciary must be free of all preoccupation of interest and vanity'. Needless to say, even Napoleon had an agenda.<br /><br />Now with fiction, let us comment away, though because of the political bombardments we face on all fronts in other mediums, I sometimes tire of it and escape a little into ligher fare. <br /><br />Still, great discussion and some excellent points about how literature has changed.jedimerchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00081179932849147550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-71888609736102591152007-01-13T14:27:00.000-08:002007-01-13T14:27:00.000-08:00gosh Kevin was a cutie when he was young.. oh sorr...gosh Kevin was a cutie when he was young.. oh sorry, that's not the point.. what is? oh..duh<br /><br />aren't most all sci fi and fantasy political? I mean most have some sort of "WAR" and that's pretty political if ya ask me.DesLilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582481597658080464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-48140558010331253682007-01-13T14:19:00.000-08:002007-01-13T14:19:00.000-08:00And then of course, there begs the question, how c...And then of course, there begs the question, <i>how can an angel get shot?</i> I'd want to read it just to get the answer to that question.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-16755695051062497882007-01-13T12:56:00.000-08:002007-01-13T12:56:00.000-08:00SQT I had a book that gathered together science fi...SQT I had a book that gathered together science fiction stories with religious themes. I think one of them was Clarke's "..names of God". But one magnificent story was about the discovery of an angel who had been shot down during wartime. They call in the Catholic, the Protestant, the Muslims, the Jews, and each tries to claim the angel for their own group. It was obviously pure satire, and deliciously scathing. I will have to try and find the name of that for you. The anthology.Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00895152179113722902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-40853521730370215812007-01-13T12:53:00.000-08:002007-01-13T12:53:00.000-08:00My favorite sci-fi and fantasy books tend to take ...My favorite sci-fi and fantasy books tend to take on politics and/or religion. I have been working on an idea of my own and religion plays a big part in the sense that religion often tries to take a part in government policy making. <br /><br />It bugs me to no end when politicians throw religion into the equation. Separation of church and state and all that...<br />But I personally belive that politicians will push any emotional button they can and religion fits neatly into this. <br /><br />I think it's great when sci-fi/fantasy authors explore this. If we were to have contact with alien intelligence, it would throw the political community into a tizzy, so it's unrealistic not to address it.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.com