An Important Question

Hello and welcome again to the Blog of Holding.

I was thinking yesterday about possible topics of posts when I stumbled across an obvious and glaring question that is highly important. Why am I fascinated with Science Fiction and Fantasy? What is it about these two categories of 'things' that draws me in enough to even consider guiding my blog in that direction? Why not something else more grounded and seemingly relevant?

The answer is this. In terms of literature (and by extension the rest of the media outlets of the genres), I view science fiction and fantasy to be useful in how they reveal humanity, whether on a large or small scale. I have always seen fantasy and science fiction as useful primarily as a way of revealing human character. I know that's grandiose and you might say 'But Adam, that's what other genre's do also!' and you'd be right to say so. Other genre's also seek to reveal to us our own humanity but I see these two in particular (for the sake of typing I will use SFF) I believe they do so in a unique way. SFF is not contained in the real world like almost every other genre, limited only by the author's (wether a written author, game developer etc) imagination. SFF allows us to examine ourselves in stylized and idealistic situations, but it also allows us to ask grand questions of humanity in general. What is human nature? Is it explorative, benevolent, warlike? While these kinds of questions are brought up in the other genres I believe in SFF they are given room to expand and examined from angels that regular fiction (and non-fiction) cannot address. SFF stories then (like most forms of fiction to varying degrees) are outlines of particular aspects of humanity. Obviously no work of fiction or non-fiction could ever encompass just how complex humanity and humans actually are, but SFF seeks to do so in a way different from others. It posits new rules and dramatic situations and then attempts to portray what the author's view as human (or not human as the case may be).

SFF has long been considered (and still is largely) to be a trivial genre of writing. A Genre only suited to entertainment and frivolity, but it is so much more. I can't think of a better example than Arthur C. Clark's detailing of artificial satellites. SFF pushes us to consider beyond ourselves and how we conceive reality whether through magic or science. These two genre's are able to get us to analyze the new and humanity's relation to  it (as well as many other things). So, SFF is much more to me than magic or space fighters. It is a way of considering humanity and what it means to be human in a kaleidescope of ways and in ways that regular mainstream literature cannot.

To top it all off, as Rick Robinson says on his blog "Rocketpunk Manifesto" SFF is 'powered by cool.' Well actually he mainly uses it in relation to space travel, but it applies to a lot of things SFF brings up. It's fun to read about these purely imaginary worlds and situations, work out the rules they operate under, and to follow these grandiose adventures one page at a time.

Hmm...Basically this is why I choose to devout so much time to these two genre's. Of course there are many other reasons, but these are most important to me. I am not completely satisfied with how my statement turned out, but I guess that is how belief's always are. Raw at first and then tempered by time. Any discussion held on this topic would be appreciated! Expect me to return to this topic in later posts with more nuanced answers or additions.

Thanks for reading 'Blog of Holding' !!!