Visions of the Future: Introduction- A Trek Through Time

 
For a while now, I’ve wanted to do a series of posts on the history of science fiction in each decade starting with the publication of Frankenstein in the 1820s. It’s a new year. I’m going to do it. We’ll be taking a look at how inventions and events have played into sci-fi, and how sci-fi has impacted popular thought and science, one decade at a time. Hopefully, we will begin to see the bigger picture of how science fiction, culture, and actual science interact, as well as getting a grasp on the various worldviews and philosophies that have transformed the past two centuries.

Here’s the basic outline of how I’ll be exploring each decade.

Summary:

First, I will write a summary of what science fiction was generally about in the particular decade.

History:

The job of a sci-fi writer is to present ideas relevant to his or her day in a way subtle-yet-clear enough to make audiences think. An understanding of the historical events and social issues of a time period will help us make sense of why an author is saying what he or she is saying.

Science:

Next, I’ll list some of the main scientific theories and inventions that kept sci-fi writers thinking and imagining, as well as the theories and inventions inspired by fiction.

Stories:

This is the fun part. I get to list and briefly discuss the most influential, interesting, and important sci-fi books, movies, TV shows, and games of the decade I am discussing.

Worldview:

Here, I will discuss some of the dominant philosophies and ideas that informed the decade and its science fiction, as well as how we should address these ideas as Christians.

Conclusion:

Finally, I will write about the impact of this decade’s sci-fi on the genre, and on society as a whole!

Well, I’m really excited to start on this trek through time. I certainly hope that you will join me, and that we will all learn a thing or two along the way! The series will begin two weeks from today with my first post, “Visions of the Future: The 1820s- The Modern Prometheus”

Keep on glowing in the dark,

Elora