As technology becomes accessible to most of the people, the
Science fiction has many different messages and warnings for the future. Looking at science fiction could tell us what might be stored for us in the future. Both Margaret Atwood's “Time capsule on the dead planet” and Anita Roy’s “Cooking Time” show how greed can lead a civilization to crumple. Both of these texts reveal the consequences of greed and a warning for mankind today. Atwood’s poem is especially relevant to today’s society.
Ray Bradbury is a renowned author famous for his short science fiction stories and his novel "Fahrenheit 421". His works have inspired many and raised numerous questions about what the future may hold. He's quoted as saying "I don't try to describe the future. I try to prevent it." (Bradbury), and in many ways you can see the motif of this mindset in his work.
Transported into the future, Ray Bradbury paints a picture in the reader’s head of the Happy Life Home, filled with technology to fit everyday needs. A family, mom, dad, and two kids, start to slowly fall apart because of being surrounded with technology. In The Veldt, Bradbury uses multiple examples of author’s craft such as personification and tone or mood to help prove and point out a theme included in his story. His theme contained in the story is, influencing children with so much technology early on can not only stir up violent thoughts but, can also cause breaks between friend and family relationships. The first author’s craft that can prove this theme to be true is personification.
Hollywood over the years has created many technological inventions for their projects. For instance, Star Trek introduced the idea of the cell phone before it became a reality later in the 21st century. Phil of the Future, a Disney Channel sitcom, followed this Hollywood trend as well. Phil of the Future was about a teenaged boy named Phil, along with his family, who comes from the future to live a normal life in the mid 2000’s. They brought their futuristic lingo, holidays, and of course the gadgets/inventions.
As discussed in Louv’s essay once again, although the introduction of these devices produces a much easier way to access information, this information is rarely used. For example, if one were to attempt to learn how to speak Spanish, they could simply use Google and search up the words “how to speak Spanish”. This would produce a large amount of solutions and this person could carry on his or her life while learning Spanish. However, more often than not this is not the case. Although the information is out there to be used, most would much rather use their “Smart Phone” to scroll through their Instagram newsfeed or play a game such as Flappy Bird.
Science fiction is based on futuristic science and gadgets, or technology advances. The illustrated man has many themes. Ray Bradbury’s The Illustrated Man has a common theme throughout the book, is technology advances. Technology advances is important because it impacts relationships and minds.
Sci-fi writers and scientists are both starting to believe that science fiction may be the key to advancing our technological futures. Two different theories have been made to explain this reasoning: Inspiration theory, the idea that sci-fi will inspire people to create new technologies, and Hieroglyph theory, the idea that fully fleshed out and logical sci-fi technologies could be usable by scientists and engineers. I agree with both theories, however because both theories are inherently optimistic, I’ve begun to wonder if science fiction could also be distorting our perception of what technological progress looks and feels like. One sci-fi writer and novelist, Neal Stephenson’s, essay “Innovation Starvation” somewhat illustrates this problem where in it, he laments there being a lack of innovation since the last century.
“Space...the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise, its five-year mission ....to explore strange new worlds ...to seek out new life and new civilizations ...to boldly go where no man has gone before.” — Gene Roddenberry (August 10, 1966) this would be the beginning a very long tradition in Science Fiction Movies as well as Television shows. Written by a man who could see where we could be in the future if you just let your imitation wonder. Gene Roddenberry would become one of the most renowned writers and producers known to science fiction.
A step into the future, with predictions of constructing things to come. Tomorrow offers new frontiers in science, adventure and ideals. The Atomic Age, the challenge of Outer Space and the hope for a peaceful, unified world. — Walter E. Disney, July 17, 1955”. Tomorrowland showcased what the future was supposed to be like or Walters impression of what the future would be like.
Take HAL 9000 into consideration when thinking about the Apple iPhones that nearly everyone uses in today’s society. Steve Jobs launched the iPhone in 2008 and had no idea how revolutionary the device would become. Now, we are directing almost all of our cognitive functions through our phones; give it an input, it gives us an output. We are relying on technology to direct us where to go, what to read, where to eat, what to buy. Initially, we are being directed how to think.
Susan Sontag, an author of the essay “Imagination Disaster,” explores the world of science fiction as she discusses the tropes in films from the mid-1900s. Throughout her essay, Sontag analyzes why these types of films were created, and basically ties her discussion with humanity. With the growing technological advances, science fiction films state specific things about how science threatens humanity. She also ties her discussion to how sci-fi films tend to serve an attempt at distributing a balance between humanity and the technological world. Sontag claims that science fiction films has suspense, shock, surprises, has an inexorable plot, and how they invite a dispassionate, aesthetic view of destruction and violence.
In the movie Wall-E, all the humans aboard the Axiom rely on technology/machines for everything. Humans move around in hover cars (which makes them obese due to lack of exercising), communicate on the phone/Facetime other people only (this deprives them of human physical and emotional interaction), and they don’t eat real food. Their food comes from cups and they consume their food in a liquid form. The robots on the spacecraft do everything for these people. Technology has taken over the people’s lives and turned them into robots themselves.
Since beginning my search for the right college, I have had to ask myself these similar questions to help me decide what school will be the best fit for me and allow me to take in the full college experience. It was simple to become interested in Eau Claire because of the positive recommendations from people in my life and because of the location, which I found intriguing. I spoke to many alumni who articulated the positive aspects offered by Eau Claire and encouraged me to consider it as a great option for my future education. Knowing people who have graduated and who are currently attending Eau Claire makes it easier to feel more secure in my decision to apply and envision myself becoming a Blugold. The college location and size were important features because I wanted to have an out of state experience as well as attend a school that was not too
A world of robots working in factories, markets, schools, companies, and limited amount of work space for humans that’s what is going on. The things we saw in movies and what we were dreaming is all becoming reality. Recently, technology has been improving in a very rapid pace. Technology, such as smart phones, tablets, and television, made our lives easier and more convenient. Now people can click a button and deliver food or items they want anywhere.
