Happy Halloween and welcome to Fantasy Friday! It’s time to Blog for a Beer (click here for the rules). This week’s prompt comes courtesy of our esteemed fiction editor, Cat Rambo.
I recently asked on my blog, Does anyone else feel like they’re just spinning in space, holding their breath and waiting to see what happens with the U.S. elections? People immediately started posting their agreement. One of the reasons we’re so impatient to have it over and done with is that this election feels particularly significant – to some of us at a Star Wars type level. I’ve seen more people speaking out about politics this year than ever before, and I find it a hopeful trend.
I’ve been wondering about politics and f&sf as a result. There’s some outright political writers out there and there’s others who wouldn’t touch politics with a ten foot pole. Where do you tend to fall, and why? Are there writers whose stance on one side of the fence or the other changes your opinion of them? And what’s the really good political f&sf?
My current blog is not appropriate for posting about politics, and I don’t think I would anyway, even if it were — I tell people I gave up politics for Lent many years ago, and never picked it back up.
Which didn’t keep me from participating in Apex’s Election Horror-themed flash contest, lol. Does that make me on-the-fence? That IS where cats go. . .
In an attempt to be the first to get this in
I don’t agree with Orson Scott Card about a lot of things, but I do agree with this: “My characters have political opinions, but they are rarely my political views. I follow the Polonius rule in my fiction — if I ever find myself tempted to come up with clever, truthful sayings, I put them in the mouth of a character who comes off as an idiot. If I ever let my fiction be propaganda, then my career as a fiction writer is over.”*
As I see it, fiction can instruct but it shouldn’t lecture. It’s OK to make a comment about something, but the reader should be left to make up their own mind what it means. To paraphrase another writer, whose name I can’t remember, “Fiction shouldn’t teach people what to think, but how to think.”
*(Full interview here http://www.roanoke.com/extra/wb/xp-68705 – sorry, I don’t know how to do links in the comments box!)
Ooh, it does comments automatically. Shiny!
As far as blogging, here’s an example of how I blended the SciFI genre with (attempting to be) funny political commentary on a very scary subject:
http://quantumage.livejournal.com/6102.html
When it comes to including political points or opinions in your fiction, I see that as falling into a couple of categories:
1. Trying to make a point or express an opinion through the narrative and dialogue:
If you want to share a political opinion via fiction, then do so by weaving into your story the types of events and situations that would give your reader the opportunity to formulate their own opinion independently, DON’T have one of your characters beat the reader over the head with your opinion in a monologue or such.
Think about how Arthur Miller’s The Crucible shone a light on the problem of the anti-Communist witch-hunts without once mentioning the word “communist”.
Or, for example, if you wanted to share your opinion that school vouchers are a bad idea, you probably don’t want to write a story about a character battling the stereotyped evil villain who is an alien seeking to destroy the public school system to make the humans less educated and more easily controlled, as incredibly … clever as that sounds.
Instead, in your novel about a female half-vamp detective, have her be a single mother (rather than the stereotypical snarky single childless young woman) and as a minor subplot in your story have the public school that her son attends inform her that they no longer have the funding to meet his special needs (he has light sensitivity and an odd form of ADD or autism or something as a negative result of the cross-bred lineage).
She has to take him to another school. But none of the other public schools in the area are doing any better, and the education voucher she is allotted from the government isn’t nearly enough on its own to get her son into a private school (and she doesn’t have any extra money to pay the tuition gap).
Don’t have the mom or the principal rant about how the voucher system has damaged the public education system. At most, have the principal apologize, but under the new system they just don’t get the funding they used to (without using the word voucher). The focus is the drama of a mother trying to do right by her child, juggling work and family, etcetera. But the reader, by sharing the mother’s experience, may have a new perspective on vouchers as a result.
That idea is just completely off the top of my head, so someone actually writing this type of story could and should spend the time to come up with an even better way to show the same idea, of course, but hopefully that gives a decent example of the concept.
I LOVE the quote C.L. gives above: “Fiction shouldn’t teach people what to think, but how to think.”
2. The political structures and reality that you create as part of world-building:
One of the great things about genre fiction is that you have the freedom to create your own world (with more freedom in, say, epic fantasy than in historical fantasy or magic realism, of course). And if done well, the created world should include believable and well thought out political systems, issues, factions, etcetera. If you Google “world building”, you will find a number of links to questionnaires that you can use to fill in all the details that makes a world feel real (politics, religion, music, food, gender roles, class system, etcetera).
But as you do, unless you are writing a satire, you should try to avoid creating a weak-minded king Buschian and his evil “advisor” Chancellor Cheniwitz, and their ill-conceived war against the desert warriors in Aroc while their true enemies, the Terarids Mages, plot to destroy them. You should consider whether inserting any perceived hot topic of your own current-day society into the story actually does anything to further the main plot along and lead to the character transformation you want.
Having a medieval-style kingdom struggling with whether to pass a law forbidding homosexuals to marry, just so that your characters have an excuse to argue for or against the idea, probably isn’t a great idea, for example. That will just distract or detract from whatever original story you want to tell.
And what you perceive as a hot political issue or topic, or the right opinion on said topic, may be either completely uninteresting, or completely contrary, annoying or infuriating, to those folks you want to read and actually enjoy your stories.
Also, consider that such topics may also be specific to or viewed differently in your particular country or region, and would not translate well to the inevitable millions of world-wide fans who will read your amazing work. Just because abortion and gay marriage are hot button issues in America doesn’t mean they are elsewhere. And America’s particular problems with its health care system are obviously different than those in countries that have a socialized universal health care system. So keep in mind whose minds you are really trying to change.
Without being directly political, I think fantasy and science fiction can be very useful in educating the public so that they are prepared to contribute effectively to the discussions and policy decisions that shape our politics today and tomorrow around issues like genetics, nano-technology, cryogenics, Artificial Intelligence, homosexual rights, racial inequality, etcetera. As well, it helps to share and expose readers to different cultural viewpoints.
Star Trek and other Sci-Fi television shows have often been known to take current hot social and political topics and transform them into (very) thinly veiled allegories, of course. But I’m thinking of a more general informing of the reader than a blatant moral fable.
Gattaca is one oft-cited example that increased public awareness of how genetics could create a whole new class or caste structure in society, shape the way we consider mates, the way we are considered for employment or insurance, etc.
Michael Crichton’s work is another example. I don’t always agree with his viewpoint – I actually can’t bring myself to read his work after I read interviews about his global warming book where he said he believed the global warming issue was all a made up conspiracy or something along those lines — but he usually spins a decent tale that also makes the reader consider ethical and political questions around the science and technology involved in the story, and familiarizes them with just enough of the jargon, concepts and background that they can begin to discuss it and research it intelligently.
Also, familiarity and exposure helps to reduce misconceptions and prejudices that can negatively shape the political landscape. Because people tend to surround themselves and interact with persons like themselves, and because not everyone has the opportunity to interact to any great extent with persons different than themselves in certain ways, fiction can serve to expose and inform by proxy. Persons who read a Valdemar book peek into the lives of homosexual characters, or if they read Neil Gaiman or Octavia Butler they live for a while as black characters, or through MZ Bradley’s stories they explore feminism, etcetera.
Of course, when it comes to cultural/social issues such as views on race, gender, class warfare, and sexual orientation, people probably tend to gravitate towards reading works that share their own views and they can relate to with minimal cognitive dissonance, in the same way they pick the real people they interact with regularly. So any such influences are best if they are subtle and balanced by good storytelling.
But the more general issues of science and technology I think are well explored and exposed through genre fiction for all readers.
Can anyone tell I was feeling verbose today?
Anyone else interested in what alternate history fiction will likely crop up after this U.S. election? Through and after this upcoming presidency?
I know I am.
But then again I’m grateful for almost any alternate history that doesn’t involve the constant use of a U.S. Civil War scenario, WWI scenario, WWII scenario, and/or europe/western civilization FTW scenario. =/
Juan — Dude, we are LIVING in the alternate history. I sensed that immediately the day the Supreme Court declared Bush president. Another big clue is the popularity and prominence of goatees over the past decade — always a dead giveaway that you are in the undesirable “evil” reality.
I’ve considered writing an alternate history novel of “what if Gore had won” — global warming treated seriously instead of as a myth for eight years; no neo-con obsession with Iraq; Cheney not writing our energy policy with his oil company buddies; the world not totally hating America; no child being left behind as fact, not politics; my insurance deductible not being so high that I may as well not have insurance; etcetera. But I start to get really depressed thinking about it, not to mention overwhelmed with all the ripple effects for good or ill such changes might possibly have had, and stop.
As American readers consider whether to vote for Obama or McCain, don’t forget to take into consideration their stances on the all-important Superhero Battle Property Damage issue. This was posted in a previous Blog for a Beer, but seemed appropriate to post again here.
As the (unofficial) self-appointed Spec-Fic Community Outreach Representatives for both U.S. Presidential cadidates, Obama and McCain, I would like to release the following (completely unauthorized) statements:
McCain-ish:
I believe it is up to the individual states to determine how best to handle the issue of superhero destruction.
However, I would make a few suggestions to guide these states in their decisions.
First, and most importantly, accelerate the rebuilding of any Old Country Buffet restaurants destroyed in the fighting. I love buffets.
Second, I understand that corporations like Lexcorp have been accused of profiteering on the destruction, by building cheap substandard housing and offices and then taking out ridiculous insurance policies on them. More, it has been suggested that many super-villains take bribes to direct the superheroes’ destruction in the most profitable urban areas.
I have been assured by Lex Luthor himself that this is not true. In fact, I propose … er… what was I talking about? Oh, yes, I propose reducing the taxes on any profits made from such speculation, as well as the corporate tax rate in general, as that will inject additional capital back into the system that will trickle down into jobs for the common people, and ensure faster rebuilding times.
Third and finally, I support tax breaks on all purchases of Viagra. I know that may seem a bit off-topic, but seeing Superman in his blue outfit going strong at, what, 90-something (?), reminded me.
Fourth, and finally, do not rebuild urban public schools. Instead use that money to provide vouchers to the parents of the displaced students. This will allow them to send their child to a safe private school in the suburbs – well, assuming they can get in, and afford the remaining tuition. However, I feel we should be careful what schools we fund. Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, for example, apparently has an unusually strong focus on teaching and researching evolution.
Finally, on the topic of immigration, many of the most powerful (and therefore destructive) superheroes entered our great nation from other countries, dimensions, planets and galaxies illegally. I propose erecting a transdimensional wall around our entire nation. And we can offer those who are already here a path to citizenship, if they are willing to use their abilities to help us defeat evil in Iraq. Not that we need help there. As General Thaddeus Ross clearly stated, everything is going really, really great there. Really.
Finally, let me just say that if you vote for me, I will send everyone a birthday card with five dollars in it.
And finally, pull my finger. Go on. It’s funny. Okay, fine, but … look who’s got your nose!
What? Oh, yes, thank you, and God bless America. And by God, I mean the real God, not the mighty Thor, or any of those other fake gods you see in eastern Indian comics, of course. But Buddha is okay. And no, I’m not just saying that to make people forget how I said I hated “gooks” in my 2000 presidential bid. Really.
Oh, and Reagan. And terrorists. Don’t really have a point, but I forgot to fit those words in earlier.
Is it nap time now? What? Oh, how do you turn this microphone off? I usually have my grandkids help me with my electronics. You should see me try to set the time on my DVD player. I — ssskkkk…
Obama-ish:
Can we rebuild a brighter, better city after a superhero battle? Yes we can. Each superhero battle is not just an event of massive destruction, but one of opportunity, and hope.
I am reminded of little Billy Bradley, who asked me, “why didn’t my mother have health insurance when Superman caused a wall to collapse on her leg?” We must do more to ensure every citizen has the ability to seek medical aid after a superhero battle without fear of massive debt. That’s why I propose a voluntary universal health care system, as well as a superhero national volunteer program. For example, if Superman broke the woman’s leg, there is no reason he can’t use his x-ray vision to determine the damage, and save her the cost of hospital x-rays.
That’s point one.
Point two, we must address the rampant profiteering that drives this destruction. I support the efforts by Senate Democrats to levy a windfall tax on the insurance and construction companies, like Lexcorp, that have grossly profited from, and arguably increased, the destruction of people’s homes and offices. I also support increased accountability from building inspectors who sign off on these sub-standard and oddly explosive buildings.
Point three, we must ensure that the constant destruction of property does not destroy the lives of the middle-class men and women who work and live in these buildings. That’s why I propose rolling back the tax cuts on the corporations and the wealthiest 1 percent, like Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne, in order to provide additional tax relief and to extend unemployment benefits to the people who really deserve and need it, the hard working lower and middle class Americans, like my local press contact here, Peter Parker.
Point four, I intend to bring our troops home from Iraq as quickly as possible, so that our national guard can be available to help safeguard and rebuild our own cities during and after these superhero battles.
Point five, let’s take these opportunities to build more energy efficient buildings that utilize solar power, water and waste recycling technologies, and more. And for every gas-guzzling car tossed or blasted or ripped apart, let us replace it with a hybrid or electric car. In this way, we can take the jobs lost due to exporting labor to cheap countries like Dr. Doom’s Latveria, and to the destruction of workplaces and factories by superbattles, and replace them with “green” jobs that will put Americans back to work.
And finally, I just want to say that my favorite superhero of all time is Wonder Woman, who reminds me of my strong and beautiful wife. And no, I’m not just saying that to win over the Clinton women’s vote. Really.
Thank you, and God bless.
Original Blog for a Beer posting: http://www.darkfantasy.org/fantasy/?p=664#comment-2528
I would love to see a Wheel of Time fanfic where Obama and McCain suddenly appear as the special guest co-stars and start duking it over which one is The Dragon Reborn (come to save America! I mean, Two Rivers!) and which one is the False Dragon (evil elitist! Wait, I mean, Trolloc-face!). I think the political fallout in the Game of Houses from having two American politicians show up and get all mavericky would be hysterical. Daes Dae’mar seems like a delicate spiderweb of intrigue compared to American politics which often has the delicacy of a Wiley Coyote cartoon (anvil on the head anyone?)
Cat C. @11;
Hey, Wile E. Coyote politics is an improvement. At least Mr. Coyote is a (self-proclaimed) SOOOPER GEEEnius. For the last eight years we’ve had Yosemite Sam politics.
At this point, I think a slapfest is more likely to erupt between Holy Mother Elaida du’Palin, and McCain, leader of the White Cloaks. Obama is the Roosevelt (or Kennedy) Reborn, who if elected may just end up sacrificing himself to defeat the legacy of the Dark One. Or will he live politically to see the dawning of the new age?
By the way, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Obama pals around with darkfriends.
Randy @ 12:
Haha, yeah, a paparazzi got a photo of him at Shadar Logoth giving bunny ears to a cardboard cut-out of Padan Fain (“OK, everybody smile and say ‘Asmodean!’”)
You’re right on with the slapfest comment too, there are definitely some disagreements going on in that camp. Now let’s hope that The Dragon’s Black Tower trounces the Holy Mother’s White Tower or we’re all in big trouble in 8 years.
I pick Tina Fey for a younger, hotter (female) Thom Merrilin.
Cat C @13:
Yikes. I just realized how much “Padan Fain” sounds like some bastard child of Palin and Mccain to me. Palan McFain? Could that explain why McCain is campaigning on things he said he hated 4 years ago? Has he been infected and transformed by the evil of Shadar Logoth? Wasn’t the evil of Shadar Logoth essentially an infectious lust for power that grew out of control?
By the way, I don’t know if you noticed, but if you look closely at Palin when she’s speaking, you’ll sometimes see little black flecks float across her eyes. Just sayin.
Tina Fey I see as one of the self-assured, snarky Wise Ones. Thom is a tough call, but the first person that comes to mind for me is Billy Connolly. Thom’s speech pattern sounds Scottish to me (well, perhaps Irish, but I’m willing to stretch it), and Billy has the wild hair and sense of humor, as well as the acting range for the Game of Houses.
Oh my god! I just heard on Fox News that Obama is directly associated with bin Laden (with just six degrees of separation!). Oddly enough, so is Kevin Bacon. Further proof of how Obama and his Hollywood liberals will destroy the world?
But most damning of all is his association with Bill Clinton, who, as evidenced in the photo linked below, was and remains the puppet of alien overlords:
http://copiousnotes.typepad.com/weblog/images/2007/07/31/wwn_clinton.jpg
All to say, I think some of the worst political fantasy is written by Fox News.