<
https://www.typebarmagazine.com/2024/03/24/science-fiction-and-the-death-of-the-sun/>
"Why is early speculative fiction so grim?
From potions that turn people into psychopathic murderers to alien invasions
only defeated by coincidental quirks of biology, turn-of-the-20th-century
sci-fi carries a distinct tone that the arc of history bends towards
catastrophe. Most commentators have looked to social and political factors to
explain this tone. There are plenty to choose from—runaway income inequality,
rampant corruption, crushing working-class living conditions. These issues
were certainly present in the minds of early sci-fi authors, many of whom —
such as H.G. Wells, who drafted a precursor to the
UN Declaration of Human
Rights — were progressive reformists.
But there’s another factor that isn’t often mentioned: They thought the sun was
on the brink of death."
Via Esther Schindler.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
