X-Message-Number: 7163
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 12:00:10 -0500 (EST)
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: Science Fiction

Speaking as an ex-science fiction writer, I agree with Steve Bridge that
most people who read science fiction have zero interest in APPLYING its
concepts (such as cryonics) to their real lives. It took me about ten
years to accept this unpalatable fact. 

Moreover the situation is actually worse than this. Go to your local
bookstore, and you will have a hard time actually finding science fiction,
these days, that deals with speculative concepts in a rational way.  You
will find Star Trek books, you will find X-Files books, you will find
HUNDREDS of books about witches/princesses/dragons, and you may find a few
books about space mercenaries incinerating aliens with powerful lasers.
But the science fiction of the 1950s, which explored the near-future
implications of science in a rational context, is just about dead.
Evidently the people who are interested in that kind of stuff are now
surfing the net or reading technology magazines or playing video games or
otherwise INTERACTING with the science-enhanced world. I certainly am. 

I'm not saying it is necessarily unproductive to look for cryonics 
members at science-fiction events. I'm sure the odds are better than at 
most other events--such as meetings at the local Catholic church, for 
instance. But still not good.

--Charles Platt
CryoCare


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