Posted by jonvon on August 28, 2002 at 07:58:37:
In Reply to: Re: Larry Niven and other stuff. posted by kat on August 24, 2002 at 15:14:15:
: The fact that much of Science Fiction is kind of a morality play is what I like about it. I really don't think that guys with lasers and rocket ships is what attracts me to science fiction, instead it is the story that parallels our own conflicts and social ills (the story that teaches); that is one of the things I dig about Science Fiction. That you get guys with lasers and rocket ships and Aliens that look wierd and stuff, it's just icing. I especially love Science Fiction that really takes you places you haven't thought of though. Other peoples imaginations are way cool!
: You are cool, too. Jonvon, I learned a new word today from you. Didactic. I hope I understood correctly.
hm.
well the morality play thing is kinda tough. its one of those things that can be art in the truest sense, or it can be didactic. but didactic is kind of a general word, or general enough to be perhaps misunderstood. i'll tell you what i think it means, and maybe i'm a bit off... basically didactic means you are trying to teach someone something. like, that play was really didactic... would mean to me that maybe it was trying to get some point across, like maybe a political point or something. which is all fine, it all depends on what you are trying to do. but there is a connotation in there when you are talking about art, that if a play is didactic, or a painting is didactic, or a novel or a song... its usually negative unless it happens to be promoting your political agenda or your religion or whatever. suddenly "didactic" might be a really good thing to someone who is way into whatever message you are trying to send. we end up with art that is all about being "christian" or "gay" or whatever... and only the people who happen to speak the vernacular of that particular subculture "get it".
but to me, if you are trying to create high art (and not much sci fi is high art, but some of it is...) you are trying to speak to universal issues, or better yet you are trying to not really speak to anything that anyone can really talk very directly about. you know, the "ineffable". the divine. the eternal. the dark mystery permeating through every point in the universe. the morality play thing gets tricky because there are universal issues that can be spoken about that can be couched in terms that are very localized to a time and place and political agenda. but that very same morality play can be turned with just a slight flick of the wrist, so to speak, so that suddenly it is speaking to everyone everwhere about the condition of man universally, and is speaking about some universal truth that just kind or "rings". in other words, its a very fine line. and not everyone cares about it much. most people seem to just like lasers and rocket ships. i'm one of them most of the time when it comes to sci fi. i guess i was saying that about ursula leguin's book because it was good enough to be high art, and probably is, but fails in that one regard for me at least - too didactic. but its been a loong time since i read it, i'd have to read it again before, uh, certifying my position. :B
the universe is full of music. when we hear it, we know it, and so does everyone everywhere if they aren't too busy or tired or grumpy or doody.
i've been having a bit of a conversation in my head about this stuff that you wouldn't have known anything about, but, now you do.
:-)