Freeing (Black) Science Fiction From The Chains Of Race

[theworldismine13]

Freeing (Black) Science Fiction From The Chains Of Race | Shadow and Act

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

i doubt many blacks even know who jordi laforge is. Lol at blacks being interested in sci-fi.

what next? Table top RPGs? Warhammer 40k ? Star craft? PC gaming? Minecraft? Black people don't like that type of stuff.


go to atlanta and ask someone what does the "Sands of arrakis" mean. Id be happy if
Even one person knew that.

 

[The Real]

Freeing (Black) Science Fiction From The Chains Of Race | Shadow and Act

The writing here isn't the highest quality, and the thoughts were a little confused, though I agreed with some elements.

It's true that Black writers' work tends to be seen as primarily engaging with race, sometimes to the detriment of other elements within it. This is true for sci-fi writers as much as it is true for intellectuals like Du Bois. That's as far as the point goes, though. There are too many complicating factors.

1. There are several theories of interpretation in the field of literature. The author of this article defaults to authorial intent, which is only one among many- it's ok to read a book through a racial lens without thinking one has exhausted all possible interpretation of the book, and furthermore, it's ok to read a book through a racial lens against the author's intention, because a book is a work of art separate from its artist. It can be read in different ways to produce different effects, and all of those should be explored.

2. The author tries too hard to put race in opposition to other themes- it's possible for race to be part of a story without being the only part, or even the most important part. Some of the examples used by the author are stretched to make it seem as if any mention of race within them automatically devalues the rest of the work, which is absurd

3. The author tries too hard to define speculative fiction against its own history. Science fiction has always included social commentary on the present- it's a literal attempt to imagine the future based either on projecting tendencies in the present into the future or a contrast between a radically-different future and the present. Race and racial difference were part of Sci-Fi's DNA from the outset, just as they were part of the currents of social and political discussion and reality and still are, so it's no surprise that the genre would continue to address these themes. Indeed, several of the authors mentioned in the article have explicitly written major works that focus on race. Science fiction isn't and never was just about science and technology, and developments in science and technology are impossible to imagine or conceive even remotely realistically if one divorces them from a social and political context- see the case of replicators in Star Trek, for example.


In short, there's a weirdly inaccurate and exaggerated element to this article that seems to be based either on an anti-political/pro-colorblind or even self-hating stance.

i doubt many blacks even know who jordi laforge is. Lol at blacks being interested in sci-fi.

what next? Table top RPGs? Warhammer 40k ? Star craft? PC gaming? Minecraft? Black people don't like that type of stuff.


go to atlanta and ask someone what does the "Sands of arrakis" mean. Id be happy if
Even one person knew that.

First, it's Geordi La Forge.

Second, some of the most critically acclaimed sci-fi writers of all time are Black, like Samuel Delaney and Octavia Butler. Even Du Bois wrote a sci-fi story... Futurist tendencies have been present in Black culture for a long time: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrofuturism

 

[EQ.]

The writing here isn't the highest quality, and the thoughts were a little confused, though I agreed with some elements.

It's true that Black writers' work tends to be seen as primarily engaging with race, sometimes to the detriment of other elements within it. This is true for sci-fi writers as much as it is true for intellectuals like Du Bois. That's as far as the point goes, though. There are too many complicating factors.

1. There are several theories of interpretation in the field of literature. The author of this article defaults to authorial intent, which is only one among many- it's ok to read a book through a racial lens without thinking one has exhausted all possible interpretation of the book, and furthermore, it's ok to read a book through a racial lens against the author's intention, because a book is a work of art separate from its artist. It can be read in different ways to produce different effects, and all of those should be explored.

2. The author tries too hard to put race in opposition to other themes- it's possible for race to be part of a story without being the only part, or even the most important part. Some of the examples used by the author are stretched to make it seem as if any mention of race within them automatically devalues the rest of the work, which is absurd

3. The author tries too hard to define speculative fiction against its own history. Science fiction has always included social commentary on the present- it's a literal attempt to imagine the future based either on projecting tendencies in the present into the future or a contrast between a radically-different future and the present. Race and racial difference were part of Sci-Fi's DNA from the outset, just as they were part of the currents of social and political discussion and reality and still are, so it's no surprise that the genre would continue to address these themes. Indeed, several of the authors mentioned in the article have explicitly written major works that focus on race. Science fiction isn't and never was just about science and technology, and developments in science and technology are impossible to imagine or conceive even remotely realistically if one divorces them from a social and political context- see the case of replicators in Star Trek, for example.


In short, there's a weirdly inaccurate and exaggerated element to this article that seems to be based either on an anti-political/pro-colorblind or even self-hating stance.




First, it's Geordi La Forge.

Second, some of the most critically acclaimed sci-fi writers of all time are Black, like Samuel Delaney and Octavia Butler. Even Du Bois wrote a sci-fi story... Futurist tendencies have been present in Black culture for a long time: Afrofuturism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Was the Du Bois story about the people dying in NY and a black man and white woman are apparently the only people alive?

 

[BlvdBrawler]

i doubt many blacks even know who jordi laforge is. Lol at blacks being interested in sci-fi.

what next? Table top RPGs? Warhammer 40k ? Star craft? PC gaming? Minecraft? Black people don't like that type of stuff.


go to atlanta and ask someone what does the "Sands of arrakis" mean. Id be happy if
Even one person knew that.

Black people aren't interested in sci-fi now? I had no idea that every black person in America had the same interests and experiences. What a one-dimensional people we are.

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

First, it's Geordi La Forge.

Second, some of the most critically acclaimed sci-fi writers of all time are Black, like Samuel Delaney and Octavia Butler. Even Du Bois wrote a sci-fi story... Futurist tendencies have been present in Black culture for a long time: Afrofuturism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I you think lashanda and demarshawn down the street know who any of those writers (Even Du bois) are you're a lost cause.

jordi or Geordi. It doesn't matter. First thing the average black youth would say would be, " why dis n1gga got a hair band on his face though?! This shyt to funny-style for me"

You intuitively know that to be true. You all know that, but you won't admit it. why?

 

[Berniewood Hogan]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[The Real]

I you think lashanda and demarshawn down the street know who any of those writers (Even Du bois) are you're a lost cause.

jordi or Geordi. It doesn't matter. First thing the average black youth would say would be, " why dis n1gga got a hair band on his face though?! This shyt to funny-style for me"

You intuitively know that to be true. You all know that, but you won't admit it. why?

Why do "lashanda" and "demarshawn" have to know who these characters are for sci-fi to be popular? Why are you using such a demographic example, as if the comparable demographic in other racial groups would all know about this stuff?

The average white person doesn't know Geordi by name, either, nor does the average Asian American.

 

[OneManGang]

Why do "lashanda" and "demarshawn" have to know who these characters are for sci-fi to be popular? Why are you using such a demographic example, as if the comparable demographic in other racial groups would all know about this stuff?

The average white person doesn't know Geordi by name, either, nor does the average Asian American.

It's best to not engage that fool. One of greatest quotes I ever learned, " Never argue with an idiot, because people from afar can't tell the difference."

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

I bet DS9 wasn't very popular with the urban demographic. Parimount probably has that data on file somewhere.

better yet, Babylon 5? how many laquishas and Antwans watched that? LOL. Get real. The companies know better than anyone else thats why they don't waste their time marketing that stuff to black people--there is no money in it.

sure, the odd black person here and there, but the majority? Ha! Hell no.

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

Why do "lashanda" and "demarshawn" have to know who these characters are for sci-fi to be popular? Why are you using such a demographic example, as if the comparable demographic in other racial groups would all know about this stuff?

The average white person doesn't know Geordi by name, either, nor does the average Asian American.

No. but a higher percentage of them do. and that higher percentage makes a difference.

 

[Berniewood Hogan]

Google

VERY FIRST GOOGLE RESULT SHOWS THAT "LASHANDA" DIGS SCIENCE FICTION BROTHER!

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

Google

VERY FIRST GOOGLE RESULT SHOWS THAT "LASHANDA" DIGS SCIENCE FICTION BROTHER!

cool. Means nothing.

 

[VerbalIntercourse]

and btw, I remember listening to Iron Maiden's
Piece of Mind album, and I just let the album play while i was driving. this was
Way back in 2003. I heard a track, and it was entirely about Dune! I was shocked. It was a whole song about Dune the novel.

How many rap songs are about Science Fiction stories? I am not talking about that backpacker non sense. I am talking about the rap that black people listen to. The
Music that I hear blasting out of those big box chevys. Iron Maiden is not some obscure metal band.

 

[Dafunkdoc_Unlimited]

I am talking about the rap that black people listen to. The
Music that I hear blasting out of those big box chevys. Iron Maiden is not some obscure metal band.

George Clinton says 'You fail'..........

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