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Global warming isn't Science Fiction
01/12/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
This is the opening line of a speech by British Prime Minister Tony Blair last month. It gave Uncle Geoff pause for thought. Think about it. How many Science Fiction stories have you heard or read about which centres on global warming? A cursory look only really revealed one obscure one and I'm not even sure if it looks at contemporary effects. As to SF films and TV shows, the results have been even slimmer. Hello everyone
This is the opening line of a speech by British Prime Minister Tony Blair last month. It gave me pause for thought. I mean, think about it. How many Science Fiction stories have you heard or read about which centres on global warming? A cursory look only really revealed one obscure one and I'm not even sure if it looks at contemporary effects. As to SF films and TV shows, the results have been even slimmer. There might be the odd hint of the effects on an alien world but its hardly pivotal to the story or relates to the damage to Earth. Granted this subject has only been around for the past couple decades and only more intensely in the new century but SF seems to not really have dwelled on it much. My SF Encyclopaedia CD classifies it as a sacred cow to be avoided...as at the time it wasn't believed it was going to happen!!! So much for our genre to be written by visionaries!!!
Then again, perhaps it was also too close to the truth to be appease readers' appetites for escapism excluded it or simply because its rather difficult to make a story out of the subject. I mean, standard SF protocol is either to have some sensational solution by an deus ex machina invention and go on as before or move onto the next stage of post-catastrophe and how we survive our own foolishness. Cutting back on carbon dioxide emissions is hardly story fodder although the consequences if nothing is done would be. The latter is a topic which has been done to death (sic) as it is.
If anything, global warming is too close to home. With so many scientists who are also SF authors as well, if they offered any solution outside of the basic one of cutting back CO2 emissions, it would raise doubts for their own credibility in their own community. Even the non-scientist SF writers would have similar problems should they carry out similar research. It should be possible to write a story about the implications of cutting back at a political and individual level but its so close to home that it would really be science factual than Science Fiction. The most we can probably sum up is post-catastrophe survival if we don't do anything and there's a certain amount of comparative issues than what actually caused the problem to contend with.
A difficult call. It would need a disaster or lack of co-operation from everyone in the world to make it a disaster story and even that's looming. Our Science Fiction world is actually living out the scenario for real and making fiction about it will not change the threat. A people story won't work simply because there won't be any distinction as to how it affects everyone. No one can be picked out that will say these will make great survivors. SF can't even sugar the pill of a pessimistic future. That being the case, I guess it's up to each of us to lead by example and see if we can make a start towards making this reality's future a happy ending by doing something about it ourselves.
In many respects I do think the subject deserves a serious fictional film on the subject if not the effects if we don't do something quickly. Such films have a powerful influence on people. I mean, back in the 60s, we had a few fictional films about a fruition of the Cold War with atomic bombs going off to make everyone aware of the consequences. Look up 'Fail Safe' or 'Dr. Strangelove'. One dealt with a mistaken nuke going off and the other about the people in charge getting carried away with the scenario. The message got through to everyone, even when it was satirised, to step back from the brink or at least the acknowledgement that there would be no overall winners. Although I doubt if such films would have much effect on the current international terrorism, a before and after effects of a world falling apart as we don't do anything about global warming would certainly have the desired pyramid effect. It won't have any heroes because there isn't likely to be enough people to backslap. Whether it would be called Science Fiction or Science Factional is an irrelevance in this instance. What is important is it needs a reaction. If people are to really wake up to the dangers of global warming then a pessimistic film is worth more than a thousand words or even me writing an editorial on the subject. It should also not hold back any punches if we are going to give out a wake-up call.
What can we do in the meantime is still up to us all as I've said in the past. No matter how little we do, as a collective it can all mount up if we can't individually cut down on our wastage, especially carbon dioxide emissions, and improve recycling, let alone reduce our travelling and encourage our employers to do likewise. It might not seem much per person but as a collective, leading by example, it is possible to show that a difference can be made. If that can permeate through your jobs as well then the means to start saving our world can happen before governments will be forced to do so by law. Some countries won't play ball with this but it will be the efforts of the individual and through them to the community that things will be forced to change. Without such efforts, the world we've had last century will be confined to picture-books and film footage never to be seen again. Maybe not even by any humans left if we don't act now. How's that for a measure of pessimism from someone who is normally so optimistic?
I'm loathed to make new year's resolutions, mostly cos they rarely last. The only one I tend to be consistent with is be better than I was the previous year. If we can apply that to conservation then we might change the fate of the world. Don't treat it as something others can do. You are 'the others' and the responsibility of the generations to come will be in your hands should we not be sensible with our fate. It's a tough job saving the world but something we should all be capable of contributing towards saving. As Science Fiction fans we're aware of the post-catastrophe future so maybe we can also lead by example of what to do to avoid such things.
Thank you, take care, good night, be safe and let me be the first to wish you a happy and less dangerous carbon dioxide reducing new year Geoff Willmetts editor: SFCrowsnest.co.uk
Less Serious Thought: The promotional ad for the next Star Trek film is essentially the original insignia on a blue shirt. Don't you think its going to lead temptation to change the colour to a red shirt if it bombs?
A real Zen thought: Fly only under your own power if you have to and cut the number of plane flights.
A real Zen thought:If you really want to demonstrate people power, when people from a TV series or a film claim their product isn't actually Science Fiction, give it a miss because what they are really telling you it isn't your subject.
Another real Zen thought but this time for potential writers: If you can express an opinion independently of others and aren't likely to bend to the masses then you might show potential as a writer.
BOOK REVIEWS
PS Do you love Science Fiction, horror or fantasy books? Do you read? Able to string words into sentences? Then read on...you maybe what we need...
If you've survived this far in the editorial, let me reiterate something from the website newsletter and the above editorial. As you can see from the main page, we have one of the biggest SF/fantasy/horror monthly reviews columns on the Net. Our success has increased the number of books that comes in and our policy is to read everything before giving a review. You want the bottom line about what you're going to choose to read. We roadtest books so you have some idea of what you're letting yourself in for. That means we need people actually willing to read the book and tell others what they think in reviews. For that, we're always on the outlook for more reviewers. Do you think you have what it takes to review a book? It's a skill that can be easily mastered and we need a few more.
Apart from the ability to put words into sentences, you also need to know how to précis, do a little research on associated subjects and can express opinions constructively about the good and bad points about the books you read. We even let you choose from our pile of received books rather than foster something on you that you wouldn't normally read. You'll even get a little editorial help in how to write good copy and that can always lead to other things. I did say you have to love books and willing to read beyond your favourite authors, didn't I?
If you like reading books in the genre, can really think and show you can write a decent review and, most importantly, live in the British Isles (sorry, expense, time and distance travelled mostly prohibits elsewhere), then use the link below and see our requirements. We can't pay you but a review for the price and regular supply of new books, this has to be a good incentive.
We have one of the most popular and biggest SF review columns on the Net. Do you think you're up to writing a review? If you think you can, then you're really going to think you've landed your hands in the biscuit tin. It won't hurt to try and see if you have the right stuff. Look up the Review Guidelines:
WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN CONTRIBUTORS AND WRITING GENERALLY
PPS: For those keeping track, I'm still about 22 months (mid-January 2005) behind. Fortunately, 2005 and 2006 was lighter so should catch up by next year this time.
With going through the ebook samples, I have removed some who've gotten published elsewhere. Thank you for your patience but let me know if you've sold elsewhere so I can reduce my pile or if you've changed address, especially e-mail address. I can't give you my comments unless either is up to date. Currently, doing spot-checks to see if you're still there when I reach your sample in the pile is making it easier on my time and catching up on the slush pile.
This isn't much of a repeat, just to show you're not forgotten. Those sending in ebook samples, be prepared for a long wait and read the Guidelines with your mouse here: elsewhere on this website They are there to help you do some of the right things and reduce the number of times I'm repeating myself over silly grammatical errors and spelling mistakes that you shouldn't be making. It makes editing a lot easier if any editor has less work pointing out poor English which should have been sorted out in the first place and more focused on other areas of your work. As a writer, it is your command of the English language and its grammar that will show how serious you are about writing.
NOVEL-LENGTH AND OTHER WRITING
General advice for those who want to become writers of any sort: There's an old editorial adage, if you can't aim for perfection why should an editor nurse-maid you to that state? If you're a writer, then you should understand the words, sentences and grammar of the job you're supposed to be writing or are you considering it as mundane and boring as any other job to get right? Fall in love with making every sentence the best you're ever written, read up and understand the rules of grammar. Put the time in researching any subject you're using in the story. Be prepared to put a story away for a few weeks and go back to it for a self-edit. Even I do that. A lot of the time, errors will just stare you in the face when you didn't see them the first time round. Once you know where your weaknesses are, they can be sorted out and allow you to move a little higher up the ladder towards making your material look its best. Look up the Common Problems Link with your mouse here:
SHORT STORY SLUSH PILE
Please don't confuse the above link with my short story slush pile which is kinda low at the moment. We're always willing to give short story writers a chance to be seen if they can withstand my scrutiny even if we can't pay for their efforts, your material will be seen by a lot of people. If you can get a short story written well then it'll make it easier to move up to novel length. Look up the Short Stories Link with your mouse here
FLASH OR ONE-PAGE FICTION
Don't forget also, we've got a teaching ground of one page stories, so check out the rules elsewhere on the website. Flash fiction stories link : with your mouse here.
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