SF conventions--of another sort

[vilakins]

Someone on an SF mailing list directed me to an interesting post on james_nicoll's LJ.

If you could make one convention of modern SF go away, which one would you choose?

If you could add one, what would you add?

I commented there but I decided I'd like to know what you think. My picks are:

Get rid of the hackneyed civilisation where--gasp, how original!--women are oppressed. Even Farscape and Firefly have done it. Use some imagination already.

I want more alien aliens. How about furry aliens, or insectoid ones instead of the usual humanoids, and let's play with gender with a little more imagination. How about societies with several sexes, where you need more than two to procreate, or a hive society? Anything but clichéd old recycled human ones.

But you knew that. :-)

Comments

[kernezelda]

IIRC, the Tenctonese in, oh, God, I can't remember the name of the series, with Newcomers and a cop buddy show - Alien Nation, yes, that's it! - had a tri-part reproductive system, and the males were nominally the 'weaker' sex.

[kerravonsen]

(hey, I get to use my "SF" icon!)

If you could make one convention of modern SF go away, which one would you choose?

Humans being culturally superior to aliens. That happens far too often. I say "culturally superior" because aliens often enough have superior technology, but not superior culture -- or if they do, it's of a "go away and leave us alone, you primitive humans" sort, which... doesn't seem all that superior, though. "Hello Mr. Alien, we believe in Freedom and Democracy!" I guess that tends to happen more often with US shows, though.

A related one that I'd like to get rid of is those monolithic alien cultures, where all aliens of a particular species only have one culture, one religion/world-view, one form of government, and so on. That was another thing that Alien Nation was good with -- the Newcomers had multiple religions, if I recall correctly.

If you could add one, what would you add?

Well I guess going back to what's above -- aliens which have a variety of cultures. Including at least one technologically superior alien society which is not atheist. I am sick and tired of the "religion is a thing only for primitives" which keeps on being prated in SF...

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I want more alien aliens. How about furry aliens, or insectoid ones instead of the usual humanoids, and let's play with gender with a little more imagination. How about societies with several sexes, where you need more than two to procreate, or a hive society? Anything but clichéd old recycled human ones.

I think that it's largely down to cost as far as the physical aspect is concerned.

As for which convention I'd like to do away with, there are any number. How about the one that reckons that highly advanced civilisations will be unaware of the fuse or circuit breaker, so that any damage to any piece of electronics will make the whole lot go up in flames.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

The Andorians in the DS9 relaunch novel Paradigm have four sexes, all of which are needed for procreation (and that's what the story is about).

[spacefall.livejournal.com]

What you said. I love it when someone comes up with a genuinely alien alien, with all of the communication problems you'd expect (up to and including total communication failure.)

[daiseechain.livejournal.com]

If you could make one convention of modern SF go away, which one would you choose?

How about Super Scientist Guy?

You know, Professor Daniel Jackson who started out as a linguist, seagued into archaeology, then somehow became an expert in anthropology, biology, and uh, close quarter combat?

Or Chakotay, who started out as a pilot (IIRC), then somehow became an expert anthropologist, linguist, archaeologist, bioligist... Hmmm. Seems to be a theme developing there.

Or especially John Chricton. Who has a degree. In 'Science'...