• MajorHavoc@programming.dev
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    3 days ago

    Your assertion that any sci-fi at all isn’t political is a particularly bold one.

    But it’s a fascinating thought, so I’m going on an unrequested quest:

    Here’s my attempt at “let’s name a hard science fiction that isn’t making a political statement”.

    Perhaps…

    • “Frankenstein” is about grave robbing and biology horror and in no way an analogy for mistreatment of neurodivergent individuals.
    • “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” is about a cool submarine and not about an ultra rich man’s extreme rejection of modern societal norms bending the world of those around him.
    • “The Martian” was about the cold hard science of a man surviving on Mars, and not all about humanity briefly overcoming our national rivalries to do the human thing and being one person home safely.
    • “The Robot” is just about a time traveling robot, and not a sad prediction of mankind’s likelihood to erradicate ourselves leaving only our automation to remember us by.
    • “Bicentenial Man” is about robotics advances and has nothing to do with marginalized people fighting to have their human rights acknowledged.
    • “The Expanse” is just about how dangerous space is, and not at all about how humanity tends to break off into adversarial groups.
    • “Snow piercer” is about a cool train in the cold.

    Okay, now I’m not even trying anymore, lol. (Snow piercer is blatantly deeply political, no matter how much I love the cool science train.)

    I’m coming up short, arguing myself out of my best ideas, so far.

    Hang on, I’ve got two:

    • “Around the world in 80 days” is arguably at least slightly more about globe trotting and less about putting up with a rich employer’s bullshit.
    • “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is mostly about cool caves and dinosaurs?!

    I should reread these two, but I don’t remember many political messages.

    (Edit. I bet someone is going to point out the political messages I missed in 80 Days and Journey. Considering how political I remember 20,000 Leagues being, I wonder if I just misremember the other two…)

    • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      At The Earth’s Core is about how you can’t mesmerize british people, and big mac boxes can breathe fire. I’m not sure if that’s political or not.