Why I Sci-Fi!-- Why IS Sci-Fi important?

This is the movie poster for The Rise of
Skywalker. (image source) 

Imagine living in a world without Star Wars, Marvel or Stranger Things. Are you not a fan of those? Well, imagine not being able to play any video games OR living without advanced technology. Without science fiction, you probably wouldn’t have access to any of these! Science fiction is important because it has huge fandoms, it allows audiences to explore new possibilities and futures, and it inspires real technology.

Firstly, science fiction is personal to me-- and a lot of other people. I grew up watching and reading science fiction stories with my family. I spent a lot of time watching Star Trek and Star Wars, especially after they re-released the original trilogy in 1997. It was a HUGE deal when we got to see them in theaters, and I remember sitting in the theatre with my M&Ms excitedly waiting to see my favorite movies on the screen. And I wasn’t the only one there-- audiences spent $460.998m in theaters in the U.S. alone to see the rerelease of these films! Science Fiction franchises-- like Star Wars, the Marvel series, or Star Trek have massive followings.

Science Fiction also allows us to explore new possibilities about our future. In a lot of sci-fi stories, authors spend time making up elaborate futures for humanity. This means that we can think about the possible things that can happen to us as technology advances, and authors can even help to warn us about the bad things that could happen if we don’t fix the things that we’re messing up right now. Books like The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury warned humans about what could happen if we use nuclear weapons. Other types of sci-fi stories help us see the future more positively, like in Star Trek. The Star Trek series helps us see what amazing things we can accomplish if we work together and continue to explore the universe.

Lastly, science fiction from the past has inspired current technology.Before the USA landed a man on the moon, science fiction creators were paving the way to this technology with their imaginations. The scientists and engineers that created the first submarines, space shuttles, and 3-D printers were all inspired by fiction that they made into reality. 3-D Printing was directly influenced by the replicators used in Star Trek. It’s amazing to me that these stories have the power to influence our everyday lives.

I can’t imagine my life without sci-fi! I’m so excited to act as an advocate on my blog and share how science fiction has impacted my life and the lives of so many others. In my quest to share all things science fiction, what would you like to see on my blog? Reviews of movies? Suggestions for good sci-fi reading? Ways that science fiction has impacted the real world? Let me know in the comments below!

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