On the other other hand, maybe we only understand the dangers of the Torment Nexus and use it responsibly because science fiction authors warned techy people who are into that subject about how it could go wrong, and the people who grew up reading those books went out of their way to avoid those flaws. We do seem to have a lot more of the technologies that sci-fi didn't predict causing severe problems in our society.

[–] FaceDeer@kbin.social -3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

But this is exactly contrary to my point, a science fiction author isn't qualified or motivated to give a realistic "understanding" of the Torment Nexus. His skillset is focused on writing stories and the stories he writes need to contain danger and conflict, so he's not necessarily going to interpret the idea of the Torment Nexus in a realistic way.

[–] zephr_c@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think you don't understand what motivates a lot of science fiction authors. Sure, there are a lot of science fiction novels that are really just science themed fantasy, but there are also a lot of authors that love real science and are trying to make stories about realistic interpretations of its potential effects. To say that science fiction authors don't care about interpreting the Torment Nexus in a realistic way misses the entire point of a lot of really good science fiction.

[–] FaceDeer@kbin.social -5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Which sort of author is the one who came up with the Torment Nexus?

Even the ones that are dedicated to realism still fundamentally need to sell stories. They're not writing textbooks.

[–] RiikkaTheIcePrincess@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

still fundamentally need to sell

[Sarcasm] Unlike companies, which are apparently altruistic organizations that exist for the betterment of humanity! It's all those fools who keep yelling "companies exist to make money" who are wrong. Yeah, that must be it. Tech companies charge because they're good, whilst various writers give away some, much, most, or all of their work because they're evil! Sharing is DEATH, kids!

Sorry, I went off a bit there because I'm frustrated at how committed you are to your bad ideas. Also textbooks also have to be sold, at least here in the US where many are (were?) tailored to the anti-education pro-horsecrap preferences of Texas.

Side thing: I'm becoming increasingly convinced that FaceDeer as an account/persona/whatever exists specifically to be mildly irritating. Is that true? Would you admit it if it were?

[–] wanderingmagus@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert A. Heinlein aren't qualified to give understandings of the technologies they wrote about?

[+] FaceDeer@kbin.social -7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Nope. Isaac Asimov was a biochemist, why would he be particularly qualified to determine whether robots are safe? Arthur C. Clarke had a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics, which technology was he an expert in? Heinlein got a bachelor of arts in engineering equivalent degree from the US Naval Academy, that's the closest yet to having an "understanding of technology." Which ones did he write about?

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Holy shit, you don't know about the rise of interdisciplinary science in the 20th century, do you?

[–] bermuda@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

Nor do they know about science communication apparently

[–] FaceDeer@kbin.social -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That generally involves training across multiple disciplines.

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 year ago

So you guys don't know then. Huh. 🤔

[–] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Those were a list of authors who were pretty good at getting the science in their sci fi right. They talked to scientists working on the fields they wrote about. They wrote "hard" sci fi

You cannot judge their competence by their formal education

[–] FaceDeer@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

Well, I also am "pretty good" at getting the science right when I write sci fi. Makes me just as qualified as them, I guess.

The problem remains that the overriding goal of a sci fi author remains selling sci fi books, which requires telling a gripping story. It's much easier to tell a gripping story when something has gone wrong and the heroes are faced with the fallout, rather than a story in which everything's going fine and the revolutionary new tech doesn't have any hidden downsides to cause them difficulties. Even when you're writing "hard" science fiction you need to do that.

And frankly, much of Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein's output was very far from being "hard" science fiction.

[–] irmoz@reddthat.com 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Literally anyone with intelligence and empathy is capable of giving a good understanding of the Torment Nexus

Don't make one

[–] FaceDeer@kbin.social -1 points 1 year ago

It's just got bad marketing. Should have called it something else.