Societal Change: The Past and Future of Science Fiction
“Science fiction is any idea that occurs in the head and doesn’t exist yet, but soon will, and will change everything for everybody, and nothing will ever be the same again. As soon as you have an idea that changes some small part of the world, you are writing science fiction.“— Ray Bradbury
I always found this quote to be extremely intriguing when it came to understanding science fiction, especially in film. In my opinion, science fiction should offer a reflection on our shared humanity, not only in our use of technology and the dangers associated with it, but also with how we as humans react to world events and how we collectively handle the ramifications. Good science fiction should engage with humanity’s flaws and embrace actual science and real trauma in a predictive capacity. In other words, science fiction should foresee a future where our present is magnified, understood, and reimagined.
So I began to think, how would science fiction of the future deal with our handling of the COVID-19 outbreak? Would it be dystopian in concept or predict a more enlightened world emerging from tragedy? Whose voices will be heard? Will a call for more diverse perspectives be embraced? I decided to look back to my favorite science fiction films and understand how their fiction mirrored reality and whose voices were amplified.
A Trip to the Moon (1902)
In the future, a team of scientists travel to the moon in a bullet-like spacecraft. On the mysterious lunar surface, humans discover the Selenites, a jovial race of moon people. The leader of the humans kills the king of the Selenites and the humans return to Earth in celebration. Filmmaker and magician Georges Méliès satirically toys with the ideas of colonialism and the dangers of nationalist pride. What he witnessed from the French Colonial Empire is echoed in his depiction of foreign settlers seizing new lands in the name of nationalism. In an expanding world following the industrial revolution, the peril of space travel in the future enhances the concerns over such colonization, but on a much larger scale.
Homunculus (1916)
Released as several episodes in a series, Homunculus features scientists who create life using science. While humanlike in nature, the homunculus is unable to feel love. Eventually, the homunculus becomes a ruthless dictator, playing both sides of a class war to further oppress his people. The barbaric depiction of fascism dangerously predicts the rise of authoritarianism in Germany and other parts of Europe. Similar to the story of Frankenstein, Homunculus deals with the inhumanity of life being created unnaturally, while also speculating on humanity’s need for love and affection and the perilous implications of a creature in human form void of compassion and empathy.
Them! (1954)
Giant radioactive ants? Oh my! In the atomic age of movies, where radiation could enhance any creature in existence, Them! remains an iconic film from the Cold War. The dangers of nuclear proliferation abound in this romp of monster mayhem. However, under the guise of campy special effects lies a far bigger fear. In the conservative 1950s, social change was on the horizon. Do the ants represent the Soviets of the Cold War? The ants are the farthest thing from humans, echoing the belief that Americans maintain the righteous advantage and the Soviets emerge as soulless drones. Or, perhaps a matriarchal society where women hold the keys to society manifests the change that is feared? The queen ants symbolizing the perceived flawed step in evolution that prizes change over stagnation. Either way, the threats toward the conservative American, especially that of the white male, runs rampant on screen. The fragility of the social order in the 1950s is at odds with the unknown future featuring a more diverse American clash in the form of irradiated ants and the seemingly rational men of the atomic age.
They Live (1988)
Situated somewhere in the present or near future, John Nada (Roddy Piper) discovers a pair of truth-revealing glasses which allow him to witness the previously unseen messages around him. John Carpenter’s tale sets Nada against an infestation of powerful aliens who have taken on roles in the highest places in society. Part cheesy action film and part biting commentary on silent oppression, They Live reverberates with the opposition of the corporate greed in Reagan’s America. Recently, Carpenter stomped out any repurposing of his film’s message and stated that They Live is a criticism of “yuppies and unrestrained capitalism.” The illumination of silent propaganda and the effects it could have on society are exposed in this exciting tale of science fiction.
Gattaca (1997)
In a seemingly utopian future, society has learned to genetically rid the world of illness through eugenics. Valids are genetically engineered from birth with superior DNA and therefore receive the highest standings in the population. In contrast, Invalids are seen as inferior and therefore must be relegated to menial work. Because of this separation, no one in society expands on their role as they are, from birth, locked into their lot in life. Vincent (Ethan Hawke) wishes to venture out in space travel. However, due to his genetic disposition, Vincent will never be able to obtain his dreams. Through his perseverance, he conceals his flaws in an attempt to journey to the heavens. Gattaca imagines a world where eugenics, or the altering of human genetics in an attempt to improve humanity, determine a citizens’ future: a dystopic world where prejudice and lack of identity fester underneath its utopian exterior. A person can be engineered to be an improvement of humanity, but Gattaca offers a far greater risk of the meaning of ‘improvement.’ Once the diversity and individuality of humanity are determined to be flawed, how much of our humanity remains?
Now, there are many other science fiction films that reflect ourselves and our shared humanity. Whether the threat to our humanity lay in world wars, threats to a preordained order, the changing of the DNA that makes us us, or even a pandemic that is sweeping across the globe, science fiction digs deep into our minds to force us to see the world differently. This different perspective, utilizing the genre codes of science fiction, can be an immense tool in helping others see a world that is possibly hidden. In order for new perspectives and new voices to be seen and heard in science fiction, there must be a more heterogeneous generation to follow. If our future is to be diverse, then films that depict this future must embrace and reflect a society that we are striving towards. Science fiction films have come from one voice for too long — just look no further than the filmmakers and films in this list. We are overdue for science fiction stories that depict humanity from every facet, not just from one demographic. Perhaps the struggle that faces all of humanity now will be reflected in the multicultural voices that make up our modern society.
