[ExI] emotional deficits in sci-fi

[Giulio Prisco]

On 2022. Mar 24., Thu at 17:21, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> I sure would like to read some modern scifi in which people act more like
> people.  In meeting aliens some people would have heart attacks.
>
>  Know any good new books?   bill w
>

Try this, there’s also a sequel:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axiom's_End


> On Thu, Mar 24, 2022 at 10:33 AM Giulio Prisco via extropy-chat <
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
>> This was a flaw of classical “golden age” science fiction, but
>> contemporary science fiction is not always like that.
>>
>> On 2022. Mar 24., Thu at 15:55, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat <
>> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>>
>>> I have been reading sci-fi for nearly 70 years (first book Farmer in the
>>> Sky).  I have finally noticed something:
>>>
>>> The characters in the books are on the other end of the scale from
>>> hypersensitivity.  They are dullards.
>>>
>>> When contact is made with aliens or alien technology or artifacts, there
>>> is some surprise, but very soon it's all matter of fact - highly
>>> interested, still, but not afraid.
>>>
>>> Fear is our strongest emotion and it is tailor made for reacting to
>>> aliens - which means strong fear and strong suspicions and so on.
>>>
>>> When did you ever read of a character fainting?  Having a panic attack?
>>> Running away?  Or any other sign of great fear?
>>>
>>> Apparently nearly all of the characters are heroes of some sort who just
>>> don't show fear.  They do say it sometimes.  But don't act that way.
>>> People in intense fear make mistakes, are clumsy, make poor decisions.
>>>
>>> In other words:  the main problem with scifi is that it is unrealistic!
>>>
>>> Thought for the day:  twin sisters 100 years old, on how they have lived
>>> so long.  One - "Well, we just have never died."     Cymbal crash
>>>
>>> bill w
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