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Forecasting the Future:

Memes and Myths of Science Fiction

by Valerie Coskrey, 2007

If... this is the meme that the SciFi Channel has taken for itself in its advertising.   The ad with the dragon creature slipping in and out of mud puddles and playing fetch with the human child is adorable--and comforting. 

Comforting? Yes. Aliens can be our friends.  Others can be accepted into our homes and lives--just as easily as can be the humans who at times are bullying and inimical.  So says the ad in symbiotic form: its meme.

The real magic of this commercial, Star Wars, ET, all of the Star Trek shows, etc., is that science fiction fans, and possibly millions of others, have been pre-conditioned to face an alien unknown without superstition and unnecessary fear.  An alien encounter will not destroy civilization, mire mankind in religious dogma, nor blind us to the possibilities of facing the aliens -- friend or foe -- with reason and sensible judgment.  The images of a mixed society presented by Alien Nation, currently showing several of its 2-hour episodes on HBO as movies, demonstrates how it can be done peacefully. 

For other possibilities, see other movies, shows, or books, as needed.

This picture that I call a visual meme for global warming is the work of © James Steidl - FOTOLIA

The science fiction shows do something else.  They allow us to face the real issues of living peacefully with others--whether alien or simply another culture. The term "morality play" has been used to label the episodes and series that are written to foster a look at the cultural issue.  One of the prevailing themes in these analyses is a humanistic approach to the resolution of conflict.  Of course, another theme is the humanistic definition of the issue itself.  The mechanism that drives the plot is often the difficulty in maintaining the humanistic resolution in the face of human emotion, human vices, various cultures, and conflicting goals.  The quintessential example of this conflict is Kirk vs. the Prime Directive, a meme understood by all Trekkies.

Below are two of our template designs that express memes.

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Much has been written about the philosophy of science fiction, the science in our favorite sf movies and shows, and about the use of sf as morality plays. I add these words to the growing dialogue on the value of modern science fiction as a literary genre.  Science fiction classics will be as important to our culture as are the current Classics, classical Greek myths, Aesop's Fables, and Grimm's Fairy Tales in expressing goals, values, and emotive concepts to future generations.  These memes today work to bind our culture.  These memes will educate our young, thereby shaping tomorrow. 

Personally, I call science fiction our Myths of the Future. These Future Myths offer memes as powerful as any story of Hercules with the world on his shoulders, Sisyphus forever pushing the rock uphill, or Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy whose love overcomes their cultural pride and prejudices.

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What is a template design set??  The image below shows a sample set.  Each set consists of a presentation explaining how to use the set, and slide and title masters with custom artwork and bullets.  This set is based on the art of Wendy Sterling.  See more template design sets or Buy now.