Science fiction is the favorite genre of engineers, and engineers are the value creators. Science fiction inspires engineers because it’s about the what if, the possibility of great things that can happen in the future if engineers can put their minds to the task and invent them.
Of course we know that both engineers and the genre of fiction that they love are looked down upon by the SWPL class. The same class who love Apple products which would not be possible were it not for a lot of engineers who were fans of Star Trek and Robert Heinlein developing the technology.
Today I was at a meeting where this young programmer was showing some really neat work he was doing. When he closed his PowerPoint presentation, he revealed his desktop background to be an unironic picture of Bilbo Baggins looking out his hobbit hole at the Shire. I guess techie smart people don't have to go around showing people they're smart with their culture choices and can just like things they like.
Posted by: albert magnus | December 11, 2012 at 11:15 PM
While science fiction is ultimately looked down upon by SWPL, it isn't that rare to hear them toss out names of authors and series they supposedly enjoy. This of course isn't genuine interest but rather another vain social token they use to boost their status in the post-Ironic Social Pissing War.
Posted by: James McKeane | December 11, 2012 at 11:16 PM
The only real problems I see with science fiction (generally) are these:
1) Too many techno babble/dues ex machina solutions to problems.
2) Often an inability to write good characters. Science fiction writers are often good and creating worlds but not characters. Often the characters simply seem like vessels to explore their worlds.
3) Obviously heavy handed moral analogies that lack all subtlety.
Yes, you could just call this bad writing. I just think it happens more in science fiction.
Posted by: asdf | December 11, 2012 at 11:43 PM
Hear hear!
Posted by: GenGG | December 12, 2012 at 03:51 AM
Your assessment seems out of date. Nobody has a problem with genres. Over the past 10 - 15 years it has become acceptable for adults to like the sci-fi, fantasy, and superhero genres for example.
What tends to be stigmatized is an asperger-like obsession with certain fictional universes.
Posted by: Bill | December 12, 2012 at 04:15 AM
The SWPL attitude to SF is the same as its attitude toward country music.
If the science fiction/country music is old enough, it can be vaguely appreciated. The tastemakers have proclaimed it to be "classic." SWPLs still won't buy the stuff -- no hipness points -- but they'll recite faint praise if it comes up in conversation.
Recent country music/SF must be avoided. It's too likely to be associated with out groups like engineers and Southerners. It hasn't been sanctified by the appropriate authorities. Too risky.
Posted by: Mff | December 12, 2012 at 05:46 AM
I wonder how many printed words your average geek reads versus your average urban SWPL. I am always amazed at how many adults brag that they do not read books at all.
Also, look around the next time your on an airplane and see who still reads novels/books (either the analog or digital versions). Most 20/30 somethings are watching bad movies on their tablets while older people are the ones who still read.
Posted by: superdestroyer | December 12, 2012 at 06:41 AM
Is it really true that engineers like SF or does that just seem to be a logical connection?
Posted by: Peter | December 12, 2012 at 07:37 AM
I'm not sure if it's true that engineers like sci-fi more than other occupations. Every time I browse the sci-fi/fantasy section at my local book store it is mainly just young slacker looking types. I don't think they are professionals of any sort. As far as older professionals, I've met more lawyers than engineers who enjoy sci fi. Most engineers I know tend to read either non-fiction or military-themed books, if they read for pleasure at all.
Posted by: Anonymouse | December 12, 2012 at 11:13 AM
I would agree with asdf - it's as if much of sci-fi is written by Aspies for Aspies. (Which sort of confirms what H.S. wrote.)
Posted by: Gil | December 12, 2012 at 11:38 AM
How are you defining SWPL? Most male SWPLs I know love sci-fi. Without SWPLs Phillip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, and Ursula K. Le Guin would not be famous. Not all SWPLs like Sci Fi, but most Sci Fi fans, and quite a lot of engineers for that matter, are pretty damn SWPL. And let's not even mention film - leaving Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar Galatica II aside, what could be more SWPL than the Serenity/Firefly cult?
I think the white people who don't like Sci Fi are the high status people - jocks and business types tend not to like sci fi.
Posted by: Peter Shark | December 12, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Genre fiction in general has been a hip thing among literary types for a while now (along with graphic novels). See Lethem, Chabon, etc.
And while it's not sci-fi, it's quite amazing how mainstream fantasy fiction has become in the last 10 years, what with LTR and now Game of Thrones. Fantasy novels used to be *the* dorkiest thing to be into, say after middle school. I guess sci-fi now holds that crown.
Posted by: chucho | December 12, 2012 at 07:03 PM
It comes back to the continuum where people are more or less interested in systems versus people. Some lean one way, some the other. SF is about systems (big ideas, other worlds, purposely technical explanations of phenomena, and a fast-moving plot). Therefore, men, and especially geeky men, are going to be more into SF. This includes engineers.
Other fiction tends to me more focused in characters and their interactions with each other, and does not much focus on plot or big ideas. Literary types often accuse SF authors of bad writing. This is false. SF writers don't write badly. They just write about things that English majors don't care about.
Posted by: John | December 12, 2012 at 08:33 PM
For what it's worth, I'm writing a sci-fi novel. Anyone else out there doing the same?
Here's a question: how do SWPL's feel about NaNoWriMo?
Posted by: Raoul Duke | December 13, 2012 at 01:45 AM
Science Fiction, Horror and comic books are low culture that any self aware SWPL will not touch. The main demographics are the prole types, NAMs and the less status conscious Asians.
Anything that isn't attractive to attractive SWPL women is deemed not attractive, and Sci Fi is one of them.
HS ought to publish a guide to the good life, featuring fashion to food tips that defines SWPLdom. Most important, he could start locally by indicating which businesses are SWPLish, and which ones are not. Sort of a Zagats Guide for SWPLs.
Posted by: Just Speculating | December 13, 2012 at 01:35 PM
@ asdf
Have you ever played the Mass Effect games? They were the best sci-fi content of the last decade. The first two in particular are good. They really minimized most of the pitfalls you described until that awful third one which basically killed the series. The entire trilogy is now out in a bundle. Check it out.
A fan made trilogy trailer which is sadly 10x better than the official one. It's like the publisher/developer stopped caring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvqYN2RJfVA
Posted by: Conquistador | December 13, 2012 at 05:54 PM
"For what it's worth, I'm writing a sci-fi novel. Anyone else out there doing the same? "
Not straight sci-fi but I'm writing a fantasy/sci-fi crossover sort of thing.
Posted by: Anonymouse | December 14, 2012 at 01:04 AM
Bullshit, engineers don't read at all. They play poker or browse the web. Also, Shakespeare created a lot of value, as did Goethe, the great german poet. SciFi is very prole-like, very base, very low culture. Gimme Plato over Dick anyday.
Posted by: Poniot | December 14, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Man, this blog is full of absurd overgeneralizations, and so are the comments. Even this one!
Posted by: John | December 16, 2012 at 07:39 AM