The Science of Science Fiction People

Regrettably, my knowledge of Science is a vast black hole, a starving beast I cannot feed. Children, a wife, work, church, reading and writing take most of my time. Every now and then I find the time to gaze at the stars--all three of them that I can see from under the blaze of Bay Area lights--and wonder. Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going? I won’t attempt to answer such questions here. I have my beliefs and you have yours. Religion is a pair of shoes that don’t fit anyone the same way. Some people don’t fit in them at all. But those of us who love Science and love Fiction share a common Religion. The Religion of seeking truth, exploring possibilities, sharing our visions.

I have a deep respect for readers of Science Fiction. They are good people. They are brilliant thinkers. They are sublime human beings. My kind of people.

The vision of the future is the most powerful vision of all. Is that not where God gets his power? Being able to see the future, the present and the past all at one time is, in my opinion, Godhood. Readers of Science Fiction are always trying to improve their lives, moving toward something they see that is better than themselves, more noble than themselves. Such thought invokes humility, self-respect, and understanding of others.

But knowledge is not all. Science Fiction readers gain knowledge, but do they know the difference between knowledge and wisdom? Knowledge without wisdom is stupidity. Knowledge coupled with wisdom is poetry. What we know and how we use that knowledge are two different things. I like to think of myself as a person who uses what little knowledge I have in a wise manner. Such self-gratification gives me the self-esteem I need to keep on going, to put my head up and take care of my responsibilities. The time I have on the train or the bus between commuting to work is just about the only time I have to read Science Fiction or work on the next issue of Titan. My job is gratifying to a point, but it doesn’t bring me the satisfaction of reading others’ speculative work, taking a journey to an elevated level of thought.

Some people I know have mislabeled science fiction as "escapist" art. Science Fiction readers are "escaping" from reality into a more pleasant future, somewhere where they can forget about their problems for a time. To me, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I read for enjoyment, yes, but I also read Science Fiction to try and make sense of who I am, what I’m doing here, and what I can do to ensure a better future for my children. Science Fiction is most assuredly not escapist art. And if you disagree with me, I think you’re missing the whole point of Science Fiction. If you are escaping when you read Science Fiction, you haven’t quite grasped the true meaning of it. Reality is here to stay, folks. Ain’t no use trying to escape from it.

Many of us want to see our name in the limelight, sit at tables in bookstores where scores of people line up holding hardbound copies of our latest novel, waiting for our autograph. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve dreamed about it on a regular basis for several years. Dreams keep us going, give us something to reach for. I have no doubt that many of you have had the same dream. And when those rejection notices start coming in, as they have for me for a couple of years now, don’t get discouraged. Frame that first rejection letter and keep on writing. If you get comments with those rejection letters, use them wisely. You can only improve your writing. And writers, I’ve noticed, get better simply by getting older. Experience is the gold of writing. Nothing improves a writer’s skill better than growing up.

This wasn’t much of a Science Corner, I know. My scientific knowledge is mediocre at best. But it felt good to talk about some things that are important to me. Family, Science Fiction, dreams. This little corner of Titan is going to be a place where readers and writers alike can express their feelings about anything. So finish reading this issue of Titan and get busy writing and living your dreams. Therein lies true happiness.

You can e-mail Chad Cottle cottlec@cooley.com