Hatrack River Forum: But Utah does have some good points

This is topic But Utah does have some good points in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Amka (Member # 690) on :

From there to here:

http://www.sltribune.com/2003/Aug/08242003/arts/arts.asp

quote:
Card, who lived in Utah before moving to North Carolina a few years ago, says he's not surprised to find Mormons interested in the genre. "We have no qualms about the idea of life on other planets, faster-than-light travel, ancient 'lost' civilizations, supernatural events with natural explanations," he told The Salt Lake Tribune in an e-mail message. "We view all problems as solvable, and regard human nature as being fundamentally good and humans as capable of far more, intellectually and morally, than we have yet seen in history. These are attributes of mainstream science fiction, so Mormons are comfortable in that milieu.
"However, the reason is really deeper than this. . . . Science fiction allows writers to deal with all the most powerful, troubling and/or difficult religious, moral and cosmological issues. Where else can you write apocalyptic, eschatological, epistemological and redemptive fiction with any kind of clarity?"

Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :

I don't mean to be demeaning, but somehow I think OSC is stroking himself a little in the above passage, although I think it is somewhat true.

Posted by Amka (Member # 690) on :

Why do you think he is stroking himself in that? Seriously?

Because he just made a statement about what he is passionate about. A statement he was asked for? How do you expect someone, who is a good writer renowned for difficult moral dilemas in speculative fiction, when asked for an opinion about why Mormons appear to have a leaning towards speculative ficiton, to answer?

Do you seriously think, when he said that, that he was thinking "I'm going to say something that makes me sound bloody brilliant."

Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :

Well, he did use the word "eschatological." [Wink]

Posted by Amka (Member # 690) on :

Hmm, you have a point there.

Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :

Is that an unusual word? I never realized it was. In my family growing up, the scatalogical and the eschatological were everyday subjects. [Smile]

[ August 25, 2003, 05:09 PM: Message edited by: ak ]

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

quote:

Science-fiction and fantasy authors "are really asking important questions, but they look more like entertainment," said Chip Ward, who heads the Utah Center for the Book. "If you're not used to that genre, it's hard to know if it's really serious or not."