posted
This is for the same thing Robyn Hood is looking into: a collection of stories based on SF cliches. I have these ideas. Are they cliched?
* A cell phone that gets ticked off at its owner and kills her **because she keeps calling it "this stupid phone"** [reason added because of Survivor's comment] * A writer who discovers that everything he writes instantly becomes true
[This message has been edited by wbriggs (edited August 03, 2005).]
posted
The first idea - I think it's been used with other items of technologiocal equipment, but a cell=phone would be a new one. I'm wondering how it would kill its user. Brain-frying microwave overload is possible, but dull; what would be more fun is if it kept making phone calls that put her into potentially fatal situations...
The second idea - that of writerly control of the universe - is definitely a cliche (as well as a wish-fulfilment dream for some writers... ).
posted
I agree...I've written the second one. (And despite the clicheness. I got it published. ) The first one, though...while plenty of tech goes wacko and kills its owner I've never seen it done with a cell phone. I've been thinking of writing something for that contest and I'm not sure exactly what angle they might want...the cell phone could actually be a fresh new idea, especially with the spin tchernabyelo suggested (nice idea).
Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
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The second one, so very cliche. I can think of several movies (though not all the titles) with that theme, including a John Candy flick. I know there are many many books with that idea.
posted
The omnipotent writer is just a varient of stories involving wishes being granted. Whether or not it ends up being cliche depends on the wishes, not the mechanism by which they are granted.
As noted above, the cell phone murdering the owner is a subset of slave/creature/machine turns on it's master. Whether it is cliche doesn't depend on the particular form of the slave/creature/machine, but on it's reasons for turning against the master.
posted
You could do version 1 as a Frankenstein Monster take-off. The main character is a design engineer and wants to field test his new phone.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Aug 2010
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posted
Hmm...I think the first idea is like a watered down 1984, but not a bad idea, if you plan to take it less seriously and in a more ironic direction. The second idea - been done to death. Give it a shot, but its bound to mirror someone else's work.
Posts: 35 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I recently reread 1984 and I have to say...I think it is the single most misrepresented book of this century. Even having read it once before, I had gotten swept away by what everyone *thinks* it is about rather than what it actually is about. I got my head screwed back on straight a couple of months ago. The story REALLY is not at all about the fear that advanced tech will cause humans to be some kind of watched, slave race. According to the book, we readily do it to ourselves. It's a commentary on politics, psychology, and human nature...the tech is incidental.
Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
YES. In 1984, Asimov wrote an article showing how 1984 "got it wrong" because it assumed technology inevitably leads to tyranny. Grumble. You could take out every techno gizmo in the story except bombs and cameras, and it wouldn't make any difference.
Posts: 2830 | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
You know, the "Big Brother is watching you" stuff that you hear people say has come true every so often.
Posts: 8826 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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) The first one, though...while plenty of tech goes wacko and kills its owner I've never seen it done with a cell phone. I've been thinking of writing something for that contest and I'm not sure exactly what angle they might want...the cell phone could actually be a fresh new idea, especially with the spin tchernabyelo
