I think Science Fiction is a dying form

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Who writes hard science fiction these days?

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The stuff that's popular is space opera.  Retro sci fi.  Military sci fi.

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I think this is because as a culture we rally don't believe in the future any more.  When Heinlein, Clark and Asimov wrote about Moon bases and interplanetary missions - such things were possible.  Now we live in a world where everyone knows such things would disappointing money sinks.

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Fantasies, including space operas, don't have to wrestle with the issues of today - they check out to never, never land.

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Yesterday, my best friend and I got into discussing Science Fiction and Fantasy.  we discussed the hardness of science fiction.  There are interesting elements of hard SF in recent times.  You can play with a piece of speculative fiction inside the milleau of a fantasy world.

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Dennis opined that my standard for hard sci-fi was too rigid.

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Perhaps he's right.

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For me the question remains.

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Are there starships in our future?  Or am I like an Egyptian in 2100 B.C.  saying "Someday, they'll build pyramids that will reach heaven itself!"

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Is there a future for us?  What does it look like?

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Jay ~Meow!~