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Writing A Sci-Fi Future
Dystopian hellscapes vs utopian paradises and everything in-between.
Science fiction can be many things. While there are a lot of sub-genres of sci-fi, one of the predominant aspects is a form of predicting the future. Sci-fi presumes that the human race will still be present in future decades, centuries, or even millennia from now.
Science fiction has offered ideas that have become reality. Reading this on a smartphone or tablet? That was a mere concept of sci-fi less than a century ago. Various authors have provided visions of how space travel might change the world, technologies can connect us, and we can evolve as a race.
Or, unfortunately, the same technologies might destroy us. Warnings about overreliance on AI and robotics and other tools running amok are just as much a part of the sci-fi landscape (starscape?) as the things that better us all.
As an author, you get to decide if you will write a dystopian hellscape, a utopian paradise, or something that falls between these. Yes, I recognize you can ignore these completely in sci-fi, especially if you write somewhere like a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, or similar. But human society futurism in sci-fi tends to utilize these tropes.
What is a dystopian hellscape?
Let’s begin by keeping this to sci-fi, and not present-day circumstances (because WTAF is going on in the US government? It sure as hell feels dystopian). A dystopian hellscape is a world of strife, struggle, and challenges to survive. Sometimes it’s utterly subtle, a small few understanding what’s happening around them. Other times, it’s the blatant, ongoing disruptions of living in bomb shelters, being armed of necessity, and the constant struggle for survival.
There are lots of examples of this. I can cite any number of books, TV shows, games, and movies. Snow Crash, Fallout, Mad Max, Terminator, and The Matrix all come to mind. A world that has come apart at the seams, that is ravaged by blight or machines, a massive disconnect between rich and poor, capitalism overwhelming reason, or some combination of the above.
The dystopian hellscape is a future where everything is a struggle, at least for the story’s protagonist. It can, however, make for some unforgettable storytelling. In a dystopia, rising above the pain, fear, and suffering builds strong characters and many opportunities for heroism.
On the flip side, it can be bleak, a bit depressing, and unpleasant. I sure as hell would rather not live in such a time or place (and will do what I can to see to that).
That’s one sci-fi future. Let’s look at the other side of that same coin.
What is a utopian paradise?
The future is bright. A utopian paradise is where equality has won out, struggles have been reduced and eliminated, everyone has enough, and next to nobody suffers. This is the future of Universal Health Care for all, Universal Basic Income, assured housing, and similar notions.
Star Trek is the ultimate ideal of this. Humanity chose the utopian over the dystopian (not without getting through some serious, nasty shit first). On Earth, at least, humanism has won out over greed and rampant capitalism.
The trouble with utopian paradises is that they tend to leave someone behind, have people slip through the cracks, and while the majority benefit, a small few still suffer. This is because perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and what I consider paradise you might not. I love the sun and warm weather, while my wife prefers shade and cooler weather.
To me, the most appealing thing about a utopian paradise is the hope. A belief that despite our penchant for self-destruction and fighting over petty differences, we can overcome it and be better. The sci-fi future that is the utopian paradise is ideal for almost everyone, and hopeful that we can have more harmony, peace, equity, equality, and acceptance.
Because we cannot agree on what paradise is, since all of us have unique, individual perspectives, this is somewhat unrealistic.
Hence, the sci-fi future is often somewhere between the dystopian and utopian extremes.
The sci-fi future in-between
Human nature means that struggle is unavoidable. We love contests where participants fight in one way or another to best each other, whether it’s a game of chess, wrestling, football, elections, or any other competition. That, unfortunately, also translates to struggles for authority, power, position, and recognition.
The sci-fi future often reflects current reality. Good and bad, sharp and dull, dystopia and utopia. That’s because nearly everything we know falls in the grey and colors between black and white, or any other extremes you can conceive of.
From the ashes of dystopia, sometimes you get nothing but shit. Other times, however, you get lessons that allow you to build better. The awfulness of the past leads to a better and brighter future.
As a writer, you can choose to take a pessimistic approach, an optimistic approach, or a realistic approach. The realistic approach recognizes good, bad, and everything in-between in its sci-fi future.
I’ve written 5 different sci-fi futures. All of them fall between dystopian and utopian. That’s because I tend to infuse optimism into my sci-fi future. Yes, there are struggles, war, and challenges. Humans still create ludicrous, artificial divisions. But I like to believe that a sci-fi future of hope, potential, and possibilities is something worth striving for.
Living the sci-fi future
I am 53 years old. Over the course of my life, I’ve seen personal computers evolve from clunky, green-screened boxes to smartphones. The world both got larger and smaller as the internet connected us instantly across the globe. Information is available at your fingertips, but so is disinformation.
I know a luddite or two who struggle with tech and the sci-fi future that sprang up so swiftly. There has never been a time in human history when technology has advanced so quickly. This is where many people, fearful and scared, resist change. Even when it can improve the lives of everyone.
Choices and decisions you and I make today will impact the sci-fi future. As a writer, it’s fun to play with the tropes and envision possible future experiences for the human race. Dystopian, utopian, and everything in-between, science fiction can influence today while offering guidance for tomorrow.
Thanks for reading. As I share my creative journey with you every week, please consider this: How are you inspired and empowered to be your own authentic creator, whatever form that takes?
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