Science Fiction in Society

I did a research paper. I took like a third out. I researched for it for like a semester, so needless to say, I'm proud. Here's the final product for my English class:

Science Fiction in Society

For many, it is the same memory: at the cinema, sitting in a darkened room—the cheap tickets, the uncomfortable seats, the smell of greasy butter and popcorn. Yet—despite the absence of comfort—being completely, and utterly, enthralled as the film bursts into life. The sound of a symphony sending a theater full of strangers into a galaxy far, far away on a wave of euphonic notes and nostalgia for all things Star Wars. Star Wars, like many of its sci-fi brethren, has captivated an audience of both young and old, offering an eternity of possibilities. From Star Wars to Star Trek, science fiction has enraptured a sea of societies inside and outside of America, becoming an integral part of their identity today. Phrases from the big screen and the small alike populate mainstream vocabulary, such as 'in a galaxy, far, far, away,' or the often misused 'beam me up, Scotty.' There is no doubt that, as a genre, science fiction has had a monumental cultural impact, however, can the same be said about social impacts? Many in the genre have taken it upon themselves to do just that. By employing the sci-fi medium, people can critique societies today, by juxtaposing their story with problems societies currently face, or providing civilizations of which one should aspire to. Science fiction has often presented utopias that one should look up to or villainous cultures which often mirror our own, as a method of discussing society. Can these new worlds, beyond sayings and spellbound audiences, cause actual change? The short answer yes, however, the truth is not as binary. To create change, science fiction must reach a mainstream audience including children or young adults, and create a controversy over a subject of debate. By meeting this criterion, science fiction presents new ideas and values to the open minds of youth, who will, in time, shape our future.

Despite the overabundance of white people in science fiction, the genre has provided a channel for racial equality. While it isn't uncommon for the science fiction genre to stick to white protagonists, see Blade Runner, the original Star Wars trilogy, and more recent titles like Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, adding people of color onto the list of protagonists has aided in the development of racial equality. In a time of discrimination and oppression, the Starship Enterprise was a sight to behold. Imagine: the year is 1966, and a new television series, broadcasted on NBC was about to transport America, for an hour, into a new world. The mid-60s was a time of social tension—Malcolm X was assassinated, Birmingham Church was bombed, killing four African American girls. Meanwhile, Star Trek presented a utopian society where racial equality was the norm (Izadi). As it turned out, the Modern Civil Rights Movement was in need of a bit of Star Trek. During the 1960s, TV shows were littered with 'all-white' casts, and on the rare occasion colored people did appear on screen, it was to play the role of a servant. TOS—The Original Series—declared to its audience that one's race didn't matter, and gave hope for a future where equality was present, filling the bridge with a diverse cast of characters from all over the world, such as George Takei as Sulu and Nichelle Nichols as Uhura. William Shatner, the actor of James T. Kirk stated ""When we went into syndication, different people watched it and, all of a sudden, it caught fire and became what we know now in countries around the world. And people's lives were influenced by these characters. And then the movies began, and J.J. Abrams took hold of the franchise, and now it's illumined once again" (Keveny). New diversity offered new perspectives of equality to combat the marginalization of minorities in the 1960s. Put simply, "the show presented the viewers with a completely diverse bridge crew" as "money no longer exists, so racial division and class systems [were] also extinct, producing a perfect socialistic society without ever losing its cultural identity as uniquely American" (Drushel 14). TOS presented a utopia and a dream for people around America. In fact, it was for this very reason that Martin Luther King Jr. was a Star Trek fan, stating: "we will be seen as we should be seen every day, as intelligent, quality, beautiful people who can sing and dance, yes, but who can go into space, who can be lawyers and teachers, who can be professors — who are in this day, yet you don't see it on television until now" (Izadi). King stated that Star Trek was the only show he and his wife allowed their children to stay up for, and for a significant reason: King understood the significance of representation in media, and how seeing such a society as presented in Star Trek could impact the ideals of an impressionable child. The beliefs of science fiction TV show wouldn't do much in the political debate of grown-ups, but if African American children could see what King and thousands of others were striving for, what they could become beyond the boundaries of racist policies, that was another story entirely. The issue of race has also been presented by others in the science fiction genre as well, though none as well known or impactful as TOS. Though recent, Star Wars; The Force Awakens, was a bit of controversy itself because of its Black protagonist, Finn. People criticized the idea of a Black Stormtrooper, in part because he was supposed to be a clone, and in part due to racism. While the original trilogy had Lando and the prequels had Mace Windu, neither had the title of 'main character.' While the total social impact of Finn is unclear at the moment, one thing is evident, Boyega's casting was a controversy, and with controversy comes change. By making the Star Wars franchise more inclusive and representative, and less of "just a bunch of white American dudes fighting a bunch of white British dudes," Star Wars can foster a future of greater equality (Qtd. in Hoby). This environment introduces more young minds to people of color as role models to look up to, something we have been bereft of for decades. However, not all science fiction which pushes for racial equality has had such a tremendous impact.