Antique sci-fi tales that still spark the flame of new generations.
Flatland by Edwin Abbott Abbott
Flatland may not be the oldest work of “science fiction”—that title probably goes to the Japanese The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (9th-10th cent.)—but it’s certainly one of the earliest that incorporated elements of genuine science.
Written in 1884, the story is narrated by a character that lives in the peculiar “Flatland”. Different shapes reside in a two-dimensional plane, unable to see each other’s “true shape” directly. Instead, they identify each other by the way their edges look as shapes approach or recede them. Diagrams drawn by the character are attached to help explain their worldview.
Oh, and taxes are still a thing, apparently. There’s a strict tax on houses with fewer sides, as their sharp edges are a safety hazard to passerby.
Most interesting, though, is how the two-dimensional beings view 0D beings—that is, a single point bound by itself.
"That point is a Being like ourselves, but confined to the non-dimensional Gulf. He is himself his own World, his own Universe; of any other than himself he can form no conception… Yet mark his perfect self-contentment, and hence learn this lesson, that to be self-contented is to be vile and ignorant, and that to aspire is better than to be blindly and impotently happy.
This is an important lesson that applies to many scientific fields, but I feel that it especially resonates with SETI and perspectives on intelligence in the universe. Abbott warns against being content with the self-imposed confinement of one's imagination and perspective. The same is true when considering life on other worlds; we must keep our metaphorical eyes open to all the possibilities.
Flatland has also had an unquestionable influence on science fiction. An example of a recent work that continues its legacy would be Cixin Liu’s The Dark Forest. Whereas Abbott’s characters travel into lower dimensions—from 2D to 1D—Liu’s dimensional travelers transcend the common three spatial dimensions in the novel. The result is a dizzying description of a 3D being exploring the world in four dimensions. I encourage you to read it for yourself, but it’s very trippy. And strange.
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
The War of the Worlds is one of the pioneers of alien invasion stories. It depicts a tentacled Martian species landing on Earth to invade it for resources.
When you hear the title, some of you might make the connection to the infamous alleged panic incident. Orson Welles’ radio adaptation of the novel was aired in 1938. According to some accounts, people tuning in to the broadcast mid-way believed the reports of a Martian invasion were real, leading to mass panic among the listeners.
Although the scale of the panic has been disputed by some historians, perhaps the stories show the extent of the public’s astronomy knowledge back then. War of the Worlds has also been recently adapted into a show by Spielberg, but thankfully, there weren't any panicked riots this time around.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Ever since its inception, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has been a cult classic among sci-fi lovers. It follows a perfectly ordinary man who happens to be the only survivor of Earth's demolition for galactic construction. He tags along with a team of galaxy misfits in a quest that they don't really know the purpose of. It’s hilariously strange, and the off-beat humor makes for an experience that’s like no other sci-fi book I’ve read.
Hitchhiker's Guide continues to be loved by fans of new generations. The memorable slogan of the titular guide, "Don't Panic", is often quoted and used in memorabilia. The grave of Adams has been left with dozens of pens by die-hard fans, a nod to a scene in the book that extensively discusses "a planet entirely given over to ballpoint life form".
These are the books I have for you today. I hope I've inspired you to pick up any of them, and I'll see you in the next one!
*****
Bibliography
Magazine, S. (2015, May 6). The infamous "War of the worlds" radio broadcast was a magnificent fluke. Smithsonian.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/infamous-war-worlds-radio-broadcast-was-magnificent-fluke-180955180/
Taxes in 1884 is crazy but having a strict tax on a house because it’s edges are a “safety hazard” is just wild man.