Science fiction and Horror

I woke up when this month's magazine plonked on the doormat, advertising for Analog on the back, and my half awake thought inspired by the view was:


Science fiction teaches us that other people think differently but just as well.
Some stories have an SF wrapper on but they're Horror where Thinking Differently is the Fear.



Of course by that definition there's a lot of Action or Horror or whatever in an SF wrapper
and some SF in a Fantasy wrapper
etc.

It's not exactly a definition though, it's one of Niven's Laws
"The only universal message in science fiction: There exist minds that think as well as you do, but differently."
But it's only universal if it's a definition.

I also quite like "The ways of being human are bounded but infinite"



I guess there's nothing in the rules that says anything about our reaction. Thinking just as well can simply mean being just as smart. Smart opponents can be scary and inspire action movies etc.

But 'as well as you' sounds more like they're equally valuable, maybe even a moral judgement. Not just smart, equal.



So I like stories where finding someone who thinks different is a joy where you get a new perspective on the universe.


I am not at all keen on stories where the only thing to do is blow them up.

(no subject)

Today is far too warm.

So I went to meditation but we were upstairs and it was so hot I was dripping sweat sitting still and all I could focus on was urgh yuck hot.

So instead I stared at the art and kind of vaguely tried to quiet my mind and decided to be cheerful when I was made of distracted.

Not ideal.

But I guess that just shows how well it works usually, because just sitting looking at buddhas is not the same mind at all. So. Must be making progress somewhere.

... but it is far too warm and I look forwards to rain
and possibly October...