Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Commercialism ruins sci-fi
In a spirit not in tune with the season, I want to say how much I detest the commercialization of sci-fi that occurs during the holidays. Transformer toys, Star Wars toys, mass productions of second rate science fiction novels, the obligatory big budget, not big idea sci-fi Christmas epic. It's enough to make one sick. What about the old days, when everyone was justly cynical about the spirit of the season, and we had our own genre "Imagines," rather than Mercy Me Christian Christmas songs. I want Tim Minchin kick ass anti-Christmas lyrics in my sci-fi, not a return to the early sixties, in which science fiction still did an occasional Christmas episode. It's enough that we commercialize the other 364 days of the year . . . do we really have to make Christmas day yet another effort in capitalist consumerism? Rant over.
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I would say it's the other way around. The crass consumerism that has destroyed Christmas now infects our society on a daily basis!
ReplyDeleteAs an unabashed socialist I'd say that within capitalism any and everything is potentially subject to commercialism. It is innate to the system and it is a potential influence on everything produced or consumed.
ReplyDeleteSci fi being dominated by Libertarians is rather naturally friendly to commercialism at least on a political philosophy level.
Christmas especially has been commercialized as the gift tradition creates the opportunity for advertisers/marketers to work their magic.
I don't see anything surprising about these things.
my complaint is that they are not doing a good job. My wife never gets me anything scifi related for Christmas. rather unfortunate.
ReplyDeleteNick,
ReplyDeleteSorry if my rant was a little predictable. I'm currently on meds for bipolar, and the meds make my thinking a little foggy. Hope that's not too much information.
John
No need to apologize. I tend to rant to my wife and undoubtedly repeat myself and state things way more obvious than your blog entry. There's nothing wrong with venting stuff out. It's all good.
ReplyDeleteBesides it may be a normal thought for me, but your post may strike someone else who is less lefty than I and get them thinking.
Dear Nick and Steve,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your great comments!
John