Faces on Stunned

J. Kevin Tumlinson

If you look back at all of the major (and even minor) technological advances we've had in the past 50 years, you may notice that almost all of them were “foretold.” Not in the creepy, Nostradamus, stare into a crystal ball way, but more of a subtle, cool, Arthur C. Clarke writing 2001: A Space Odyssey of way. Science fiction has, amazingly, told us what was coming time and time again. Or has it?

You could probably make the argument that technology predicted in sci-fi was invented BECAUSE it was envisioned by the authors. It's a sort of “grandfather's paradox,” to use a sci-fi generated term. What came first? The fiction or the science? Was it inevitable that we would invent television, satellite communication, laptop computers and the Internet? Were these logical conclusions to our ever-forward technological plodding, or did they pop up because some dreamer with a pen or a typewriter had no concept of the limits of technology?

Arthur C. Clarke was the first to posit that satellites could be placed in a geosynchronous orbit around the earth. In simplest terms, he had the idea that if we put something in just the right orbit, a sort of friction point between our atmosphere and open space, then it might rotate with a fixed point on Earth instead of circling the planet the way the Moon does. The idea was revolutionary, and it's the foundation of just about every form of communication we use today. Cellular phones, satellite and cable television, even e-mail and the Internet are all the result of geosynchronous orbit. Not bad for something that some guy dreamt up for the purpose of telling a story.

No matter what you think of Star Trek, you're going to have to admit that it had a huge impact on science and technology in the 20th century and is continuing to generate shockwaves in the 21st . Watch any old episode of the original series and you're likely to see automatic doors, wireless communicators, and even hand-held computers. All of these things are available today, and some of them have far surpassed the technology dreamt up by Gene Rodenberry and his team of creators. Even in the much more modern series, Star Trek: The Next Generation , we see new technology that was introduced as science fiction but has since been built and even surpasses what was predicted. Take, for example, the nifty computer terminal that sat prominently on Captain Picard's desk. At this very moment, I'm writing this column on a computer that is far smaller and more compact than that predicted technology. It may not be artificially intelligent (yet), but I get just as much use out of it as I ever saw Picard get out of his.

Think about the way Science Fiction has influenced our way of thinking in this country. If I say “warp drive,” you know exactly what I'm talking about. If I casually mention the word “ Enterprise ” in a conversation, you probably won't assume I'm talking about renting a car. Sci-fi has entered our vernacular, and has shaped the way we perceive not only the future but the world around us. Technological advances have been made possible because Science Fiction has allowed us to open our minds and dream.

And it's not just bright lights and clean uniforms we're dreaming about. How many movies have we seen about meteors or comets impacting the Earth? Scary thought, huh? And yet, Science Fiction explores these concepts and heightens public awareness of them, plus makes a few suggestions about what we could do to prevent such a disaster. It makes us think. Anything that can do THAT little trick deserves our full respect.

I'm ecstatic about the technology to come. The future looks like a wonderland for a guy like me – someone who can't wait to get his hands on the newest and latest toys available. Maybe that's one reason why I like reading and watching science fiction – it lets us catch a glimpse of what's to come. Or maybe it actually gives us a blueprint of what SHOULD be, and we take our cue from there.

J. Kevin Tumlinson is the Publisher and Editor for ViewOnline Magazine at www.viewonline.com . He is a Houston Baptist University graduate with degrees in English and Communications. You can reach him by e-mail at kevin@viewonline.com . He is in geosynchronous orbit around KFC.