Joining
me today are Margaret Yang and Harry R. Campion, who write together as M.H. Mead. The two writers are
touring the local blogosphere to promote their new book, Taking the Highway, available
now at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I met Yang on Twitter, where
she maintains an active and friendly presence.
One
of the most interesting questions science fiction asks is, “What will this
technological change do to the way we live?” Trying to answer that question is
what we like to do best. When we recognize the potential effect of a
technological innovation, we’re excited. When we get it right, we’re absolutely
ecstatic.
But is it really that hard? When science fiction writers
speak of the future, it’s always code for today.
Writers imagine a future setting in order to point to a failing in today’s
society in a sideways way.
One of our favorite novels is Robert Heinlein’s FRIDAY. The
characters are all progressive, enlightened people who wouldn’t dream of being
racist. Yet, they look down on genetically engineered people as “artificial”
and treat them like property. It’s a way of sneaking up on the racism of
present-day society—the bigots don’t see it coming until it’s too late.
