fiction also concerns itself with nature, the envi-
ronment, and ecology; there are numerous sci-
ence fiction stories about nature transformed, for
better or worse, by human actions, environmental
catastrophes, ecological engineering, or cosmic
events. Science fiction addresses anything that
has a future.
As the first in a series of four novels written by
Simmons—collectively referred to as the Hyperion
Cantos, and spanning three centuries beginning
in the twenty-ninth century—we find (as a sample)
the following events and themes: The promise
of immortality, which involves selling your soul
to the “Devil”; a philosophical debate between
... we need to significantly broaden the narrow and
stereotypical vision of the domain of science fiction
as simply technological extrapolation... To restate,
science fiction is about the future of everything.
Dan Simmons’ Hyperion (1989) illustrates on
a grand scale how science fiction is about the
future of everything. Equally so, it demonstrates
how science fiction can realize (when it is done
well) literary excellence, contradicting the view
that the genre is juvenile in plot, characterization,
and style. The language of Hyperion is rich, poet-
ical, expansive, and colorful. Drawing on the liter-
ary classic, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Hyperion
tells the story of seven pilgrims who are journey-
ing to the planet Hyperion. They have been called
there by enigmatic forces, which seem to include
both super-intelligent computers (A.I.) as well
as mysterious personages within a future-trans-
formed Catholic Church. Their mission is to con-
front the Shrike, a giant metallic being covered
in razor-like blades who is killing human settlers
by the thousands and seems to come from the
future. On the journey, each pilgrim tells their
personal story of how they came to this critical
juncture in their life; the pilgrims include a poet, a
philosopher, a warrior, and a priest. The individual
stories are visceral, metaphysical, bizarre, allegor-
ical, and intricate.
42 HF |
April 2019
a future Dali Lama and the Grand Inquisitor; the
reincarnation of the poet Keats within cyberspace
and the reliving of his death on an alternative
virtual earth; bio- and nano-technologically en-
hanced humans who are aerial beings living un-
tethered and ungrounded in the cold darkness of
outer space; a giant tree that is converted into an
interstellar space ship and an even more gargan-
tuan solar ring (surrounding a sun) that is grown
out of a tree; the complex and gritty street life of
multiple future cities; the fall of human civiliza-
tion and the rise to power of a corrupt Catholic
church; innumerable alien ecologies and forms of
life; and the Second Coming—the mythic narrative
of death and resurrection—realized through time
travel. Oh, and the Second Coming is a girl.
The Hyperion Cantos is an intricate and compre-
hensive vision of a possible and highly realistic
future, covering all dimensions of human life,
technological, scientific, psychological, social,
ethical, cosmic, spiritual, and religious. It is a
grand and rich narrative—a future of everything—
informed by classical literature and contemporary
thought, and yet pointing toward an amazingly
strange and mysterious future.
cal-political analysis and theoretical exposition
on the nature of human society—how did human
civilization get to where it is—Wells extrapolates
Not only does good science fiction stimulate
a hypothetical developmental narrative of global
holistic future consciousness (1), touching all the humanity over the next two centuries that covers
psychological dimensions of the human mind,
science; technology; education; economics; war
it also facilitates an integrative understanding
and peace; politics and government; and art and
of the future. Good science fiction frequently
social mores. The Shape of Things to Come is
creates a fully realized, multidimensional vision
a scholarly and inter-disciplinary meditation on
of the future, in which all the pieces are woven
humanity, past, present, and future; Wells imagi-
together into an intricate and comprehensive
natively builds a plausible future out of a theoreti-
vision. Good science fiction “creates a world.” The cal analysis of the past. World-building in science
real future, indeed, will be an interactive synthesis fiction has a long history, and the study of history,
of all dimensions of human existence, and both
as an important feature of its integrative nature,
earthly and cosmic reality, perhaps even including has often informed and grounded its futurist
realities we have not even thought about. Aside
extrapolations.
from the Hyperion Cantos, other noteworthy
examples of science fiction novels that envision
To go back even further in the history of science
rich and expansive possible future societies
fiction—before it had its name—the great French
(encompassing humans, aliens, and A.I.) include
writer Albert Robida’s ironic and comical The
John Brunner’s Stand on Zanzibar (1968), Kim
Twentieth Century (1882) is an amazingly ani-
Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars, Green Mars, and
mated, prescient, and rich vision of future human
Blue Mars trilogy (1991, 1994, 1996), Neal Ste-
society. This novel is the most thoroughly articu-
phenson’s The Diamond Age (1995), Ian McDon-
lated, intricate, and comprehensive fictionalized
ald’s River of Gods (2004), and Iain Banks’ Matter vision of the future of humanity written in the
(2008).
nineteenth century (of books I have read), inte-
grating numerous extrapolations and predictions
But to gain a broader perspective and appreci-
on psycho-social, lifestyle, and gender issues;
ation of the integrative dimension of science
finance and professions; scientific-technolog-
fiction, let’s consider H. G. Wells’ famous novel,
ical and transportation-communication devel-
The Shape of Things to Come (1933). Grounded
opments; ethical-political evolution; and enter-
in the initial chapters in an extensive histori-
tainment, fashion, cuisine, tourism, and artistic
1 I define “holistic future consciousness” as the total set of psychological processes and modes of experience and
behavior involved in our consciousness of the future. It includes our hopes and fears about the future; our planning, our
strategies, and our goals; our images and visions of the future, good and bad, utopian and dystopian; the stories we tell
ourselves about where we are heading in the future, and our purposeful behaviors to create desirable and preferable
futures and prevent negative possible futures from occurring. It is the total Gestalt of our experience and psycho-social
engagement with the future (Lombardo, 2006, 2011, 2017).
HF | Human Futures 43