What Science Fiction Has Influenced Your Thinking?

[Solomon Zorn]

Be it books, movies or television. What science fiction and "sci-fi" has influenced the way you think?  :-k

For me Star Trek really nailed in the ideas of diversity and humanism and a positive outlook on the future.

The writings of Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert were influential in my thinking as well.

[AtheTurk]

i especially affected by generally 18. century posivitizm. and dialectic materialism.

when comes to your question. i say the final scene of rise of the planet of the apes.

[stromboli]

Things to Come
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_to_Come
Made in 1936, was one of the first big talking movies. Starred some serious British acting talent. The story is about the ultimate conflict of man against himself, his lust for power, and the fight of learned men over intolerant and backward thinking. It also presaged (and some said predicted) WW2, and in the long term has a great many things to say about our society. I would recommend this to every one.

Stranger in a Strange Land (novel)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land
Was controversial in its day because it dealt with free love, and was a significant book during the counter culture of the 60's. Introduced the concept of a "fair witness"  a person who could witness without bias in any situation. Orson Scott Card extrapolated the idea and turned it into "Speaker For the Dead" I'm sure he'd deny it, but they are too similar an idea.

Foundation (series) by Isaac Asimov
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_series
The concept is about a society of scientists that builds an enormous computer-an entire planet- that can predict the future by calculating from mass action, or broad trends in social behavior over a galactic population. Actually a forerunner of Chaos Theory.

Dune (series) by Frank Herbert
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(novel)
Also from Herbert: Destination: Void
The void novel- which became a series, is about creating an artificial intelligence. Very heavy and insightful.

dune- read the book, avoid the movie.

[Solitary]

None for me because it is science fiction. But Star Trek had great social commentary, and A 2001 Space Odyssey and Aliens did get it right that there is no sound in space that can be heard without special equipment. I love science fiction movies though. I really liked Aliens (That scene when the baby comes out of the man's chest is terrific), The original War of the Worlds (only movie I watched six time in a row), Forbidden Planet (Based on Shakespeare's Tempest. And the second chapter of the story is Aliens.) When worlds collide (Still is scary), Jurassic Park, and my favorite that should have a sequel coming out soon, Avatar (A nine foot sexy woman can't be beat when they look like Zoe Sordana).  :shock:    Solitary

[Hydra009]

Trek and B5 for pluralism.  Stargate for secular humanism.  Dune for environmentalism.  Foundation for the importance of knowledge and the fragility of civilization.  Warhammer 40k as a cautious tale about the progressively horrible effects of war on individuals and societies and the abandonment of science in preference for religious zeal and totalitarianism.

[SGOS]

Gee, I think pretty much all science fiction influences my thinking, except for a few really second rate attempts at science fiction.  That's kind of what makes science fiction so wonderful.  It influences our thinking.  It's a great venue for social commentary, and social commentary is so much a part of science fiction.

My cousin is a red neck conservative, and he hates science fiction.  I've wondered why.  I think it might be because there's so much social commentary.  But I don't know if that would be typical of most conservative red necks or not.

[Hydra009]

My cousin is a red neck conservative, and he hates science fiction.  I've wondered why.  I think it might be because there's so much social commentary.  But I don't know if that would be typical of most conservative red necks or not.

Science fiction is oriented towards future, particularly future scientific developments.  Science fiction books are about our possible futures.  And like fantasy and horror, they're set in other realities, not connected to our day-to-day lives.

This is not the sort of thing that appeals to everyone.  Not everyone can play make believe.  Not everyone is interested in science or the future.  And the values typically embedded in these tales often clash tremendously with current Republican attitudes, especially the general distrust (if not outright denialism) towards science and the perpetual longing for the good ol' days.  These are the sorts of people who can barely stomach resident aliens, let alone actual aliens.  There's a reason why Republicans don't like Star Trek.  They're not in it.

[SGOS]

This is not the sort of thing that appeals to everyone.  Not everyone can play make believe.  

Yeah, I know.  Whenever I'm going to watch a movie with this one couple, I don't even suggest science fiction.  They are not interested because in their words, "Oh that's just make believe."  But they go to church every Sunday and pray to whatever.  Go figure.   :-D

[Solomon Zorn]

Things to Come
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_to_Come
Made in 1936, was one of the first big talking movies. Starred some serious British acting talent. The story is about the ultimate conflict of man against himself, his lust for power, and the fight of learned men over intolerant and backward thinking. It also presaged (and some said predicted) WW2, and in the long term has a great many things to say about our society. I would recommend this to every one.

Stranger in a Strange Land (novel)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land
Was controversial in its day because it dealt with free love, and was a significant book during the counter culture of the 60's. Introduced the concept of a "fair witness"  a person who could witness without bias in any situation. Orson Scott Card extrapolated the idea and turned it into "Speaker For the Dead" I'm sure he'd deny it, but they are too similar an idea.

Foundation (series) by Isaac Asimov
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_series
The concept is about a society of scientists that builds an enormous computer-an entire planet- that can predict the future by calculating from mass action, or broad trends in social behavior over a galactic population. Actually a forerunner of Chaos Theory.

Dune (series) by Frank Herbert
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(novel)
Also from Herbert: Destination: Void
The void novel- which became a series, is about creating an artificial intelligence. Very heavy and insightful.

dune- read the book, avoid the movie.

I GROK you, Stromboli! Seen and read all of that! Excellent taste! I almost listed Heinlein as an influence (Stranger in a Strange Land and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress), along with Fredrick Pohl.

[aitm]

"Yank my Doodle Dandy" was the first porn with that sci fi shit called solar batteries, it changed my whole life in a mere 1hr 15 minutes.

[Solomon Zorn]

"Yank my Doodle Dandy" was the first porn with that sci fi shit called solar batteries, it changed my whole life in a mere 1hr 15 minutes.

1hr 15 min eh? You were either really good at it, or really bad at it!

[aitm]

"Yank my Doodle Dandy" was the first porn with that sci fi shit called solar batteries, it changed my whole life in a mere 1hr 15 minutes.

1hr 15 min eh? You were either really good at it, or really bad at it!

sorry but that was the length of the movie.

[GSOgymrat]

I can't even begin to think how science fiction has influenced my thinking. All the television shows and movies people have listed but when I think about books, especially classics like 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Childhood's End, The Left Hand of Darkness-- they really had an effect on me.

[Eric1958]

When I was in my late teens and early 20's I was much more libertarian in my thinking thanks to Robert Heinlein's writings.

[Hopist]

Anything to do with time travel really interests me.

I will even watch a really crap film just because it has a time travel element in it.

Sending liquid metal assassins back through time to kill the saviour of the human race.. awesome.