Science Fiction and the Dinner Affair

It is said that the devils in the details, and the older I get the more I have to admit there might be some truth to that. Its not that I like details. In fact I hate details, yet in the same breath I am also driven to find explanations and understand why some people like something and why they don't. So...you could say I'm more into the "big picture." Let's take for instance science fiction. But don't mind the details.

After doing the research, and drawing from a few of my own personal experiences I think there is a wide range of reasons why people do like science fiction. About this time last year, I decided — somewhat reluctantly—to go ahead and pass out some information about my books at a dinner party. One of the women at the party, with a thick Russian accent, tugged at her fur shawl, and told me she straight away she didn't like science fiction. I took in a breath and simply asked, "Why not?" She shrugged with an indifferent look on her face. "Romance?" I questioned hopefully. "I do have quite of bit of romance integrated into my stories," I explained. "Anything?" She shook her head. "Oh," was all I could manage. Maybe a non-reader. Theres fiction, non-fiction and then theres non-readers! To an author, they're like the walking dead. 

Before I could regain my composure, her younger comrade,  snatched one of my book marks out of my hand before I could blink an eye, and told me she loved science fiction. I smiled and told her I hoped she would enjoy it, and hoped she would pass it out among millions of Russian readers who BTW I have heard love science fiction (who can read english hopefully). Well, I concluded, when people like science fiction they really do and when they don't - they really don't . But as far as the first woman, could this have been a smack down because I gave her boyfriend - my divorce attorney - a friendly hug a few seconds beforehand? My mind's eye flickered back in time, but it was too late to test out the theory. Maybe if I had asked her before the hug she loved science fiction. 

Shortly afterwards, the first woman had moved into the kitchen,  and had begun to complain loudly about a lot other things she didn't like -  like football - and that she wanted to leave the party.  Her attitude got on my nerves and her demeanor, I concluded, was just ill-mannered. Suffice to say the host - a close friend of mine, who is usually very cool tempered and laid back, hadn't missed it. He had few drinks in him at this point, and stood regarding her antics with an annoyed look on his face, then leaned into my ear saying, "I don't like that bitch." I was hardly surprised by his reaction.  I saw her step about and grab her jacket to leave, as he continued. "Just a whore after his money,"  he concluded. "Sorry to hear that," was about all I could manage, enjoying the spectacle despite myself. After a few short words, I found a quick exit and headed to a nearby room. Such is my fate in life, but within a few seconds of research,  I had unwittingly created a personal drama instead of a scientific endeavor. Ah well. Too bad I didn't ask her before the hug but the latest research will tell you one in five people do enjoy science fiction. 

The steps of science research are: 1. Ask a question. 2. Do background research. 3. Construct a hypothesis. 4. Test the Hypothethis. 5. Analyze the data and communicate your results.

But back to the big picture and less about my fun in "people watching." The good news is I did find a few other people at the party who were genuinely interested in my stories, which concluded the research that one in five will. Science fiction readers are also about 60% male and 40% female. They are often young, or older but the in-between ages fade away from the market for a time. According to a blind research project by a writer named Mark Neimann-Ross they also make good money with the average income at about 50,000 to more than 80,000 a year. Another piece of interesting news is - it is thought, but not confirmed that science fiction readers use both sides of the brain, able to combine the analytical and the intuitive visual sides at the same time. Although this is only extrapolation it seems only a percent of the population are able to "think" like an S/SF reader.

Although that might be true, my least favorite information has to do with social stigma. Despite overwhelming evidence that science fiction is a genre of mature ideas and intelligent writing, mainstream society still hold this as "Nerd" cool, or for twelve-yr olds with overactive imaginations, and not for women. As usual these perceptions don't seem to come into play as people hold up the movie line for Avatar, The Time Traveler's Wife or Harry Potter. Sigh. I can't fight against perceptions and don't care to. Life is just too short.

As for me, I like science fiction because the here and now is a little bit boring to me. We already have the here and now, and the real world can be a bit disenchanting, predictable and well, boring.  Rational. Systematic. Even cold. Where is the wonder and magic in that? I'd rather  re enchant the world and spark young imaginations. It's the unknown and the scientific process that offers a hope, a dream a future that we just haven't seen yet. The devil may be in the details - but according to the numbers, twenty one percent of people in the USA do like science fiction which adds up to sixty-four million people in this country alone.