Quote:
Originally Posted by VaporPunk
Um, I'm an American living in Belgium.  |
I wasn't implying that non-Americans see the U.S. differently thanks to the media; the same thing is at work in the U.S. and everywhere else. The U.S. sees itself as the media presents our country to us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VaporPunk
Saying violent crime isn't that bad in the US because I've never experienced it...isn't that kind of like saying...
"I just looked out the window and it's raining, ergo it must be raining everywhere."
This is (or was  , apologies for going  ) a discussion about Science Fiction. |
Well, it's the same effect at work: "I go to the theatre and look at the Amazon storefront, and all I see is pessimistic SF. Therefore it must all be pessimistic." When in fact the predominantly visible SF is chosen by marketers for its money-making capability, not its prevalence or dominance; which in turn is supported by those who want to cash in on the money-making ability and popularity of pessimistic SF by creating more. But it's not representative of everything out there.
And again, "pessimistic" is relative.
Brave New World described a society that was very clean and efficient, in which (almost) everyone was happy with their lives and lot. Was it pessimistic because it reached this level by taking steps that we, today, don't approve of... or was it optimistic, because those methods worked for everyone except outsiders and the rare "eccentric cog" in the machine?