Reddit discussion

So here's a a little something to get us into the frame of mind for The Sirens of Titan.

A question I would like to tackle at some point is to what degree SoT really IS science fiction, but I think that the book DEFINITELY takes one of these approaches in its regard to "science."

For everyone: any thoughts on the article and how it pertains to sci-fi literature?

From what you already know of Vonnegut and his other work, how do you think SoT will fit into this spectrum?

Where on this continuum do you most resonate?


If you've read the SoT: which message do you see in SoT? USE THE SPOILER TAG

I'll answer these questions myself, but I'd like to hear from you fine folks people first.

TL;DR Read this and tell us what you think

Great article. I haven't read Sirens yet, but I think it will fall under the fourth idea, that science is neither good or bad, only a possible distraction from "what's important", as he says. At least, that's what I imagine when I think of books like Breakfast of Champions and Slaughterhouse-Five. There were elements that were sci-fi, but really it was almost like a very small amount of icing on a much, much bigger cake. It was zany, and great to take part in, but really the ideas hidden inside were much better, much deeper.

I think I'm at a crossroads between the 1st pro-science, and the 4th almost indifferent idea. I don't believe that science has to be cold, but I don't necessarily believe in the 3rd idea that it has to take the back burner to human values or we'd have a "mad scientist" on our hands. Perhaps a balance of just plain human scientists who would put science first. Not coldly. Maybe even passionately. But I suppose you could argue that Frankenstein and the like were those sorts of people.
Nice find. I hadn't thought too much about the different underlying ideas in science fiction before.