ALT.SF4M

  Science Fiction vs. Folklore

   • j********o@***.com
     07/12/1998 00:00:000 UTC

     An interesting contrast occurred to me recently, while ridiculing Joseph

     Campell's tale on Star Wars. Every self-respecting science fiction
     universe

     seeks to be distinct from all others, while folklore is presumed to be
     set in a

     shared mythic milieu. Thus, it is entirely acceptable, even expected,
     for such

     tales to borrow from each other, where it would inappropriate and
     jarring to do

     so in science fiction.

     Gorno

       • s******j@s******.**o.com
         07/12/1998 00:00:000 UTC

         In article <1*************.*****.********2@n*****.***l.com>,
         JohnGorno wrote:

         >An interesting contrast occurred to me recently, while ridiculing
         Joseph

         >Campell's tale on Star Wars. Every self-respecting science fiction
         universe

         >seeks to be distinct from all others, while folklore is presumed to
         be set in a

         >shared mythic milieu. Thus, it is entirely acceptable, even
         expected, for such

         >tales to borrow from each other, where it would inappropriate and
         jarring to do

         >so in science fiction.

         Depends on what you mean by borrow. Lots of ideas (FTL drives,
         neural jacks,

         Singularities, etc.) get borrowed. Game settings tend to grab
         everything

         on hand.

         Also . . . since when is folklore presumed to take place in a shared
         milieu?

         Maybe in bad D&D campaigns.

         On the other hand, I agree that Campbell's take on Star Wars is
         whack. Warmed

         over Alan Watts style western-interpreted Buhddism. Lucas grafted on
         the

         mythical stuff after the fact, along with the pretentious backstory,
         so

         life impaired fans would be impressed by his genius.

         --

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