Science Fiction & Social Commentary - Planet Wa Ha Loop

For those of you who have never consumed science fiction in any of its many forms, let me allow you in on a little device the writers of science fiction have for a long time employed. They have known, for a long time now, that they could make social commentary more palatable, skirt public criticism or even being hanged depending on the era, and avoid censorship while reaching a broader if unsuspecting audience by setting their story in a fictional setting. The more remote and outlandish the less the audience suspected that the underlying message was being gently passed on to them.

To the reader or viewer the normally hotly debated or outright banned issues could be presented in a distant "galaxy far, far, away" or "where no man has gone before" suddenly become palatable by the suspension of disbelief we all submit too when reading a story or watching a movie.

Its kind of like when you ask someone an embarrassing question and cloak in with the "Its not for me doctor, but I have a friend who has this unspeakable rash what should he do?"

"Well, he should take this medication and if he were here I would give him this prescription."

"Oh, well, if you give it to me I'll be sure he gets it."

At the risk of sounding sexist I know that most of the women, with exceptions like the phenomenal Felicia Day (feliciaday.com) in the audience have tuned out by now, but we will press on despite this.

Notable examples have been seen in literature and movies alike. 'The Day the Earth Stood Still', (the remake starring Keanu Reeves soon to be released) more recently 'Idiocracy" multiple Star Trek episodes, novels like HG Wells 'The Time Machine" just to mention a few.

One which I'm sure exemplifies what I am getting at and I'm sure all will agree is a classic example is seen in the TV episode of Star Trek, " Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" when the crew encounters two hated adversaries locked in an eternal chase and mortal combat, being equally match neither ever seems to get an advant age. When asked why they continue t o battle and not try to settle their differences and why they hate each other so much each reply: "Well, look at him he's not like me. I mean he's half black and half white, whereas I am half white and half black." The characters were in fact made up one with the left side black and the right side white and the other with the left side white and the right side of his face white! Classically obvious to all was how silly their distinction was.

So, please suspend your disbelief and indulge in the following original tale of fiction written by me. Look for the underlying social commentary.

(story under construction. please check back later)