History of the Future Session 2: The Future in America Science Fiction in Depression & War.

History of the FutureHistory of the Future

Session 2:Session 2:The Future in AmericaThe Future in America

Science Fiction in Depression & Science Fiction in Depression & WarWar

The American FutureThe American Future

Three elements prominent in early 20Three elements prominent in early 20thth Century futurismCentury futurism– UtopianismUtopianism– InventionsInventions– Faith in ProgressFaith in Progress

These are inherited by science fictionThese are inherited by science fiction– Emerges in 1930s from pulp magazine genreEmerges in 1930s from pulp magazine genre

UtopianismUtopianism

Thomas More – Utopia, 1516Thomas More – Utopia, 1516– Meaning both “better place” and “no place”Meaning both “better place” and “no place”

Others followedOthers followed– Thomas Bacon – New Atlantis, 1627Thomas Bacon – New Atlantis, 1627– Saint-Simon, early 1800sSaint-Simon, early 1800s

Popular in Victorian BritainPopular in Victorian Britain– Many with a pastoral toneMany with a pastoral tone

American UtopiaAmerican Utopia

Concern for “perfect society” always thereConcern for “perfect society” always there– Pilgrims, US Constitution, etc.Pilgrims, US Constitution, etc.– Not always technological – Jefferson, etc.Not always technological – Jefferson, etc.

Many different commune movementsMany different commune movements– Shakers (celibate but industrious)Shakers (celibate but industrious)– Owenites (secular and industrial)Owenites (secular and industrial)– MormonsMormons

The Oneida CommunityThe Oneida Community

Founded in 1850s by the Perfectionists

Started pastoral, but forced into craft production.Communal living and selective breeding prove less enduring thanfine silverware. By 1880s has become corporation.

Faith in ProgressFaith in Progress

Always a moral elementAlways a moral element– Often with religious overtonesOften with religious overtones

Also material/technological elementAlso material/technological element– Frontier/manifest destinyFrontier/manifest destiny– Increasing industrial mightIncreasing industrial might

““Progressive Era” 1890s-1920sProgressive Era” 1890s-1920s– Political reformPolitical reform– Moral improvementMoral improvement

The Age of Systems - 1880s-1920sThe Age of Systems - 1880s-1920s

Rise of Professional EngineeringRise of Professional EngineeringSpread of Big BusinessSpread of Big Business– Coordination on huge scaleCoordination on huge scale– Formalization, specializationFormalization, specialization

Scientific ManagementScientific Management– Frederick W. TaylorFrederick W. Taylor– Henry GanttHenry Gantt

““Systems” technologySystems” technology– Gas, Electricity, TelephonesGas, Electricity, Telephones

Utopia Meets the FutureUtopia Meets the Future

Edward Bellamy “Looking Backward” Edward Bellamy “Looking Backward” (1888)(1888)– Year 2000 Year 2000 – Modest technological progressModest technological progress– Major social reorganizationMajor social reorganization

A host of imitators and plans followedA host of imitators and plans followed

Gillette – Razors & UtopiaGillette – Razors & Utopia

King Gillette invented King Gillette invented safety razor in 1901safety razor in 1901

Devoted himself to Devoted himself to promotion of “sky cities”promotion of “sky cities”– Huge, self contained Huge, self contained

skyscrapersskyscrapers

Killed himself in 1930sKilled himself in 1930s

TechnocracyTechnocracy

Meaning: Rule by ExpertsMeaning: Rule by Experts– Government of rational techniciansGovernment of rational technicians

Popular in the US, 1890s onwardPopular in the US, 1890s onward

Form of Progressive ideologyForm of Progressive ideology– Thorsten Veblen, The Engineers and the Thorsten Veblen, The Engineers and the

Price System, 1921Price System, 1921– Particular focus on rationalization of Particular focus on rationalization of

productionproduction

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)

Inventor – 1093 patents to his nameInventor – 1093 patents to his name– Phonograph (1877)Phonograph (1877)– Practical electric light and generator (1879)Practical electric light and generator (1879)– Motion picture pioneerMotion picture pioneer

EntrepreneurEntrepreneur– Invented industrial research labInvented industrial research lab

Self promoterSelf promoter– Ubiquitous sage, expert on futureUbiquitous sage, expert on future

The “Edisonade”The “Edisonade”

Popular 1890s-1930sPopular 1890s-1930s

The Boy InventorThe Boy Inventor– Overcome perilsOvercome perils– Conquers new frontiersConquers new frontiers

Influence on stories of Influence on stories of HeinleinHeinlein– Competent, resourceful Competent, resourceful

capitalist herocapitalist hero– Engineering, problem Engineering, problem

solving, self reliantsolving, self reliant

Steam Man of the Prairies, 1868(has been called first American science fiction)

Tom SwiftTom Swift

Children’s series Children’s series 1910-19411910-1941

Inventor heroInventor hero

Many adventuresMany adventures

The Roaring 20sThe Roaring 20s

Capitalism triumphantCapitalism triumphant– Socialism and strikes of 1910 crushedSocialism and strikes of 1910 crushed– Stock market boomsStock market booms

Exciting new technologies & industriesExciting new technologies & industries– RadioRadio– CinemaCinema– FlightFlight– Mass production of automobilesMass production of automobiles– Rise of advertising industry, brandsRise of advertising industry, brands

Film InterludeFilm Interlude

Triumph of America (1933)Triumph of America (1933)– 1933 Chevrolet propaganda film1933 Chevrolet propaganda film

Technology = Progress = ScienceTechnology = Progress = Science

Technology is Big!Technology is Big!– Fills city blocksFills city blocks– Involves thousands of peopleInvolves thousands of people– Complex, intricate, heavyComplex, intricate, heavy

Big business is good for youBig business is good for you

ScientifictionScientifiction

Term coined by Hugo Term coined by Hugo Gernesback in 1924Gernesback in 1924– writer writer

(Ralph 124C 41+)(Ralph 124C 41+)– publisher (Modern publisher (Modern

Electrics, Science and Electrics, Science and invention)invention)

– amateur inventoramateur inventor

Amazing StoriesAmazing Stories– first SF magazinefirst SF magazine– published in 1926published in 1926

Pulp MagazinesPulp Magazines

Originated in 1880sOriginated in 1880s– ““pulp” – cheap and pulp” – cheap and

nasty papernasty paper– origin of mass market origin of mass market

publishingpublishing

Huge market for trashy Huge market for trashy fictionfictionFrom 1915 onward, From 1915 onward, tend to specializetend to specialize– DetectiveDetective– WesternWestern– HorrorHorror

Salacious mystery, 1937

The Great DepressionThe Great Depression

Stock market crash of 1929Stock market crash of 1929– Followed by long, slow economic collapseFollowed by long, slow economic collapse– Partial revival around 1936, collapse in 37Partial revival around 1936, collapse in 37

American progress faltersAmerican progress falters– GNP falls 23% (23% deflation)GNP falls 23% (23% deflation)– Unemployment exceeds 25%Unemployment exceeds 25%

Resurgence of technocratic thinkingResurgence of technocratic thinking– Many new schemes to fix problemsMany new schemes to fix problems

The New DealThe New Deal

Franklin Delano RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt

Government takes new role in economyGovernment takes new role in economy– Social Security AdministrationSocial Security Administration– Regulation in many industriesRegulation in many industries– WPA and other stimulus measures (TVA)WPA and other stimulus measures (TVA)

New legal protections for labor unionsNew legal protections for labor unions– Dramatic proliferation in 1930sDramatic proliferation in 1930s

Astounding Science FictionAstounding Science Fiction

Leading science fiction Leading science fiction magazinemagazine– Founded as “Astounding Founded as “Astounding

Stories of Super Science” Stories of Super Science” in 1930in 1930

– Commercially successful (2 Commercially successful (2 cents a word)cents a word)

Thrives during Thrives during DepressionDepression

1937 – John W. 1937 – John W. Campbell, Jr. becomes Campbell, Jr. becomes editoreditor

The “Golden Age”The “Golden Age”

Term given to 1938/9 to 1946Term given to 1938/9 to 1946– Isaac Asimov debuts 1939Isaac Asimov debuts 1939– Robert A. Heinlein debuts 1939Robert A. Heinlein debuts 1939– Also A E Van Vogt & Theodore SturgeonAlso A E Van Vogt & Theodore Sturgeon

Other regulars includeOther regulars include– L Ron Hubbard!L Ron Hubbard!– (In 1960s, Dune is published there) (In 1960s, Dune is published there)

Key Themes of the 1940sKey Themes of the 1940s

Atomic physics (Campbell’s Atomic physics (Campbell’s specialty)specialty)

Space travelSpace travel

Contact with aliensContact with aliens

Inventors (less than before)Inventors (less than before)

Pseudo sciencePseudo science

WarWar

Campbell’s PrinciplesCampbell’s Principles

No sexNo sex

Humanity is always Humanity is always smartestsmartest

America is always bestAmerica is always best

Technology can fix Technology can fix anythinganything

Space travel will Space travel will happenhappen

Science fiction can Science fiction can change the worldchange the world

Campbell’s StyleCampbell’s Style

Very hands onVery hands on– Worked closely with writers in developing ideasWorked closely with writers in developing ideas

Dogmatic editorial writerDogmatic editorial writer– Bombastic, quasi-racistBombastic, quasi-racist

Campbell wanted to see SF ideas made realCampbell wanted to see SF ideas made real– Dianetics (led to divorce)Dianetics (led to divorce)– General symbolicsGeneral symbolics– The “Dean Drive”The “Dean Drive”

Film InterludeFilm Interlude

““To New Horizons”To New Horizons”– 1940 General Motors propaganda film based 1940 General Motors propaganda film based

on its “World of 1960” exhibit at the 1940 on its “World of 1960” exhibit at the 1940 Worlds FairWorlds Fair

– Same year as Heinlein story “The Roads Must Same year as Heinlein story “The Roads Must Roll”Roll”