Is it SF?

[coalescent]

The latest installment of Adam Roberts' 'Readings in Classic SF' column considers, um, the Teletubbies:

Clearly, the Teletubbies are cyborgs.
[...]
It seems clear from the world of the Teletubbies that, whether alien or posthuman, they come from a technologically advanced culture. Like the Borg they have assimilated technological devices into their own bodies, but unlike the wholly technological/artificial worlds of the Borg they have chosen to inhabit an environment shaped largely by the aesthetics of the natural world. We have, then, a disparity between (on the one hand) the high degree of intelligence and technological know-how needed to build the 'tubbies home, their automated toasters and vacuum-cleaners, the periscopes, the broadcasting tower and all that; and (on the other) the evident puerility and immaturity of the Teletubbies themselves. Rather that reading this in terms of parental abandonment, I suggest a reading more in keeping with the traditions of SF.

The Teletubbies, I'd suggest, are contemporary versions of Wells's Eloi, those indolent foppish creatures from The Time Machine.

The disturbing part is that by the end of the column, it all starts to make a terrible kind of sense...!

Comments

What complete...

[xsabx.livejournal.com]

...total and utter bollocks.

Some people are just too far up their own digestive tracts for the good of mankind.

You know, it's people like this who give SF as a Fandom a bad name...

Re: What complete...

[snowking.livejournal.com]

Um, you mean people who are taking the piss?

...

[xsabx.livejournal.com]

Um, you mean people who are taking the piss?

No, I mean people who think they are being clever by taking the piss. I'm sorry, but I read that, and it's just not funny, or clever, or insightful. I just don't get it. It's like whoever it was (and I'm pretty sure I know they're here soemwhere) who wanted to create a Hoobs Usenet group after reading a load of subtext into the puppet's relationships. I read things like this and think it's a bad kind of private joke. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy many private jokes, I like the sense of community they help foster.

This however, is just stupid. That's wot I think, anyway...

Re: ...

[snowking.livejournal.com]

Well, I can see how it pisses you off personally but I don't think it's harming SF in anyway. Christ, half of the Guardian is taking the piss and thinking it's clever so it's not like Normal People™ don't do it too.

I think...

[xsabx.livejournal.com]

...certain people might decide that anyone who writes for the Guardian doesn't exactly qualify as normal anyway ;->

This is just the kind of stupidity that The Stun could pick up and exploit to make SF fans Look Stupid. It's happened before. I can hear the Radio One Newsbeat package in my head even now...

Re: What complete...

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly confident that his tongue his in his cheek, what with the Teletubbies being somewhat off his normal beat and him being a new father and all. But the fact that I can't quite tell for certain is what amuses me about it. :)