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sooheontoday at 7:30 AM2 repliesview on HN

This is a sad take, and a misunderstanding of what art is. Tech and tools go "obsolete". Literature poses questions to humans, and the value of art remains to be experienced by future readers, whatever branch of the tech tree we happen to occupy. I don't begrudge Clarke or Vonnegut or Asimov their dated sci-fi premises, because prediction isn't the point.

The role of speculative fiction isn't to accurately predict what future tech will be, or become obsolete.


Replies

jychangtoday at 7:41 AM

Yeah, that's like saying Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare is obsolete because Romeo could have just sent Juliet a snapchat message.

You're kinda missing the entire point of the story.

peterladatoday at 8:04 AM

100% agree, but I relish the works of Willam Gibson and Burroughs who pose those questions AND getting the future somewhat right.