w8 Unit 2: Iteration + Position

Alienation in science fiction:

“ People who dislike science fiction see it as unrealistic literature of escape, a shallow-minded distraction from the serious consideration of things as they are. Those who like science fiction insist it is really about the world we live in—at most an allegorical representation of reality, at least logical extrapolation based upon and commenting on things as they are. But good science fiction is neither an escape from reality nor a description of it; Darko Suvin is wise enough never to forget that. He sees science fiction as “a developed oxymoron, a realistic irreality,” and he presents a definition of it that accounts both for its science and for its fiction”

“‘Cognitive estrangementis the “factual reporting of fictions.” For Suvin, this has the significant effect of separating or “estranging” us from our usual assumptions about reality. “Estrangement” is Suvin’s version of Bertold Brecht’s “Verfremdung,” usually translated as “alienation.” Brecht was talking about describing familiar things as if they were unfamiliar; not quite logically, Suvin borrows the phrase to comment on how science fiction describes unfamiliar things as if they were familiar. But for Suvin the final effect is the same; by Brechtian distancing or by the unfamiliarity of science fictional worlds, we are estranged from our assumptions about reality and forced to question them.”

‘The Cognitive Estrangement of Darko Suvin’ by Perry Nodelman in 1981

Reflection:

closer to us (familiar) ————speculate future(using alienation)————brings the question and tension.

Two experiments on the science fiction idea are not working really well,

so I try to re summarize the entire food-changing journey in my research, to find is there anything I can do?

Space is still in my future speculation, but at least there is a trend being shown clearly.

Position

In the current post-capitalism scenario, a “hybrid” relationship between humans, machines, and nature is intertwining and influencing the food culture (industry). 

Using graphic design to build a space that lets the audience revisit and speculate this relationship/status on an anthropological scale becomes urgent.

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