The most acurate predictions in a sci-fi novel

[Lemonvariable72]

I'm not sure that either of those qualify as science fiction.

Boru

Especially Huxley's, since it was written as social commentary, and is used in sociology classes everywhere.

Yes but it is also set in the year 2500 and features technology wild by 1930 standards.
For those that like these too books I also recommend WE and animal farm.
As for which is more applicable today, I say 1984 but that said we are becoming a trivial culture in many ways. Funny that 1984 made me sadder in the end because the end of brave new world very sad.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Both Huxley and Orwell were right.

True. I think America leans toward Huxley more. China is more Orwellian. Although,...peacekeeper missiles anyone?

[ManMachine]

No, that only worked with L. Ron Hubbard.

And Gerald Gardner.

I would also add Philip K Dick & J G Ballard to that illustrious list.

I've just brought a book of short stories by J G Ballard on ebay for the bargain price of £1, I'm looking forward to that arriving. The Drowned World was a great read.


MM

---

I'm not sure that either of those qualify as science fiction.

Boru

Especially Huxley's, since it was written as social commentary, and is used in sociology classes everywhere.

I think the best science fiction has a strong social context as a backdrop to the main story arc.

Even early Sci-fi like Wells and Verne had strong social elements to them, Well's Time Machine is a good example of this with the Eloi and the Morlocks. It's crude but definately social.


MM

[max-greece]

If we consider the idea of "Big brother is watching you" and then look as such things as video surveillance cameras (which are everywhere in the UK), the government listening in on our telephone calls, reading our emails, monitoring our google searches and tracking our movements using the mobile phone network then I think we can accuse Orwell of massive over-optimism in his vision.

Just on the flip-side I love reading Sci-Fi where there are glaring anachronisms, whether that's Asimov's massive multivac computers (totally missing the PC - lets alone mobile phones and tablets) or a story I read years ago with a pilot attempting to land on an asteroid. The trajectory of the asteroid changes suddenly and unexpectedly. The pilot has to recalculate his approach and whips out - a slide rule to do it!!!!

Laughed for weeks over that one.

For accuracy though, I think its hard to beat Arthur C Clarke - he did predict geo-stationary satellites amongst a bunch of other things.

[Doubting Thomas]

But I bet it was a high-tech plastic slide rule and not some old, antique wooden one.

[ManMachine]

But I bet it was a high-tech plastic slide rule and not some old, antique wooden one.

Maybe it was one of these super trendy slide rule wrist watches...




MM

[Cyberman]

I prefer the summation made by Ray Bradbury and/or Frank Herbert (actual provenance is a little unclear); that science fiction should prevent the future, not predict it. If all people take away from 1984 is "hey, he predicted Big Brother", they totally missed the point.

[DeistPaladin]

I remember in high school reading both books and discussing which dystopia is more likely to be humanity's future.

In retrospect, the false-dilemma is obvious. Huxley focused on the carrot and Orwell on the stick. Why should these visions be incompatible?

[bladevalant546]

So on that subject DP, what is humanity's most likely dystopian future? I think a system by which mega corporations control everything and a huge separation of "rich" and "poor" classes.

[DeistPaladin]

So on that subject DP, what is humanity's most likely dystopian future? I think a system by which mega corporations control everything and a huge separation of "rich" and "poor" classes.

The amalgamation is the poor are diverted and kept docile by all the Huxlean means necessary. And if that fails, there's always the brutal Orwellian stick and no one will care about your plight because they're distracted by the Huxlean stuff.