Contributing writer for The Artifice.
Junior Contributor I
Published | The Issue with Time TravelThere is a common belief that when time travel is used in a television show, it’s because the writers wrote themselves into a corner and can’t find a way out, so they introduce time travel, a tricky element to handle. Some use it as a panic button and expect their audience to just go along, while some do give it some thought. Analyze some examples in popular culture and discuss whether or not there is a good way to handle time travel. Possible examples include Rick and Morty, The Flash, and other science fiction and fantasy works.
|
Is Time Traveling an Effective Means of Storytelling? | |
I definitely relate to this issue. Without spoiling anything, I feel like Marvel’s getting better. Now that Endgame is out, I feel it handled the issue better than it has in the past. But on a broader note, cheating the audience has been an issue in not only in the superhero and fantasy genre, which are the main ones you discussed, but also in science fiction and especially in horror. Some creators believe they can get away with anything by “playing the genre”. With science fiction, it’s the use of technobabble and with horror, it’s gore and gratuitous violence/sexual content. By playing up these elements, they think people will not notice the gaping plot holes. | Cheating Audiences with Fake Sacrifices |
This topic is very important! Censorship, in my opinion, is all about control. Knowledge is power and by controlling what people can say, write, or otherwise communicate you can control what people know, limiting their ability to know the world and make educated decisions. Very well written article as well! Clear and concise, with enough material to inform, but not so much you feel overwhelmed. | Why Books Shouldn't Be Banned |
Definitely an interesting read. I would suggest two more fictional sources however to give a more well-rounded approach to the subject of AI and their “humanity”. Daniel H’s book “Amped” brings up a fictional society where a lot of people of gotten cognitive or physical implants to the point where they are more cyborgs then anything else, which leads to prejudice and terrible exploitation. Another good fictional AI storyline is that of the video game “Detroit: Become Human” where you follow AI in their pursuit of equal rights. But again, a very interesting article. | Artificial Intelligence and The Robotic Red Herring |
This was my thought process when I suggested the topic. Though if writers approach time travel as the article writer says is proper, they won’t be looking for a cheap way out.