Transhuman; Jupiter Ascending: post-dystopian consumerism
“Transhuman or trans-human is the concept of an intermediary form between human and posthuman. In other words, a transhuman is a being that resembles a human in most respects but who has powers and abilities beyond those of standard humans. These abilities might include improved intelligence, awareness, strength, or durability. Transhumans sometimes appear in science-fiction as cyborgs or genetically-enhanced humans.” – Wikipedia.
I was looking up “Jupiter Ascending” to remind myself of a particular scene and was taken to the Wikipedia page. There I saw that the people out in the galaxy–the Exalted–were described as being transhuman. And it got me thinking. And writing.
NOTE: I realize that many have found fault with the movie “Jupiter Ascending”, but I don’t care. That was space opera crack at its most over-indulgent and I could happily do with another dose. Plus the fanfic it has produced … Mwah! Divine. How could I hate on source material that has inspired so many great stories to read?
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I read that the rise of post-apocalyptic fiction is a sign of dissatisfaction in the general population. By choosing the books and media they do, the younger generation is expressing cynicism and fear of the future.
From a naively hopeful view of the future where humans are zooming amongst the stars and colonizing new planets, stories have taken on a grim view of intergalactic battles and the forced extinction of the human race. And back home on Earth, instead of the vaulted spires of a utopian society, everything has turned to disaster having overfallen the world and a struggling society attempting to rebuild something amongst the ruins of our modern cities.
No longer do protagonists and antagonists banter and bumble their way through the apocalypse. Now it is a foregone conclusion that our world will end.
There is nothing to stop. Nothing to struggle against. Disaster has already happened.
To the people of those future visions, we are nothing less than rumors. Everything that we’ve built has already faded away.
And even then, with the world ruined and humanity struggling to stay alive, there is always a group of people with all of the resources and technology, lording it over like gods above the rest.
These stories present no real answers. Because in the end, the message is that there’s nothing you can do to stop the terrible future to come.
You should huddle down and close your eyes. Go quiet and small and survive. Because there’s nothing you can do to make the world a better place. It’s going to be your grandchild’s responsibility to scream defiance at the ultra-modern nobility.
Presented with such a pessimestic outlook, is it no wonder that people are beginning to feel hopeless about the future? Children are growing up with the belief that no matter what they do, it means nothing. Because the end is nigh and their story isn’t the important one. They should set aside their personal goals and focus on the creation of some grand Ubermensch.
Meanwhile, right now is when people should show their defiance. Right now is when people need to stand up, point out the injustices, and ROAR “That’s not right!”
And instead, I hear people say “I should buy some guns”, as though that’s the answer to every problem.
Don’t write petitions. Don’t chastise government officials into doing a better job.
Buy guns. Stockpile food. Be ready to flee into the wilds.
Somehow we’ve gotten the idea that everything is destined to fall apart. And the problem with “destiny” is that it cannot be changed. It can only be endured.
Destiny is a surrender to helplessness. It is someone brushing their hands off and leaving the problem solving to somebody else.
And when you feel helpless, you close your eyes and ears to the plights of people around you. Because their problems are their own and you don’t want to get involved.
But that’s all we need to do to save the environment and the human species: get involved.
Learn how to roar when it’s needed, and talk when it’s not. Research sustainability and environmental protection. Learn the reasons why people are so unhappy and what they need to succeed.
Because if we help each other, we help ourselves.
