Kill The Creator

For simplicity sake Science Fiction includes Fantasy and Horror within this article.

Why are we so hard on our selves? Why is it not possible for humankind to do something right? We can thank 'Frank' for the trend, although the Doctor was named Frankenstein, not the creature. Hence, Frankenstein's Monster becomes Frankenstein; one is now indistinguishable from the other. The creator becomes the creation. Or do we owe some of our current trends to Greek Mythology and the stories of the Gods petty control over their subjects? History reveals humanities many encounters with horror, secular and religious. Over and over, the creations rise up to kill their creator. And along the way they slaughter whatever tickles their fancy. Legends are filled with incredible creations used to control and terrify peoples of every walk of life. Occasionally we get some good with the bad.

'Blade Runner' has the elite robot humanoids seeking an extension of their programmed short life. This quest involves hiding from the authorities and killing contacts along the way to the top of their creative existence chain. There is a positive side presented in the form of a lovely young lady that catches the stars attention. The head humanoid robot takes pity on our star at the end, showing his humanity, by saving his life. How bleak a picture can we paint? The greedy corporation designed its robots to self-destruct after a period of time (like automobiles). The flaw was in making the robots so human that they wanted to live longer? I would not mind living longer and seeing Metropolis.

On the brighter side was 'Young Frankenstein'. The doctors' creation became a song and dance sensation and gave a gift back to the Doctor. Yes, he did have a rocky start, but a little love can go a long way to improving any monsters personality. Is that what the world needs, Love?, or maybe more Comedy? Yes, it is clear to me now, we need more to laugh at, not cringe from.

Writers today have taken the creation thing even further. Buffy (and yes I do watch it) found the next step in monster creation. It seems the good Doctor lost control of her creation (she dies, surprised?) from human and assorted demon body parts. And for good measure they pay tribute to Robocop with a computer disc drive for a heart. The grand news is that none of the show stars are killed but some cute little boy, out playing and minding his own business, is murdered and mutilated. …having fun yet? This all ties in with our evil government doing mindless research into creating the ultimate warrior. But alas the Doctor has more in store for us all, as Buffys' love interest may be more of a man than normal XY would allow.

A more disturbing trend is our off spring. The children that come back to kill their parent(s). Scream Three had fun with this. But the headlines are full of children slaying their dragons. A child rejected and raised by others, slays the others or comes back to slay the rejecters. And then there are those that take it out on strangers. Demonizing is an old form of justification. The Nazis used it to build a brief empire. Takers of life use it to justify and initiate their actions. It is easier to blow up a building with a daycare center when you think of the occupants as evil government monsters out to destroy your life. It is easier to blow up a building filled with the monsters that you have created than it is to see them as your equals. The building becomes a symbol, its occupants the enemy and you become the hero; in your eyes. The creator rises up to destroy the monster, before the monster strikes the creator. Be careful of what you create, it will come back to haunt or kill you. …I know its true, I saw it in a movie.

Science Fact - Science Fiction

I will agree that reading books about good pure creations would be boring. But does the path have to be one made from rivers of blood? Is it possible to create subtle evil? Do we have to see sharp pointy objects penetrate in slow motion or high velocity projectiles bursting out of the back of an innocents head? What story are we constantly telling when the monsters are always out to get, eat or kill us? I do not want to be 'Exterminated', 'Assimilated' or enslaved. Is it the contention of the powers at be that all evil life forms believe 'Resistance is Futile'? For that fact, is it a given fact that all life forms are evil? Did not the Red headed fifth element come to save humanity? Or did she come to be loved and then save… I do get confused, the messages are mixed and my wrinkled gray brain longs for a visit to the Twilight Zones Outer Limits.

Tongue in cheek violence arrived with TV and some film. Recently the Hercules and Xena programs have poked serious fun at violence and convention. The impossible combat moves emulate low cost martial art films. It is important for us to learn not to take the monsters and their carnage seriously. Monsters are people, too? Or , monsters have feelings? Hmmm, can monsters be human or show humanity? And why is it so easy for us to get seduced by the dark side?, or is that sucked up by the dark sides Event Horizon? And how incredible insane was Disney's vision of the innards of a Black Hole? Entertainment media make many sacrifices in order to compress their message into the time allowed. The program is designed for pauses with dramatic impact to allow for commercials and station breaks. Motion pictures play the audience with roller coaster type emotions enhanced with sound and musical effects. The camera plays our emotions as well. Moving in for the close up, revealing the terror in the eyes, reaction on the face as the life comes to a horrible end. Camera moves that track impossible character actions during the climatic chase scene. Where are we escaping to? What are we escaping from?

Where am I going with this? Who knows? Yet, I wonder at it all. While I enjoy Science Fiction for its forwarding thinking revelations. I take a step back to examine its lack of faith in humanity. Are we really this bad? No. In spite of ourselves we are alive and kicking. And for all of our horror we are good. Slowly we continue to crawl out of the mire of creation to continually re-create ourselves, re-invent, improve and enjoy. It is not the dark side of Sci-Fi, which I am upset with, as much as it is that we seem to enjoy the dark over the light. Sure we root for the good guy, but we enjoy the carnage. Writers are stuck in a rut. The bad guy must be very very bad; this makes the good guy look like our savior as he drains the villain's evil heart. MacGyver where are you? I am amazed at our constant forward motion and would appreciate a few more creations like the Dragons of Pern that are not hell bent on taking life.

JBCorn

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