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Has Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Writing, and Art Always Been Impacted by Culture?
I’m rather certain that the answer is yes — they’ve always been impacted by culture.
The writing and other art that you do is a product of your environment.
Even when you are writing sci-fi and fantasy, the culture in which you live and have grown up, politics, economics, climate, and many other factors will have an impact.
The recent article about Star Trek suddenly being “woke” is utterly tone-deaf. Because truth be told — Star Trek has ALWAYS been that way.
The first-ever interracial kiss on television was on Star Trek. In the original pilot, the second-in-command was a woman — which is one of the things the network wanted to change. And if you think Roddenberry and his series were ever subtle about this — what rock have you been living under?
TV and movies are not the only places such things emerge. Lots of books have been controversial over the years because of their “woke” and like progressive postures.
You could choose to create art in a way that reflects fundamentalist values. But let’s be honest here — fundamentalism and artistic expression are opposites.
