Morgano:

Quote - You're missing the point by a couple of light years.

No, actually I don't think so. I see that where I erred was attributing the quote. That allowed you to attack the author and not focus on the content. I should have attributed the quote to a published science fiction author...

Morgano: > Quote - The point is that it is dangerous to let certain practitioners of a speciality dictate the bounds of that speciality, which is what Pohl was arrogantly trying to do, in the footsteps of Le Corbusier, Picasso, Schoenberg and, for that matter, Erich Ludendorff.   Pohl was entitled to his opinion, but he was deliberately seeking to re-define his chosen field to fit his own efforts.

(snip)

Ah, so now the practioner can define the practice, well certain practioners -- who, I wonder, gets to endorse them as worthy of defining their practice?

That type of thinking is so very dangerous. It implies that words from the mouth of someone you like and approve of are naturally truthful, but if you disapprove of the speaker, it must be a lie.

As for War of the Worlds, it is scifi, but that doesn't mean it can't be political allegory as well. And no, science fiction does not have to be futuristic. Probably the best example of this would be Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

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