XXII century through the prism of science fiction writers: prophecies of writers

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Technology advances so fast that we often can't keep up. Very soon, humanity will be able to turn other worlds into gardens of paradise and wipe entire continents off the face of the Earth with a snap of the fingers. Our friends from "Eksmo" have collected for you the most interesting works on the coming century and the problems that it will bring.

The XXII century enjoys serious attention from science fiction writers. Perhaps it is in this century that humanity will be able to make a breakthrough in space exploration and bring our civilization to a new level of development. But at the same time, new problems await us in the next century, and it will be very difficult to cope with them. Writers, of course, have very different views of life in the 22nd century. It is all the more interesting to compare how their vision of the future differs, and where they agree. And today we will talk about several striking science fiction books that will carry readers into the next century.

Tal M. Klein: "Double Effect"

The world of the future, described in the sci-fi thriller "Double Effect", turned out to be very bright and optimistic. The ubiquitous nanites heal disease and heal tissue, cars are artificially intelligent to drive you to your destination, and clothes and food are printed on printers and are ideal for consumers. Artificially created insects purify the air and keep the climate of the entire planet stable. And teleportation allows people to instantly move to any part of the planet.

However, it does not do without problems. The last war took place half a century ago and its result was the weakening of states. The corporations that have now gained the upper hand are in fierce competition with each other and at times resort to aggressive methods and manipulation. Well, if someone finds out their terrible secret (like the main character of the book Joel), then the hunt for him will immediately begin.

Kim Stanley Robinson: Green Mars

The Martian Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson is one of the most serious and scientifically proven stories about the colonization of other planets. In the first novel, Red Mars, the author described the flight to the Red Planet of the “first hundred” settlers.

In "Green Mars" the action is transferred to the beginning of the 22nd century. Successfully, although not without conflicts and difficulties, the colonists managed to begin to settle down on the Red Planet, and now their grandchildren are coming to the fore. Meanwhile, the earth is moving towards depletion and overpopulation, the level of the world's oceans is rising, and no one knows how to effectively solve these problems.

Meanwhile, the Red Planet is undergoing important terraforming stages: the biosphere is evolving due to warming the surface of Mars, the construction of orbital mirrors the size of the mainland and the excavation of volcanoes. And after a sharp rise in sea level on Earth, the planet plunges into an abyss of chaos, and the metropolis loses control over the Martian colony. Mars is emerging as an independent power that provides universal health care, free education, an abundance of food and, with some caveats, is willing to accept migrants from Earth.

Kim Stanley Robinson: New York 2140

Unlike the Red Mars trilogy, New York 2140 is a relatively recent book by Robinson. This time the science fiction writer turned his attention to the theme of the rise in the level of the world ocean.

In the middle of the 22nd century, the streets of New York turned into canals, and buildings into islands of civilization. Despite the flooding, human civilizations not only survived, but also adapted to new realities. The Internet, jurisprudence, trade, police, sports - almost all spheres of life have remained, it's just that the territories suitable for life have narrowed.

In this future, there are drones and entire flying villages held in the air by balloons, as well as floating islands on which refugees are moved. Back in the 21st century, high-rise buildings were reinforced with special composite structures that keep buildings from being destroyed by water. In many ways, the vision of the future in New York 2140 turned out to be optimistic, even despite the global flood.

Neil Stevenson: The Diamond Age

The Diamond Age is considered to be one of the most unusual and original science fiction books of the 90s. Before him, Stevenson released another novel, Avalanche, in which he predicted the emergence of social networks, virtual reality and influential international corporations. In the "Diamond Age" the author took a step further and presented life in the XXII century.

Now the states are together - phyla, who unite people by interests and ideological grounds. Their enclaves can be located all over the world, occupying part of the territories of large cities. One of them, New Atlantis, revives the traditions and way of life of the Victorian era. Another important player in the world arena is the Coastal Republic of China, a representative of the "eastern path" of development. However, some people choose not to join any fillets.

According to Stevenson, in the XXII century, humanity is waiting for the triumph of nanotechnology. The so-called math collectors made it possible to create almost any item - and, moreover, for free. Now handcrafted items are considered a great rarity. In this world, the so-called toner wars take place, in which nanobots fight instead of soldiers, waging a fight in the microcosm.

All members of society have a guaranteed minimum and can live without worries. But, as it turns out, it is their absence that deprives people of motivation for self-development and active life. In addition, the gap between the elite and ordinary people has become insurmountably large. And thus, the world is teetering on the brink between utopia and dystopia.

Annalee Newitz: "Autonomy"

Annalee Newitz is a futurist, writer and journalist, founder of the popular io9 portal dedicated to science, technology and fiction. The events of her novel "Autonomy" are set in the middle of the twenty-second century. In her vision of the future, humanity has relied on biotechnology. Intelligent robots are created on the basis of human flesh and brain, and have the same rights as humans.

Countries gave way to franchises. The world of the future described in the novel is full of high-tech biotechnological elements. At the same time, patent law flourished in its dystopian form - the right of ownership is imposed on almost any object or symbol. This was the reason that slavery reappeared in the 22nd century.

The main character is a pirate and biohacker who illegally creates medicine for the poor. Another batch turned out to be defective, and the consequences were dire, so a mercenary and a combat robot are sent on the trail of the girl.