06-16-2017, 05:49 AM | #51 |
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Spinward Marches
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
Jack L, Chalker's 4 Diamonds series. Fairly decent scifi reads. A very different approach to psionics.
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06-16-2017, 06:59 AM | #52 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: traveller
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
Interesting, but too late (1981-1983) to be an influence on the original Traveller (1977).
Overall, I'm inclined to the conclusion that the elements of Traveller's psionics (including the extreme prejudice against its use) were present in the broad science fiction canon at the time, but that Marc Miller and company combined them in a novel fashion -- probably motivated by a desire for game balance. Last edited by thrash; 06-16-2017 at 07:06 AM. |
06-16-2017, 04:57 PM | #53 |
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Spinward Marches
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
A lot of scifi are psychiatric themes or even experimental psychology dressed up as aliens, monstes and spaceships. Not most, but a good chunk of them. I think Traveller takes some of its cues from those books. Ones dealing with "strange powers" or alternate cultures.
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06-16-2017, 06:22 PM | #54 | |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
Quote:
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06-16-2017, 07:36 PM | #55 |
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Spinward Marches
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
I guess I brought up Chalkier because scifi in the 70s seemed to get hijacked from the true speculative authors by the psychology "revolution" that happened in the mid 60s up through the 70s. And where Traveller tackles a lot of security or law enforcement themes, a lot of that works hand in hand with psychology and psychiatry. And it pervaded only up until recently (say mid 90s) where military scifi has pushed back.
Traveller's adventures, to my mind at least, have players tackling ramifications of "poor thinking" or bad societal choices by the masses. And that's where psionics are a two fold lynch pin (or a microcosm) in the OTU (and one of the reasons I've stuck with it as a hobby), because it falls back on traditional scifi as a narrative for themes other than mental health. Anyway, I hope that clarifies why I brought up that example, and I posted on this thread. |
06-20-2017, 12:35 AM | #56 | |
Computer Scientist
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Dallas, Texas
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
Quote:
This means Marc Miller inhaled as much FORBIDDEN PLANET and its train of influences (TWILIGHT ZONE, OUTER LIMITS) as Lucas et al did. |
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06-20-2017, 01:24 AM | #57 |
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Spinward Marches
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
Not to get too off track, but there's some speculation by the authors of the French scifi comic book Valeria that he or members of his team drew from their publication.
They've got pics of Leia in her slave getup, the Millenium Falcon and so forth compared with various art in their comic. Metropolis also helped influenced Star Wars. I'm not sure if this really has any psionic influence or inspiration for Traveller. |
06-23-2017, 10:18 AM | #58 |
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: near Seattle WA USA
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
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06-23-2017, 03:09 PM | #59 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
I don't understand why neither Slan (1948) or Ubik (1969) count. Both have prejudice and paranoia about psionic powers.
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06-23-2017, 04:36 PM | #60 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Literary source for anti-psionics prejudice?
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Tags |
old school, psionics |
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