Guest Post : Embracing Ecological Disaster
“Modern humanity is distinguished by paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions… and god-like technology.” E O Wilson
Guest post from Myfanwy Fox
A few months ago I read two books back-to-back and they stayed with me, because one I loved and one I hated even though they were nominally on the same theme of ecological disaster ending humanity.
I loved Cage of Souls (Adrian Tchaikovsky) for its wealth of exquisite detail, its vivid, almost Dickensian characters, and its alien-esque extreme environments. Even the sun may be dying, according to adventurer Stefan Advani, who chronicles his incredible memoir in the hope that something will be left if any people do manage to survive – or new species evolve. The wild places and monsters have happened over millennia of pollution and experiments/technology misuse. There is reason for everything and motivation for all the characters.
Meanwhile, I loathed Wilder Girls (Rory Power) because it lacked all of that. Its narration is compelling at first glance, with page-turning horror tropes, but overall shallow. It’s a girls’ boarding school chiller written by someone not remotely interested in actual science or possible realities. Its monsters are gruesome but their actual being-ness is never explored: how does this contagion work? The scientists are evil caricatures (which explains a lot about the purpose of the story). And the voice is sophomore high school American, not countenancing any other worlds.
The voice irks me. I’m sure there’s an English equivalent, but this entitled US city female energy is there in Sarah J Maas or Maria V Snyder and so many best-sellers. It’s the voice of Buffy – but Buffy used it knowingly, ironically and with style, not taking itself seriously. Wilder Girls is the kind of book read by girls who are afraid of science because girls are supposed to hate science and the book will convince them they are dead right as girly girls: not only is science “hard”, but because they don’t (want to) understand it, it’s full-on evil.
Our lives are lived in a technological era where science is behind much of that technology, everything from transplant surgery and cancer care to mobile phone connectivity and Netflix. Science – pure science, the seeking of knowledge and testing of theories – is neither good nor evil. It’s how we use science that is good or bad – nuclear power vs the atomic bomb being an obvious example. Use of science is controlled by commercial interests (yes, big pharma is a thing, but medical science is also working on cancer cures, covid vaccines and premature infant care) and also political funding and approach.
We should be as interested in science and technology as we are in politics because all three are vital. So we should show a lot of interest. Unfortunately, the last few years have demonstrated that most people would rather ignore all three of these with dire consequences. ‘Fear is the mother of violence,’ as the Peter Gabriel song goes. Books that encourage ignorance and fear won’t help stave off disaster. Books that broaden minds and give ideas space are invaluable: we need to be all the more creative and cognisant now.
Myfanwy Fox -
Biologist now running a charity shop, interested in ecology, psychology and communication. Poet and writer of science fiction.
Check out her website here - Fox Unkennelled
Down The Rabbit Hole
Over at Tor - Ten Ecofiction novels worth discussing
Thanks, Ann. Great chance to have a grumble :)