Weekly Reader

Science Fiction in the Shadows
Battlestar Galactica is not about exploring new frontiers. It is about survival and the things humans will do to survive. But as Moore has said, it is not merely enough to survive: one has to be worthy of survival. The show has explored some of the darker aspects of warfare, such as torture and the dehumanization of the enemy—something that is supposedly easier when the enemy is not even human to begin with. Like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica has used its science fiction setting to explore current social issues, most obviously the war on terrorism and the invasion of Iraq. Its stories are powerful, poignant, challenging, and often brilliant.

Another reason why I have to pull together my BSG article. Although Star Trek is clearly THE example of influential science fiction, a darker vision of the future or the human race does not necessarily mean a particular film or movie can't be just as valuable as Trek was back in the 60s.

Popular Culture vs The Flying Saucers!
U.S. pop culture, as with much of westernized cultures, are infiltrated with alien/UFO imagery. Seeing it as a contamination is subjective opinion. What is ironic and insidious -- certainly more insidious than some notion of being contaminated by this imagery -- is the fact that, while we are being infiltrated by these images, we are not addressing them in any serious way.

Nature vs Nurture
In tests in Canada, women who were told that men and women do math equally well did much better than those who were told there is a genetic difference in math ability. And women who heard there were differences caused by environment — such as math teachers giving more attention to boys — outperformed those who were simply reminded they were females.

Imagine that. I've been making this argument for years.