Will humans on Mars or Moon become aliens?

"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
Peter Webb wrote:

The cultural argument is a far more compelling one, and in this sense
Martians may become "aliens" very quickly indeed. Most SF colonists are
portrayed as WASPS. However, on earth, the views and beliefs of (say) a
Muslim extremist are completely alien (and inexplicable) to a
Westerner -
and I assume vice-versa. And, as you say, these changes occur extremely
quickly. Go back to America 50 years ago (1954) and interview a black
teenager. Do the same today. Notice any difference ?

One of the aspects of Kim Stanley Robinson's _Red Mars_, _Green
Mars_, _Blue Mars_ trilogy I enjoyed most was his depiction of the
arising of new Martian cultures and their divergence from -- and
conflicts with -- those of Earth: much 'hard sci-fi' tends to ignore
such issues.

--
Odysseus

I disagree with that last statement, that much "hard sci-fi" tends to ignore
such issues. (Of course, what constitutes "hard" is subject to debate.) Such
"imagineering" has been the bread 'n butter of sci-fi for decades. The
observation that most sci-fi colonist tend to be WASPish is more likely
related to the fact that fewer Muslim Extremist sci-fi books get written,
published, and read, than those of "WASP"s.

Robinson's view of "culture" was, in my opinion, a very elitist view -
reflecting an extension of current popular European Socialism. (WEA - White
European Athesist g) Personally I found most of his non-WASPish detours -
wooden, two-dimensional, and drearily forced.

However, how can one disagree that a separate reproducing population that
lived out their lives surrounded by walls - where perhaps the slightest
mechanical failure or computational error might spell disaster - wouldn't
develop a distinctly different "culture" in a short-period of time?

My vote? A paranoid group of pale light-sensitive creatures with a
remarkable capacity for video games and inventiveness towards suicide.
Something a kin to the current population of Seattle.

-ralph

Ralph wrote:

"Odysseus" wrote in message
...

One of the aspects of Kim Stanley Robinson's _Red Mars_, _Green
Mars_, _Blue Mars_ trilogy I enjoyed most was his depiction of the
arising of new Martian cultures and their divergence from -- and
conflicts with -- those of Earth: much 'hard sci-fi' tends to ignore
such issues.

I disagree with that last statement, that much "hard sci-fi" tends to ignore
such issues. (Of course, what constitutes "hard" is subject to debate.) Such
"imagineering" has been the bread 'n butter of sci-fi for decades. The
observation that most sci-fi colonist tend to be WASPish is more likely
related to the fact that fewer Muslim Extremist sci-fi books get written,
published, and read, than those of "WASP"s.

By "hard" I suppose I meant focusing more on an imagined future
technology itself than on its implications at a human level or on the
scale of individual characters' experience. A comparison of Jules
Verne to H.G. Wells might serve as an example. While Robinson wrote a
great deal about terraforming, the tethered-satellite elevator,
colonial economics, &c., I think he also tried to convey what it
would be like to see oneself as a Martian, given whatever cultural
background from the 'old planet'.

--
Odysseus