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What do you think of when this genre is mentioned, do you have a positive or negative mental image?
I generally get a positive feeling when science fiction is mentioned.
Do you gravitate to this genre, or stay clear?
I definitely gravitate to the genre.
What is your favorite piece?
My favorite pieces of science fiction are undoubtedly Dune and Foundation. Please don't as me to choose. They're both brilliant, complex, challenging, and groundbreaking works of fiction that inspire me and bring me great joy as a reader.
Do you have any treasured childhood memories on the topic?
After my grandfather passed away, I read Arthur C. Clark's Childhood's End while listening to my grandfather's favorite piece of music, Dvořák's Symphony No. 9. It was my own way of celebrating his life.
How do you view the portrayal of women by the genre?
In the mainstream, there's a lot more work to be done. Women in science fiction went from damsels in distress and sex objects to either one-dimensional warriors (who say "Bitch" a lot, you know, because Ripley said it) or overly emotional, immature woman-children. The best examples of female characters, imho, come more from novels. As a person who personally knows many women, I prefer when women in fiction have full personalities with consistent beliefs and opinions and traits, more akin to a real human being. When they're relegated to being a male virgin's caricature of a woman, the character is hollow and the story suffers as a result.
How do you respond when you meet a woman with interest in the topic?
Immediate intellectual attraction. I love science fiction with all my heart, and finding another person and potential mate with the same feelings draws me in like a moth to a flame. If she's hot, I might just propose. In all seriousness, it's really cool. For reasons outside of my understanding, the cliche is that science fiction should be more oriented towards and appreciated by men. Unfortunately, a lot of women buy into that and miss out on amazing stories, characters and ideas that they could really enjoy. To find a woman who's ignored that rubbish and who knows what she likes is awesome.
List the first 5+ sci-fi works that come to your mind.
Dune, Foundation, Stranger in a Strange Land, Brave New World, and Blade Runner.
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