Iranians in space

Jahanshah Javid
by Jahanshah Javid
15-Jan-2010
 

Why don't we have futuristic stories? If you look at Iranian literature, all of it takes place in the present or the past. I say "all" for the sake of argument since I'm sure there are a handful of exceptions. Generally speaking, Iranian writers have avoided venturing into the future.

I wonder why that is. Why is it that every year there are hundreds of science fiction books written by Americans, but nothing by Iranians. We are not alone as the imagination of other world authors also doesn't extend beyond earth or venture far into the future.

I think it would be interesting to experiment, to push ourselves to imagine realms that resemble nothing like the past or the present. To make-up entirely new societies and norms. The only link with the present would be names and language. But there's not even a need for those. Why have any links to the present? Dream up something entirely new and different.

What fascinates me is the ability to see beyond all our present problems and limitations and imagine whatever we please. I think imagination is the first step towards change. Not always change for the better, but change nevertheless. To experiment and learn in the process.

We belong to a culture which resists change. One of our biggest heroes, Rostam, famously kills his son, Sohrab, and this has been interpreted as the consistent domination of the old over the new, slowing the speed of change to a crawl.

I have a suggestion. Let's try to break this trend just for fun. There are many good writers on this site these days. See if you can come up with an Iranian story that takes place at least 500 years in the future, preferably in some distant galaxy. However far your imagination can go.

I can't wait to see what you come up with :)

Balatarin
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more from Jahanshah Javid
 
Ali A Parsa

Resisting change!

by Ali A Parsa on Fri Jan 15, 2010 07:30 AM PST

Dear JJ,

It seems like you imply that we as Iranians stand out for resisting change when you write "We belong to a culture which resists change. One of our biggest heroes,
Rostam, famously kills his son, Sohrab, and this has been interpreted
as the consistent domination of the old over the new, slowing the speed
of change to a crawl."

Resisting change is in the nature of all living, even non-living things. Study biological and pure sciences deeply and you find that all living things prefer status quo and resist sudden change. One could interpret that as a natural precaution from the part of one system for not accepting a change until it makes sure that it can come to terms or equilibrium with the change.It is interesting that even in chemical reaction of two inanimate substances do take some time before reacting together. This is called lag period.

It should not be surprising that this principle governs what happens in human societies-because these societies are made up of individual living components. Thus, to say only we as Iranians resist change in a fallacy. Look closely and you will, actually find as much tendency for status quo in Western, Eastern and in-between culutres. In fact a major reason for the failure of American foreign policies in the present and in the past is and has been not recognizing those simple principles and expecting others to change immediately before their time. We have failed to recognize that democracy is not an exportalbe merchandise!

Relating all branches of education, history and sciences and extrapolating the results to societis was once called Wisdom and a compoent of effecitve education in the past history of America and elsewhere as opposed to superficial education that is complicating rather than simplyfying and solving our problems.  

 

khody


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Cost-of-Progress

OK - Serious Sci-Fi, here we go

by Cost-of-Progress on Fri Jan 15, 2010 07:06 AM PST

Mr. Javid, I put this together real quick, so if it isn't up to standard, you'll forgive me, I hope.

_________________________

AHURA-5

It’s a bright morning on Ahura-5, the fifth planet in the binary star system, Appadana-Alpha >>> full text


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Jahanshah Javid

Funny future

by Jahanshah Javid on Fri Jan 15, 2010 06:55 AM PST

bottled-banana and Cost-of-Progress... thanks for your input which is a sign that Iranians will probably be most comfortable writing a humorous story, if at all.


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Jahanshah Javid

Science vs Fiction

by Jahanshah Javid on Fri Jan 15, 2010 06:49 AM PST

bahramthegreat, no doubt there are many Iranians involved in developing cutting edge technology.

Now let's see how many can write science fiction.


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bahramthegreat

there are scientific books written by Iranians

by bahramthegreat on Fri Jan 15, 2010 06:44 AM PST

I am sure there are books in the nanotechnology written by Iranian scientist both in the field of engineering and bio-physics. In the engineering, there are books that discuss the future aerospace material that are much lighter, durable, with much higher strength. These materials also have good resistance to radiation for journey to Mars and other planets. I am sure in the bio-physics, methods of curing cancer or other similar anomalies in human body that can be fixed through nano robots must be available that are written by Iranian scientists.

BTW - Iran is one of the top countries that is involved with the state-of-the art research in that area.


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Cost-of-Progress

ooh ooh that smell....

by Cost-of-Progress on Fri Jan 15, 2010 05:33 AM PST

The smell in the mess hall (10-forward) on that Iranian spaceship will make you haali-be-haali on Fridays when Chelo Kabab is on the menu....

To boldy serve khoreshet Gheyme where no one has served before................

  

____________________

IRAN BEFORE ISLAM  - NOW and in the FUTURE

____________________


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bottled-banana

Interesting thoughts

by bottled-banana on Fri Jan 15, 2010 01:56 PM PST

I have often thought about how future of the Human Race (not just Iran and Iranians) will look like. In particular what really interests me - provided the humankind does not end up destroying itself - is how technology will progress and to what level.

Just take the last 30 years or so, where we have seen the introduction of personal computers, mobile/smartphones, satellite TV technology,  electric/combustion engine hybrids etc into the mass market as well as new techniques in the medical and health fields, DNA science, human genome sequencing, stem cell reproduction etc. Imagine how things will look like, say in 200 years time.

In terms of the age of the planet earth, the Human Race (as we recognize it today) has only been around a infinitesimally short amount of time, maybe 40,000 years or so. It is pretty much impossible to imagine how things will have evolved in another 40,000 year's time, but one can wonder.

Anyway, back to your point JJ, I don't have any particular stories to share, but your article made me think of an Iranian version of the classic sci-fi TV series, Star Trek. Maybe we could have Captain Kamran (Kirk), Mr. Sepehr (Spock), Dr. Maleki (McCoy), Mr. Sattar (Scott), Lt Delara (Uhura), Mr. Soheil (Sulo), and Mr. Changeez (Chekov). And I hope in this fictional TV series the Iranian crew of USS Esfandiyar will have come up with a modern method of replacing the trusty old Iranian invention: "aaftaabeh.


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