Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2000

Science Fiction and Fantasy Nutrients of the Creative Mind The widespread consumption of science fiction in the form of cultural products such as novels, films, television programmes, comics and cartoons reflects the increasing importance of science fiction and fantasy. Figments of the widest imaginations several decades ago have now become part of everyday life :electronic money,voice- controlled electrical appliances, remote-controlled monitoring systems, and microchip identification for dogs. Whereas a few decades ago, science fiction is a subculture, it has now moved from the periphery to mainstream culture with the advent of the information age, the Internet, and novel technologies. We are indeed, to quote Jean Baudrillard, the 'first generation living in science fiction'.