tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post6990486797876760111..comments2023-09-12T06:18:38.552-04:00Comments on The World in the Satin Bag: "Colonizing Space" is a Dirty Phrase: Stop Using ItAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-41291201070151467012011-02-25T08:24:44.450-05:002011-02-25T08:24:44.450-05:00It's not strictly relevant if there are creatu...It's not strictly relevant if there are creatures for us to exploit in space. The term itself never actually refers to a benign kind of settlement. Using it to suggest that it has a benign connotation is an attempt to whitewash the history loaded into the term by centuries of oppression, genocide, theft, and so on.<br /><br />The Pulp and Golden Ages arose in a period of intense imperialist/colonialist expansion, particularly in regards to America, which spent 75+ years (through the Pulp and Golden Ages right into the beginning of the New Wave) hopping islands, exploiting Islanders, annexing territories, and so on. The years before that the U.S. had used to commit genocide against the Native Americas.<br /><br />The Gernsbackian and Campbellian science fiction eras were, as such, infused with the colonial legacies of the time, imagining the "colonization of space" in all its grand glory at the same time as the U.S. was masking its culpability in the abuse of natives and native land in the South Pacific, etc. They paved the way to making "colonizing" an OK term to use when we refer to space, and so also paved the way to put a collective shield over our eyes when we talk about "colonizing" in certain contexts. That's a huge problem.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-62802383198673767252011-02-25T06:38:36.273-05:002011-02-25T06:38:36.273-05:00I take issue with two of your contentions: I know...I take issue with two of your contentions: I know the word colonize is loaded from some perspectives but<br /><br />there's no one in space for the fat white guys to exploit. <br /><br />If there were three-legged Martians inhabiting the sand dunes of Mars I wouldn't worry either - they'll just make the trouble makers "not be" anymore.<br /><br />The amphibious Venusians demonstrated that they can take care of themselves also (Space Cadet) and of the dragon-like Venerians the same is true (Between Planets).<br /><br />If Mars is inhabited by Wellsian types, well, it's about time we kicked their asses for what happened back in the 1800s, dontchya think?<br /><br />The other thing I take issue with is your statement: "we are, in fact, playing into a socio-political game given to us by the Pulp and Golden Ages of science fiction (both of which were in the thick of imperialist and colonialist enterprises)" <br /><br />huh wuh? John W. Campbell was exploiting Africa? Hugo Gernsback had plantations?Crotchety Old Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02092745636011711266noreply@blogger.com