Jasmin Ivankovic
Professor A. Ozkul
English 250
February 2, 2017
In his essay, “Stranger Than You Can Imagine”, science fiction writer Damien Broderick makes predictions about the future of humankind and advances in technology. The title refers to Broderick’s claim as to how strange and dramatically different the next 50 years will look. Although Broderick makes his argument based on common knowledge rather than hard science or specific breakthroughs, he does so with a clear purpose. I think most readers would amuse his imagination because his strategy and style effectively make his point.
In order to support his claim, Broderick compares today’s predictions for the future and what science fiction of the past imagined their future to be, going back to the 1930s. He says that what we have today from their perspective is only slightly remarkable (Rodgers 64). But looking at today from the lens of 150 years ago, it is almost beyond comprehension (64). The author thinks that the main difference in imagining our future from today is the extremely fast rate at which key technologies are improving, concluding that we will see dramatic improvements in the next 50 years (65). This, I feel, is a very reasonable assumption and a good starting point that most people could swallow.
However, Broderick might not convince many readers on the specific details of his argument because he does not provide backing. For example, when he claims that stem cells will be the reason we successfully halt the aging process. The style in which Broderick presents this claim is basically by asking “why wouldn’t it work?” (65). Well, although babies do grow from these cells, it is hard to argue that we can use them to live indefinitely without providing more evidence on this detail. There are countless age-related diseases that have yet to be cured, and stem cells could certainly be the key to helping people with those. However, there is nothing here but imagination to suggest we will see eternal youth in our lifetime.
A huge redeeming quality of this essay is that Broderick anticipates and addresses doubts readers may have. He first does so by saying that the future will be strange because the specific details are unpredictable (64). He continues to do so by pointing out that, even if we cure people of aging, death will continue to exist because of war and other human issues (65). He reminds us that technology alone will not end war and poverty (65). He reminds the reader that, if we are to continue improving technology and making biological modifications, people must resolve moral and ethical questions new technology raises (65).
Therefore, I think Broderick’s main point is not to convince the reader that these specific things will happen in our lifetime. It is that they probably could but might not. “What we dream of today”, he says, “will be the merest shadow of tomorrow’s reality” (66). Broderick is admitting that he might be completely wrong in his premature predictions. But why is the important part—because we are underfunding programs that could get us there (66).
Broderick’s underlying motive is to get you excited about the future, enough so that a reader is either inspired to promote innovative research or goes out and improves the world somehow. Sometimes logical appeals do not inspire this sort of action like a healthy imagination does. I feel, like Damien Broderick, that our motivation and funding will make all the difference in how strange and wonderful the future turns out, and our imagination should be a guiding principle.
Works Cited
Rodgers, Johannah. “Stranger Than You Can Imagine.” Technology: A Reader for Writers. New York: Oxford UP, 2015. 63-66. Print.
Every Spellbound Voice in Effect 