Science Fiction is the Myth of the Technological Age
Chinese science fiction writer Jiang Bo has written fiction since 2003, with more than 60 short stories and novelettes published so far. In 2012, he began to publish novels, and they include The Galaxy Heart（《银河之心》）, The Gate of Machine（《机器之门》）, Records of the Future（《未来史记》） and so on. His works have been honored with multiple Galaxy and Xingyun Awards and have been translated into English, German, Italian, and many other languages. At the opening of the 7th China-Europe International Literary Festival, Jiang Bo expressed his views on topics such as artificial intelligence and the adaptation of science fiction into films and TV series.
Artificial Intelligence and Human Civilization
When artificial intelligence continues to evolve such as the technology of face recognition, virtual reality, nanomachines, digital life, etc., where will human civilization go? Jiang Bo’s new book Records of the Future (《未来史记》，湛庐，2022) confronts the ideological impact that emerges intensively in the epic of machines and people, reshaping our perception of reality and the future.
According to Jiang Bo, artificial intelligence will impact human civilization in several ways: first, it will efficiently replace brain labor, which will further expand the gap between the rich and the poor and challenge the existing human distribution system. Second, it will trigger a mechanism by mistake, leading to disastrous consequences. Humans invent artificial intelligence for a purpose A, but it leads to a result B. Third, artificial intelligence is related to the awakening of human beings’ self-awareness. Whether the relationship is friendly, hostile, or arbitrary, it will have something to do with human social conditions and even determine the survival of civilization.
Correspondingly, human society needs to make adjustments: first, a new distribution system should be designed, so that the wealth created by artificial intelligence can be shared by all people, rather than being occupied by just a few. Second, artificial intelligence should be limited, and in emergency conditions it must be turned off at any time. We can only use it under the condition of knowing fully the consequences. Third, artificial intelligence needs to be instilled with the concept of “civilization” so that it can be compatible with human values.
Adaptation of science fiction into films and TV series
Jiang Bo’s short story “The Art of Moving Souls”（《移魂有术》） has been adapted into the sci-fi movie The Soul （《缉魂》）, and the novel The Galaxy Heart trilogy and The Gate of Machine are also being adapted for animation. Jiang Bo said, “Stories with twists are more suitable for adaptation. But this is not for sure, because adaptation is a re-creation of directors and screenwriters, and what they focus on may be an idea or a situation proposed in the novel, instead of the story itself. For example, the movie The Wandering Earth has nothing to do with the original story, but it is still successful. It all depends on circumstances. However, as for literary creation, it is better to follow the rules. If it is for film and TV series adaptation, why not write scripts directly? Of course, film and television elements can be thought about when creating literature. For example, a scene may appear in the author’s mind first and then is described in literature creation, but this is not to say that we create the scene for adaptation. It’s just because the film/TV series and literature have something in common.”
The connotation and extension of science fiction literature
As a genre of literature, science fiction has received more and more attention in recent years. For Jiang Bo, science fiction is the myth of the technological age; it the combination of imagination and modern technology, similar to the fact that myth is the combination of imagination and the life of primitive tribes. The essence of the two is actually the same: both are fiction and imagination. The difference lies in the knowledge system on which it depends.
As the difference between science fiction and fantasy, Jiang Bo believes that the key is the knowledge system on which the story is based. Science is the foundation of science fiction, while fantasy is based on magic and the supernatural. However, the two are not completely exclusive. Some science fiction does not strictly follow the scientific knowledge system, but actually has a fantasy nature.
Different science fiction writers have different styles. Jiang Bo is known as a “hard science fiction writer”, with numerous writing techniques, grand and peculiar imagination; all in all, he is reasonable and convincing. In response to the controversial distinction between soft (fake) and hard (authentic) science fiction, Jiang Bo replied, “This question is just a matter of discourse. It does not mean that soft science fiction is “fake”. Soft fiction just has something different beneath the surface. If science fiction really adopts scientific knowledge system, then it is “authentic”; if it uses only scientific terms, while the knowledge system contained is not science, but fantasy, then it is “fake”, which can be seen as the infiltration of science and culture into fantasy literature. As for “soft” and “hard”, the rough standard is the amount of technical descriptions and the degree of fidelity. I personally think that the distinction is not that meaningful. The foundation of science fiction is the story, and a good story has nothing to do with “authentic” or “fake”.
At the upcoming 7th EU-China International Literary Festival, Jiang Bo will join Austrian author Clemens J Setz, in conversation with literary translator Li Shuangzhi, to discuss their own works and the topic “Vivid, Complex, Nuanced – Crafting New Worlds”.