RWN EP #64* [REPOST*] — Sci-Fi & Fascism
Guest: David Forbes, journalist and author
The War Nerd and David Forbes have an intense inside-sci-fi-nerd discussion about how sci-fi became dominated by far-right politics and narratives, Heinlein, Philip K Dick, and the newer wave of sci-fi writers breaking out of the traditional molds . . .
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David Forbes is a journalist based in Asheville, North Carolina, who writes for the Asheville Blade ; and they're the author of The Old Iron Dream, a secret history of sci-fi's far right politics . . .
Comments (11)
Is there any where we can see the list of sci-fi the author talked about making?
I'm late to the party here, but just subscribed recently and am working my way thru. I'd add Pavane by Keith Roberts to your canon of Alternate History Novels That Are Good, Actually.
The guest, David Forbes, needs to have his book published in physical format.
This was a bad one. How many times can the guest condemn this or that author as a crypto-fascist for writing a book? You'd think he hated the genre entirely the way he complains about them.
Got to admit I really like it when you all talk science fiction.
"your house isn't as fire resistant as you think" is an understatement. Most suburban houses rely on truss beam construction to be cheap and easy to build. Truss beams can be efficient at load bearing but a few minutes of fire can destroy one and collapse a suburban house in less than 15 minutes.
Yikes.
I'm really glad you mentioned Parable of the Sower! I really enjoyed that one.
The dystopian/post-apocalyptic genre is very popular in European sci-fi, and the number one right-wing best-seller is The Camp of The Saints, by Jean Raspail. It's about tens of thousands of Indian untouchables invading the French riviera aboard filthy rusty ships. This book's 2011 re-edition ranked #1 in France, and is the bible of all great replacement theorists.
Gary, since you're back in Turin maybe you could check "Fantafascismo!", an anthology of fascist sci-fi, probably available in the bargain bin of your local fascist bookshop. Unsurprisingly, most stories revolve around a dystopian world where the Duce didn't die and Italy would lead the world.
Great episode.