Favourite Sci-Fi Utopias?

Narsil · Post by **Narsil** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:56 pm

Based on an IM Conversation between Destructionator and I...

What is your favourite Utopian Sci-Fi Civilisation? The place where you just think; 'Hmm... I wouldn't mind living there.'

I personally have a soft spot for the Culture. Reason One; machines rule everything, so it's a lazyman's dream. Reason Two; sex, lots of sex. Reason Three; the best medical technology I've ever read of. Reason Four: 'Top of the Food Chain', when you're attacked by hostile aliens you have more chance of survival... simply via merit of it being the almost godlike Culture. Reason Five; Glands... drunk, stoned, happy, dizzy, calm or coffee rush, your choice

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 4:40 pm

I read this Heinlein novel called Beyond this Horizon which had a cool little utopian society. It wasn't perfect and had no pretensions of it, but in the magical Heinlein way it just managed to work, and there's genetic engineering and high technology and polite people and everybody is rich.

Failing that, I wouldn't mind hanging out with the Houyhnhms if they'd take me.

Scottish Ninja · Post by **Scottish Ninja** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:00 pm

The society in For Us, the Living isn't bad at all. (Heinlein, too.)

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:14 pm

Hmm... probably the Zhodani from Traveller. They're an authoritarian society that works because the people in charge are telepaths. Everyone is honest with you and they can't lie (because you can tell immediately if they are), and you can never be alone as well.

But they have their problems. Namely the whole "Let's try to conquer the Imperium nextdoor that's like, 10x our size" thing. Traveller's an interesting setting. You've got the feudalistic Imperium that is a combination of libertarian autonomy paired with defference to an Imperial throne who's major claim to fame is the 'rule by assassination' clause; the xenophobic Solomani Confederation who took a page out of the Dark Ages and consider the whole galaxy to revolve around the Earth; the clanish Aslan Heirate and the even more clanish Vargr Extents; the militant Vegan Centaurs who dream of enslaving all the meateaters in the Universe; and the pacifistic and manipulative Hivers, who look like giant starfish, and who once took a planet of Vegan Centaurs and turned them into meateaters (a warning to their militant neighbours - don't fuck with the Hivers they're too fucking nice).

Given that lot the Zhodani seem like princes. Well the Hivers don't seem that bad. They'd at least know how to manipulate you to think happy thoughts, while the Zhos will just make you think happy thoughts. And if you fuck with them they'll melt your brain.

Yeesh. Utopian society my arse. Nevermind.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:23 pm

Scottish Ninja wrote:The society in For Us, the Living isn't bad at all. (Heinlein, too.)

Heinlein had a thing for wacky utopias, didn't he? Also novels for teens and young adults (perfectly alright) and stuff involving incest (...yeah...).

Destructionator XV · Post by **Destructionator XV** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:53 pm

I think I would have to pick TNG's Federation. You would be well cared for, even if you just sit back on Earth and be a lazy, but safe, bum, or there is always Starfleet which could be quite exciting, exploring strange new worlds. seeking out new life and new civilisations, boldly going where no one has gone before.

There is enough of everything to do whatever. Replicators and holodecks would suit me just fine.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:07 pm

The Edenists from Night's Dawn have it pretty sweet, and I really like a lot of their outlooks on life.

Plus quasi-immortality rules.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:53 am

Hotfoot wrote:The Edenists from Night's Dawn have it pretty sweet, and I really like a lot of their outlooks on life.

Plus quasi-immortality rules.

Shit! How the fuck could I forget about the Edenists? Man I want to be an Edenist right now.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:02 am

The Culture has my soft spot, maybe it's the computers, fun of glands r the thought of having my own lightsaber

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:06 am

Being reletively well off in Yellowstone Revelation space-verse, pre plague, would kick ass. Near Immortality, awesome toys, the universe to explore.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:05 am

Destructionator XV wrote:I think I would have to pick TNG's Federation. You would be well cared for, even if you just sit back on Earth and be a lazy, but safe, bum, or there is always Starfleet which could be quite exciting, exploring strange new worlds. seeking out new life and new civilisations, boldly going where no one has gone before.

Not to mention the holodeck is probably the safest, condomless way to lose virginity.

Narsil · Post by **Narsil** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:14 am

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:Not to mention the holodeck is probably the safest, condomless way to lose virginity.

Actually, the Culture has eliminated all diseases, and has sex as its way of life... and you can control your current level of fertility.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:09 am

Did KAN just use the words 'holodeck' and 'safe' in the same sentence?

The bloody thing puts its users in peril so often one would wonder why they keep using it if one were not busy wondering about so many other things where TNG is concerned

As for my favourite utopia I live in the DCU so chances are good wherever I move to is an improvement.

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:20 pm

Your all going to think I'm crazy but the Imperium in WH:40K, I want to be in the Imperial Guard. A lasgun and a knife plus a flak jacket! I'm in heaven. Besides if I get to reprise my career as a radio operator in the Guard, their comms gear must be amazing!

Narsil · Post by **Narsil** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:21 pm

And people call me crazy for choosing the Forgotten Realms... (in Fantasy, 'magical schooling' thread)

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:47 pm

And here I had the Cpl figured for a smart one.
Perryverse Earth somewhere between the late 25th and early 35th century comes to mind, as does 5th Element Earth.

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:19 pm

I figure the sheer numbers involved will keep me alive.

Besides, if I die, I die for the EMPEROR! [/sarcasm]

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:26 pm

Cpl Kendall wrote:I figure the sheer numbers involved will keep me alive. Besides, if I die, I die for the EMPEROR! [/sarcasm]

You do realize that the average Guardsman's life expectancy upon the front lines is fifteen hours, right?

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:31 pm

Elheru Aran wrote:
You do realize that the average Guardsman's life expectancy upon the front lines is fifteen hours, right?

Woot! I get to die in a loud grotesque military manner and in less than 24 hours, who could ask for more?

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:38 pm

Something tells me you're wife and kids would rather you didn't.
Unless that's precisely why you want that, of course

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:01 pm

It's funny, but I know a guy who says if given the choice of Hell and the 40K Imperialium, he would pick Hell.

As for myself, I think I rather pass on utopias, they tend not to agree with me. Although I wouldn't mind living in the Dahakverse perhaps, or serving on the Imperial Marine Corp in the Empire of Man, but no one in his right mind would call those utopias.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 3:31 am

It's funny, but I know a guy who says if given the choice of Hell and the 40K Imperialium, he would pick Hell.

Obviously You have'nt read swamp thing or Sandman.
When Swamp Thing "visited" Hell he saw Anton Arcane there, a horrific monster when alive (He was delighted to hear about how he'd managed to hurt his niece after dying and while alive he raped her in her husband's body).

He asked for how many years he'd been in hell.
Swamp thing told him "Since yesterday"

.

DC Hell is worse than anything in 40k saving the possible exception of being captured by a chaos demon in the warp and having your warp presence retain sentience after death.

Woot! I get to die in a loud grotesque military manner and in less than 24 hours, who could ask for more? Laughing Wink

Even if you survive and are'nt shot by your commisiar you'll probably go bat shit insane anyway- see Eisenhorn

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:07 pm

Dark lord of the megas wrote: Even if you survive and are'nt shot by your commisiar you'll probably go bat shit insane anyway- see Eisenhorn

Is he the guy that was a coward but kept doing the approved thing because he was too chickenshit to bugout? I'm kinda new to WH:40K.

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:56 pm

Cpl Kendall wrote:
Dark lord of the megas wrote: Even if you survive and are'nt shot by your commisiar you'll probably go bat shit insane anyway- see Eisenhorn
Is he the guy that was a coward but kept doing the approved thing because he was too chickenshit to bugout? I'm kinda new to WH:40K.

Nah, that's Ciaphas Cain. Eisenhorn is an Inquisitor, Ordo Xenos; he's a glorified detective/exorcist/Gestapo interrogator/all-around not someone you want to cross.

The event Megas refers to, IIRC, is a short story featuring Eisenhorn investigating a cultish series of killings in some city; it turns out that they're done by former Guardsmen, who believe they're still in combat with the forces of evil, so when they see someone who they think is touched with heresy, they banded together and murdered him or her. Very fucked up...

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Wed May 03, 2006 2:05 pm

Elheru Aran wrote: Nah, that's Ciaphas Cain. Eisenhorn is an Inquisitor, Ordo Xenos; he's a glorified detective/exorcist/Gestapo interrogator/all-around not someone you want to cross.

The event Megas refers to, IIRC, is a short story featuring Eisenhorn investigating a cultish series of killings in some city; it turns out that they're done by former Guardsmen, who believe they're still in combat with the forces of evil, so when they see someone who they think is touched with heresy, they banded together and murdered him or her. Very fucked up...

Lovely, so what happens to Guardsmen after they finish their term of service assuming they survive.

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