Science Fiction Is Dying. Long Live Post Sci-Fi?

Is Sci-Fi Dying?

• Many disagree with the article’s “death” framing; they see a genre in transition, not collapse.
• Some argue that reality now resembles old sci‑fi (AI, climate, billionaires, geopolitics), which both blunts the sense of wonder and creates new angles to explore.
• Others feel there is already a lifetime of unread “back catalog” and are unconcerned about new output.

AI, Authorship, and Economics

• AI is seen as both a topic and a tool: fertile ground for stories, yet also a threat via content floods and automation.
• Several say AI-generated fiction feels programmatic and hollow; they want human-authored prose, even if AI assists planning.
• Economic concern: even “perfect” AI books would drown in oversupply, undercutting discoverability and income.

Politics, Sexuality, and “Lecturing”

• Long-running tension: some readers are tired of overt politics/sexuality and didactic tones.
• Others counter that these themes have always been central to sci‑fi; what changed is which politics/sexualities are foregrounded.
• The dividing line for many is not topics but heavy-handed moralizing versus subtle, reader-respecting treatment.

Utopias, Dystopias, and Tone

• Several lament the dominance of dystopia and crave optimistic, “noblebright” adventure and functional utopias.
• Others argue pure utopias are hard to dramatize; conflict-free worlds feel dull.
• There’s a sense that “dark and edgy” has become the easy way to appear profound, and a pendulum swing back to hopeful stories is anticipated.

Quality, Tropes, and Awards

• Many see good sci‑fi as rare amid a sea of tropey, shallow, power-fantasy pulp—but still worth sifting for the standouts.
• Some distrust major awards and imprints, viewing them as politicized or commercially constrained, and look instead to overlooked or outsider works.

Medium Shift and Discovery

• Commenters highlight strong contemporary sci‑fi in TV/streaming and especially video games, which may be the most vibrant current medium.
• Indie platforms, web serials, and fanfiction communities are cited as thriving spaces for experimental or more positive sci‑fi.