Science Fiction in Brazil
Brazilian science fiction writer Jaques Barica has written an article concerning Brazil:
Optimism in Literature around the World and SF in Particular, part 5: Brazil, “the Country that Could Have Been and Maybe Will”.
Brazilian SF has always been pessimistic. Worse yet, in many occasions it has been ironical to the very idea of future. The 70s and early 80s, the “age of lead”, as we call it, because of the military dictatorship on course, were marked by the publication of some classic dystopian novels, like “And Still the Earth” (originally Não Verás País Nenhum, or You`ll See no Country) by Ignacio de Loyola Brandão. A decade later, when cyberpunk finally arrived in Brazilian bookstores, it quickly grabbed readers and writers alike because, well, Brazil IS a cyberpunk country. And as the original punks would say, there’s no future.
He, however, goes on to explain that Brazil seems to have made some optimistic changes in terms of technology and a more positive outlook:
For example, 3G networks are used in public web-based long-distance education programs. Computer games (like Civilization) are used in many schools to teach history, political science, administration, etc. Indigenous tribes use the web to preserve their cultural heritage. Almost-forgotten languages are available online, as well as ritual dances.
Another example: Brazil has cars running 100% on alcohol since 1979. Total-flex cars are sold since 2003, a technology developed by Brazilian engineers. Brazilian alcohol comes from sugarcane which has lower impact than corn alcohol. The blend commonly called E25 (that is, 25% of alcohol and 75% gasoline) is the standard of Brazilian gasoline. Brazilian energy comes mostly from hydroelectric power plants and there are projects to build fields of wind turbines in the country’s Northeast.
But Brazilian science fiction (SF) hasn’t caught up with that spirit yet, he contends.
Interesting article for me to read as I’ve learned about Brazil living here, and contrasting that experience with my life in the United States, growing up with science fiction and becoming a writer.
Tags: Jaques Barcia, science fiction
July 4th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I dont know about projects for wind turbines in the northeast of the country Mike, but Brazil´s largest windfarm is located just 90km away from you, in the municipality of Osório, in Rio Grande do Sul´s coast. There are seventy 145 meters high wind turbines generating 300 MW. I think they are already starting to build 70 more wind turbines in the park.
Just take the BR-290 road from Porto Alegre to the east (we call it “Freeway”) and you will soon arrive there.
Anyway, unless you want to do near future sci-fi, I think its quite useless to analize the current situation to extrapolate the future. Who knows, maybe in 100 years there wont even exist national governments on Earth anymore.