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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Turanil" data-source="post: 1935960" data-attributes="member: 9646">IMO: Safety obsession is related to efficiency obsession (and our society strives to become always more efficient, without which no space colonization will be ever possible). I mean: there is nothing more inefficient than a dead explorer (or broken probe) as far as exploration goes. I think that the problem (of hard sci-fi being not about heroes but technicians behind a computer screen) is about technology. The first prehistoric soldiers used their fists; then a club or a sword, then a gun, then a computer screen, then an AI to take care of the computer. As tools evolve into complex technology, the real work is always more remote from the person who does it (and then have it done). The first prehistoric soldier had to be a hero, a conan, but in the future you just need to have the latest upgrade in equipment and let the technology do its job all by itself. It doesn't lend well to adventuring.I did once read something great on the Internet. A guy told that when he was young his father would tell him of the dangers and hazards of nature (wild animals, deadly climate, etc.), but himself would have to tell his own son about the danger and hazards of society (don't eat junk food despite advertising wants you do otherwise and doesn't care you end up obese). In the former case I can see the basis for adventures (fight wild animals, survive harsh climate), in the latter??? (don't eat junk food cause it's bad for your health...).</blockquote>

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