Science fiction vs Post-Apocalyptic Fiction?

Sn1p3r187

Sn1p3r187

Carolinian Shaolin Monk
Which do you like better and why? I mean I love Post-apocalyptic, it gives that big scenario of what if and what would happen after the end of civilization though I think the likelihood wouldn't be like the After the End trope, but more like post Roman society. It isn't that bad, society hasn't totally collapsed, it'd be more like breaking off into a bunch a nation states in the U.S and Europe after a nuclear WWIII and eventually rise of a bunch of warlords and smugglers that dare challenge what little government is left. But the knowledge of the pre-war times would be there but it'd be lost in a different sense. It wouldn't be anything on the level of Fallout with a crapsack world and the knowledge being lost, it'd be more like "We can't build a GPS anymore" or "We can't watch Netflix anymore". But in a majority of cases I usually choose Sci-fi settings. Why? Because when I think about Post-apocalyptic I don't want that idea of doom and gloom to hang over my head thinking about how the world will end and when will it end. It's like you stay around it for so long and eventually that pessimism will rub off on you and have you waiting instead of living. With Sci-fi settings; it gives me that positive light that we'll be smart enough to not let a nuclear, chemical, or Bio war happen and let it destroy civilization like that. And with that I can keep that hope alive and hope for a better tomorrow than for that tomorrow to be the last tomorrow. Sure, when I think about it Fallout is fun but in some cases I feel like I play it for too long and I start thinking too hard and philosophizing if we'll all die out in a similar manner. But which do you like better and why? Deus Ex is awesome.
 
Science-fiction is less restrictive than Post-Apocalyptic fiction. I find that most post apocalyptic fiction falls into a few catagories. The post nuclear one, the zombie one etc. Of course there are more, and there are great stories told within such a setting. But science-fiction is more prestigious.
 
Post Apocalyptic can be Science fiction, so I don't get how you can "choose between the two". Science Fiction is a very large and generalized genre.
 
Well, technically you can make a Supernatural Post Apocalyptic story. Doesn't necessarily have to always be Science fiction.
 
Walpknut said:
Post Apocalyptic can be Science fiction, so I don't get how you can "choose between the two". Science Fiction is a very large and generalized genre.
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Yeah I see what you mean. They can both fall hand in hand. But what I mean here is more of a pure thing instead of a blend you know? Like the pure genre itself with an indication of one in the other. Like Deus Ex or Halo vs The Walking Dead and The Last of Us.
 
They're not really things you can just separate and call it a day though, as before, usually there's some overlap with post-apocalyptic stories and another genre. Even some of the more cut and dry post-apocalypse stories like The Road have elements of science fiction involved. Genres outside of the very broadest of categories tend to overlap with one another, and even then overlap is possible.

Besides, it's rather limiting to say that you prefer one genre to another. Genres are simply tools to help craft a story, the work being judged on how well it uses all the tools at it's disposal.
 
Chromevod said:
They're not really things you can just separate and call it a day though, as before, usually there's some overlap with post-apocalyptic stories and another genre. Even some of the more cut and dry post-apocalypse stories like The Road have elements of science fiction involved. Genres outside of the very broadest of categories tend to overlap with one another, and even then overlap is possible.

Besides, it's rather limiting to say that you prefer one genre to another. Genres are simply tools to help craft a story, the work being judged on how well it uses all the tools at it's disposal.
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I guess you got a point there. I should rearrange this and ask- Which do you like your genre to have more of regardless of what it is, Science Fiction or Post-apocalyptic stuff? Better?
 
Much.

But, it's still a hard question for me personally to answer. Others may have a more definitive answer, but it would depend on my mood, I suppose. By and large though, I would look for something more science-fiction based. I do like more conventional post-apocalypse stories, but by my own nature I'd go for sci-fi more often.
 
I prefer good science fiction over post-apo. Sci-fi is covering broader fields of human endeavours, whilst post-apo sticks witch psychology or sociology mostly, so I find sci-fi novels or stories to be much more original and interesting. Of course, good post-apo combined with sci-fi sits on the top of that all! :nuclear:
 
valcik said:
I prefer good science fiction over post-apo. Sci-fi is covering broader fields of human endeavours, whilst post-apo sticks witch psychology or sociology mostly, so I find sci-fi novels or stories to be much more original and interesting. Of course, good post-apo combined with sci-fi sits on the top of that all! :nuclear:
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Name some good Post apo and Sci fi combos. Besides Fallout.
 
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
1984 - George Orwell
The Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham
A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter M. Miller
Metro 2033 - Dmitry Glukhovsky
The Postman - David Brin
The Darkness - Ondrej Neff
 
The Postman? Hmm, the movie at least isn't really science fiction in my opinion.

Walpknut said:
Blame! it's a mango.
Does Mad max count as Science Fiction?
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I would say no.

The Matrix is a post apoc science fiction movie.
 
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