Why does Science Fiction have such a bad rep?

I don’t understand it. No matter where I go, no matter what I do, I always seem to make enemies. It is hard enough to make new friends at college, but then to be immediately stereotyped and shoved away…that just hurts.

People ask me, “So, what’s your major?” And I always have to respond that I am undeclared and am unsure of what field I want to go into. They are usually really nice and want to help so they ask, “Well what do you like to do?” I respond that I like to write, and immediately they get excited. They envision Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and great poets such as Yates and Hemmingway. They then are eager to ask the next question, “What do you write?” And I respond that I am writing a science fiction novel. There hearts sink. Science fiction? How awful, how horrible, what kind of person writes science fiction?

I am immediately stereotyped as a weird crazy guy that is nerdy and has no life (and you probably all believe the same thing, sadly enough, after all I don’t write comedy like Ken, or write about weather disasters like A, or just come up with hilarious comments like Ben, or write about drunk friends like everyone now-a-days). But I am so much more then that and people are so ignorant and weirded out that I might have something truly creative and unique that they run away and treat me like a nobody. I have actually been told that people from Jesuit have contacted my friends here and talked crap about me, perhaps even people here on this Blog! And that kills me! When I tell people about myself I trust them and I believe that they will return the trust and respect that I give them. But no I am treated with disdain and given a strange look, by those that have not even taken the chance to get to know me. People accept outside views of people they don't even know and accept things that are said with no knowledge to back the statements up.

I did not want this to be a “poor me” post, I’m sorry about that. The real question I want answered Is why does science fiction have such a negative reputation, you tell someone that you like science fiction and you are labeled. As I was doing my Senior Project on SF I was shown a great understanding and acceptance of science fiction, but here at UP, for some reason it is looked down upon. I believe that it is because people don’t understand it, and people fear the things they don’t understand. Take Star Wars or Star Trek for example, why do people dislike ST over SW? Its because they havn’t given it a chance. The vast majority of those that hate Star Trek are those that have never even seen an episode. Just like a food, you can say you hate it all you want but if you have never tried it, how would you know? The same is true with people, if you don’t get to know someone you won’t understand them, because you haven’t even given them a chance. I just hope and pray that all of you are more open minded then some of the people I have come across.