I know an authorial tract when I see one; but putting aside my basic distaste for the form and considering the short story as persuasive writing, I’d say it’s actually worse. It presents little reasoning, practically no evidence, and not even any especially interesting ideas. There’s nothing there but a sketch of a future history and a few generic environmental and social warnings, and I can get that without the smug overtones (well, without the same smug overtones, at least) on any left-leaning transhumanist blog.
You don’t say.
I know an authorial tract when I see one; but putting aside my basic distaste for the form and considering the short story as persuasive writing, I’d say it’s actually worse. It presents little reasoning, practically no evidence, and not even any especially interesting ideas. There’s nothing there but a sketch of a future history and a few generic environmental and social warnings, and I can get that without the smug overtones (well, without the same smug overtones, at least) on any left-leaning transhumanist blog.