Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Science Fiction and the Medical Point of View


Have you ever tried to watch a science fiction show or movie with a doctor? My spouse and sister-in-law are medical doctors and if I happen to be watching a sci fi show or movie with one or the other it is almost impossible for me to sit back and relax without hearing a running commentary on the technical mistakes being made by the good doctor of the show or movie. I try to remind them that it is simply fiction, but I get in response that basic mistakes should not be made if they are going to have a medical doctor treating people(which they invariably do!) The doctor is usually the beloved character in a series or movie and is highly trained in alien physiology or using technical gadgets. The techno babble usually sounds good to the untrained ear but look out if you have someone who knows medicine!
I hear the loudest complaints and sometimes outright laughter whenever I watch Star Trek in any incarnation, and to a lesser degree while watching Stargate. (Forget about watching ER, I know it is not sci fi, but if I want some drama and fun I need to watch it alone!)
While it is very useful to get the perspective from a trained professional it can also get tiresome. The funny thing is that neither can control themselves, they automatically point out what is wrong and that in and of itself can be very amusing to me. Suddenly I will be startled with "if that were true the person would be seizing, are they an alien or what?" Most of the time I don't mind and to outsiders it is amusing, but sometimes I want to relax in my fantasy science fiction world where broken spines can be replaced, we can read minds, and have bionic hearing!
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