The Culture of Space Slums

[Ban]

Sci-Fi often explores how culture would adapt to the limitations imposed on it by its environment, just look at cyberpunk. However most of these explorations occur on our own planet, another planet or are applicable only to the middle and upper classes of their worlds. Perhaps my sci-fi knowledge is limited, but I can't think of any novel or movie that portrays galactic poverty.

2250, the world I am working on, has as one of its central themes "space is bland". Within this world space is seen as an expansive void that separates all the interesting planets from each other. Everything high-profile happens on planets. Spaceships and spacestations are bulky and ugly in this world, partly as an aesthetic choice to hammer in the "space is bland" theme and partly because the governments of the world(s) dont want to spend more time and effort than necessary on these constructs. Building in space don't get you many votes. The only people who live in space are there for work or because they are too destitute to live anywhere else. Life in space is cheap and on the surface that's about all the upside there is to living there. Or maybe not if your input changes my mind on how to write these space slums.

What effect do you think life in space would have on people's habits, behaviors, clothing, music, art and everything else culture-related? It's alright by me for you to stray a bit from my specific request if you feel like it. I would really appreciate your opinions.

 

[skip.knox]

First thing I thought of was the set of Alien. The original. Not really slummy, but dirty, functional and rather run-down.

Next thing was oil fields. Or migrant worker camps. Here the people are not beat down, but they live minimally out of necessity. Many times they are predominantly male, with all that entails and implies. There's little to do outside of work, so drugs and liquor are big. I don't really see this as bland so much as dreary and grim.

Third thing is the Belt miners in the series The Expanse.

Even in space, though, there will managers who live better than the workers. There will be some sort of black market, out-of-market currency, even if it's just flesh and blood.

But wouldn't there be different kinds of space-only constructions? There would be military vehicles, for example. There would be luxury liners, private yachts. I think the nature of the slum would depend on the function of the construction.

 

[Nomadica]

I think this could be a really interesting idea. Though in order to justify something so expensive to build being so cheap to live on you'd have to make it a case where space was once a happening place, like before the other planets were fully colonized. So these space stations are old and half deserted. At least thats the only way I can think to make sense of it. I imagine one of the up sides could be that life on the stations are more free or lawless. Like the wild west of the worlds.

 

[Ban]

Exactly how I imagined it as well Nomadica. The major theme guiding my worldbuilding is that this is a world where technological progress has largely come to a halt. About a century and a half before the current situation humanity was at its creative peak. The early 2100s were marked by rapid colonization, discovery of alien species and technologies and great inventions such as space elevators and solar highways (sun-to-sun lightspeed). The late 2100s and early 2200s on the other hand have had no significant inventions, which has led to a global nostalgia for the golden ages of each superstate. In the United States this is the 1950s, making the setting retro-futuristic. Because of this cultural nostalgia people and by extension institutions and governments have slowly replaced their interest in space with an interest for earth.



And Skip. I see I've got some things to research now, thanks

 

[K.S. Crooks]

A few ideas- I'm not sure why life in space would be cheap since extra effort and cost needs to be put into keeping people safe from meteor, radiation, reduced gravity and supplying air, water and waste removal. Even recyclers have their limits. As for people's habits and behaviour something would need to be done to have allow people the occasional expression of our animal tendencies. People need to se the sun, feel a soft breeze on their face, hear birds, go for a walk. A ship or station needs to be able to provide this or at least a strong simulation. Perhaps look at the methods used by prisons or research station in remote locations, such as Antarctica.

The arts will play a more important role in providing distraction and mental relief. Space and stars are very black and white. I think colours, cheerful sounds and fantasy tales would become more prevalent; in the same manner these became more common for most societies around the time of the winter solstice. I could see clothing going a mix, with half the people liking bold looks, while the others preferring simple common uniforms.

 

[skip.knox]

Habits and behaviors are a great way to make a scene both familiar and alien. Think about what is socially acceptable in public. Do people shake hands? embrace? avoid physical contact? Does this vary by social class or trade (or species)? Is talking loudly frowned on? Whispering? Do people make direct eye contact or avoid it? There are scores of social cues that you can explore.

Events can be interesting as well. Do they do something like carnival, where people cast aside social propriety for a time? There could be processionals, pro sports (null grav could be fun), other ceremonial events, even down to weddings and funerals. Take any of these and give it a twist.

Then there are small touches. Maybe having a living being is highly prized--a pet, a plant, whatever. There could be mechanical version for those who can't afford the real thing. Privacy would be a premium--not just private quarters, but private space for sex, for business meetings, for an artist (can you imagine trying to write your book in a crowded space station?).

Und so weiter... Seems to me you've got lots of rooms to explore. Ooh, would there be the equivalent of abandoned buildings? And squatters?

 

[CupofJoe]

Sci-Fi often explores how culture would adapt to the limitations imposed on it by its environment, just look at cyberpunk. However most of these explorations occur on our own planet, another planet or are applicable only to the middle and upper classes of their worlds. Perhaps my sci-fi knowledge is limited, but I can't think of any novel or movie that portrays galactic poverty.

In different ways I'd say that Babylon5 and Firefly show life in space beyond polite society.
Babylon5 had "Down Below", all then decks where the guts of the station were and also where those that have become stranded and need to make a living to stay alive, end up.
Similarly most of the places visited in Firefly seem to be just about making it from day-to-day.
I'd also add Blade Runner, the film give you a very seedy view of that world [Sebastian's home vs Tyrell's home].
Even in Star Wars, Luke home is a marginally successful farm, not a slum but only scraping by. In the first of the prequels, wasn't Anakin the child of a slave working in a junk yard?
It is the seeming utopia of Star Trek the I feel skews the view of what SPACE will be like.

What effect do you think life in space would have on people's habits, behaviors, clothing, music, art and everything else culture-related? It's alright by me for you to stray a bit from my specific request if you feel like it. I would really appreciate your opinions.

The buildings might be bland but I'd bet the people aren't. I'd expect them [even if they don't show it to an outsider] to be bright, vibrant, loud, noisy, impolite, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and [ahem] enterprising. What money seems to give you are choices, room and the ability to isolate yourself. Remove those and you are looking at limited opportunities, cramped, and having to deal with people that you don't like/trust... but without knowing the make-up and history to that date the possibilities are endless.

 

[Ban]

A few ideas- I'm not sure why life in space would be cheap since extra effort and cost needs to be put into keeping people safe from meteor, radiation, reduced gravity and supplying air, water and waste removal. Even recyclers have their limits. As for people's habits and behaviour something would need to be done to have allow people the occasional expression of our animal tendencies. People need to se the sun, feel a soft breeze on their face, hear birds, go for a walk. A ship or station needs to be able to provide this or at least a strong simulation. Perhaps look at the methods used by prisons or research station in remote locations, such as Antarctica.

The arts will play a more important role in providing distraction and mental relief. Space and stars are very black and white. I think colours, cheerful sounds and fantasy tales would become more prevalent; in the same manner these became more common for most societies around the time of the winter solstice. I could see clothing going a mix, with half the people liking bold looks, while the others preferring simple common uniforms.

My idea was that over time the costs of these space buildings would go down simply because the building price would have been paid off and they would become more efficient due to minor innovations over time. I think you are right that in reality Life in Space might still be very difficult due to the costs you've mentioned. For the sake of the story and my world I chose not to be too realistic on that front.

Thanks for the ideas. I now imagine there being a vibrant fiction-writing community in space

Habits and behaviors are a great way to make a scene both familiar and alien. Think about what is socially acceptable in public. Do people shake hands? embrace? avoid physical contact? Does this vary by social class or trade (or species)? Is talking loudly frowned on? Whispering? Do people make direct eye contact or avoid it? There are scores of social cues that you can explore.

Events can be interesting as well. Do they do something like carnival, where people cast aside social propriety for a time? There could be processionals, pro sports (null grav could be fun), other ceremonial events, even down to weddings and funerals. Take any of these and give it a twist.

Then there are small touches. Maybe having a living being is highly prized--a pet, a plant, whatever. There could be mechanical version for those who can't afford the real thing. Privacy would be a premium--not just private quarters, but private space for sex, for business meetings, for an artist (can you imagine trying to write your book in a crowded space station?).

Und so weiter... Seems to me you've got lots of rooms to explore. Ooh, would there be the equivalent of abandoned buildings? And squatters?

All great ideas to look into, thanks!

I imagine there being quite alot of space squatters. Those unfortunate enough to lose their job in space would lack the money to go to earth or another planet/moon. It's a bit depressing but their children would likely be doomed to live on these spacestations as well for most if not all of their lives.

In different ways I'd say that Babylon5 and Firefly show life in space beyond polite society.
Babylon5 had "Down Below", all then decks where the guts of the station were and also where those that have become stranded and need to make a living to stay alive, end up.
Similarly most of the places visited in Firefly seem to be just about making it from day-to-day.
I'd also add Blade Runner, the film give you a very seedy view of that world [Sebastian's home vs Tyrell's home].
Even in Star Wars, Luke home is a marginally successful farm, not a slum but only scraping by. In the first of the prequels, wasn't Anakin the child of a slave working in a junk yard?
It is the seeming utopia of Star Trek the I feel skews the view of what SPACE will be like.

The buildings might be bland but I'd bet the people aren't. I'd expect them [even if they don't show it to an outsider] to be bright, vibrant, loud, noisy, impolite, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and [ahem] enterprising. What money seems to give you are choices, room and the ability to isolate yourself. Remove those and you are looking at limited opportunities, cramped, and having to deal with people that you don't like/trust... but without knowing the make-up and history to that date the possibilities are endless.

Those examples you gave are more focused on the lives of poor people on terrestrial places, not those living in space. I will however gladly rewatch firefly if I can say it is for research purposes.

Great point on the people. I think I will describe the space-people the way you did. I could even have some false stereotypes going on. Those on earth could think that the people in space are boring and dull while in reality they are a vibrant and diverse bunch.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

There could be a space station that houses a city and is powered by satellites.

 

[Patrick-Leigh]

I think you might find this video useful:

 

[Ban]

Fellas, this thread is 3 years old.

I do love Isaac Arthur though.

 

[The Dark One]

Sci-Fi often explores how culture would adapt to the limitations imposed on it by its environment, just look at cyberpunk. However most of these explorations occur on our own planet, another planet or are applicable only to the middle and upper classes of their worlds. Perhaps my sci-fi knowledge is limited, but I can't think of any novel or movie that portrays galactic poverty.

Really? I can think of heaps just off the top of my head. Indeed a major a cliché of sci-fi is the slum dweller who emerges from his/her challenging upbringing to become a star.

Andre Norton had her own version of the slum, which she called the Dipple, which featured in several books. Robert Heinlein had heroes who emerged from poverty like Max Jones in Starman Jones.

Then there are movies like Area 9; Elyseum; The Fifth Element; Ready Player One, all of which feature people escaping slums/poverty to become major players.

That's not to discourage you. These kinds of stories are always popular if done well, maybe because the plot is already half written and everyone loves an underdog. Find your own take on it and you're halfway there.

 

[Ban]

That's not to discourage you. These kinds of stories are always popular if done well, maybe because the plot is already half written and everyone loves an underdog. Find your own take on it and you're halfway there.

Again, this thread is 3 years old. In fact I abandoned whatever this story would be... 3 years ago.

Let's put a lock on this discussion. If people wish to discuss space slums, you can create a separate thread.

 

[The Dark One]

No worries, thanks for the feedback.