Usbek & Rica – The ‘human science fiction’ dear to François Schouten and Sylvain Tesson has been published on Mars

The approach is ecological, from an environment seen as protection: “Environment is about preserving what is, hence the characters’ decision to preserve Mars from human gluttony”, identifies Sylvain Tyson.

Dystopie souterraine

Because in the tale, the situation on Earth has not yet finished deteriorating, dragging 30 billion human beings into an underground dystopia, under the auspices of a global technical dictatorship…with hints of retrograde futurism as well. In the face of modern concerns, and environmental anxiety in particular, the authors refute the process of conquest and expansion of many works, especially American, that see space as escape, and redemption through exile (such as the movie). Interstellar, by Christopher Nolan). They get lost in the thought of this pristine, untouched exterior, a subject of ecstasy concerning protection in peril of its own kind.

For Mars, the “progress” which would consist in the expansion of the human kingdom in the stars is undesirable, and the solutions of human torment, if any, the spirit of conquest must be dispensed with. For the authors, preserving beauty is an end in itself. Sylvain Tyson concludes: “If the future is as beautiful as the work of François Schouten, I become progressive.”