I've never thought of myself as disliking telepathy as such, although I do tend to be jealous of telepathic characters, which makes it difficult to empathize with them. Thinking about it, though, part of the reason I disliked the first half of season five of Babylon 5 may be the emphasis on the rogue telepaths, although it didn't help that they were smug, superior and vaguely patronising.
Oh, and having other people read my thoughts is my nightmare. There's a reason I don't say everything I think!
What annoyed me about the B5 telepaths (apart from the interminable storyline) was that they were constantly po-faced. Given that people who are born blind have a full range of facial expressions - smiles, frowns, furrowed brows of concentration, etc - it makes absolutely NO sense that the telepaths stand there with all the facial animation of a crash test dummy.
After all, thoughts are supposedly flickering round the communual group mind constantly. Every time a new person hoves into view, there should be constant stream of Good Lord! What IS she wearing?... Don't trust her - she cheats at cards... Nice bum!... I remember a joke she once told me... and so on. The telepaths should be sniggering, rolling their eyes, grimacing, scowling and the like.
I think that would be creepier than the po-faced versions!
I think it depends on what type of telepathy is portrayed. As keith_martin once pointed out, in a lot of books telepathy is simply Letting the characters talk to each other in italics. Telepathy in those books doesn't really do much more than a mobile phone lets you do now.
Presumably if the more uber type of telepaths can achieve a perfect emotional union, then they more frequently have a perfect relationship breakdown about 5 minutes after they've gone on their first date. You're into THAT?! Eeeuw!
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Oh, and having other people read my thoughts is my nightmare. There's a reason I don't say everything I think!
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After all, thoughts are supposedly flickering round the communual group mind constantly. Every time a new person hoves into view, there should be constant stream of Good Lord! What IS she wearing?... Don't trust her - she cheats at cards... Nice bum!... I remember a joke she once told me... and so on. The telepaths should be sniggering, rolling their eyes, grimacing, scowling and the like.
I think that would be creepier than the po-faced versions!
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Presumably if the more uber type of telepaths can achieve a perfect emotional union, then they more frequently have a perfect relationship breakdown about 5 minutes after they've gone on their first date. You're into THAT?! Eeeuw!
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