# Different depictions of humanity in science-fiction?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-depictions-of-humanity-in-science-fiction/819857>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 19, 2018, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-depictions-of-humanity-in-science-fiction/819857 "2018-08-19T00:41:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-depictions-of-humanity-in-science-fiction/819857/21 "2018-08-21T22:51:47Z")

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Ursula K. LeGuin’s Ekumen ([Hainish cycle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainish_Cycle)) stories have a fascinating take on “human”.

Humans on Earth are transplants from an ancient spacefaring race from the world Hain, and we’re not the only one. The Hainish are explorers, colonizers, and genetic engineers. Her novels and stories describe over a dozen distinct “human” races (to use the Terran word), from furry 3-foot tall forest dwellers on Athshe whose culture is entirely based on dreaming lucidly without sleep; Gethen, where the “humans” are genderless until they enter into something akin to heat, at which point their bodies switch to opposed genders and they make a baby; or Seggri, a place where the natural gender birth ratio is 16 females to every 1 male, and females dominate society. (Men are basically boy toys and sperm donors.)

She thought a lot about gender issues and her various Hain-descended human types reflect that a lot.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-depictions-of-humanity-in-science-fiction/819857/22 "2018-08-22T01:21:09Z")

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A number of James White’s Sector General stories are written from the perspective of nonhuman characters interacting with the human characters.

_Pandora’s Planet_ by Christopher Anvil is written from the viewpoint of aliens who conquer Earth, only to have a terrible time keeping control of it and an even worse time when they realize that their problem is because humans are genuinely more intelligent than they are. Pretty funny novel, actually.

> [@Projammer](#):
>
> I remember years ago reading a book or three where humans had been abducted from Earth at various periods, Romans, Vikings, medieval, etc. when they were on the verge of dying without a trace. A ship going down in a storm for instance. Then using them as troops in other species wars. Apparently there was a rule that you couldn’t attack a planet with technology any higher than the planet was using and humans were really good with swords and flintlocks and the like.
> 
> I don’t remember the names of the books though. Sorry.

[Ranks of Bronze](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranks_of_Bronze) and some sequel stories. They are written from the human perspective and don’t really fit this thread, however.

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-depictions-of-humanity-in-science-fiction/819857/23 "2018-08-22T04:21:43Z")

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Humans in the movie _Titan A.E._ are mostly regarded, after the destruction of Earth (A.E. means “After Earth”), by other races as worthless refugees, thieves and sneaks.

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