Please. Please please please. Stop. Please?

[mrissa]

Dear American space opera writers,

You can resist the terrible pun, "A mine is a terrible thing to waste." It does not have to go into every damn space opera series. No, really. You can. I believe in you. Contrary to all evidence, I believe in you.

Fond frustration,
mrissa

Comments

can you say 'anachronism'?

[redbird]

At least, they can resist it unless they have convincing worldbuilding for why the United Negro College Fund is an extant, and active, organization in their space operatic future. (Give me a story about a war on Earth today, involving American soldiers, and it's plausible that someone would crack that joke. A thousand years from now, with presumably a different educational system even if the same kind of racism, and it seems less likely.)

Re: can you say 'anachronism'?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I did want to say, "If you are referring to the United Negro College Fund slogan, it seems only fair to have some black people somewhere in your future," but at least one of the series that has included this pun has had a heroine I read, from the description, as what we would call "multiracial or multiethnic," so it's not a complaint that goes all the way across the board.

Re: can you say 'anachronism'?

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that phrase is not limited to being a reference to that in specific, or at least, I very much doubt it was in the context I grew up in.

[skzbrust.livejournal.com]

Unreasoning faith is so charming.

[scalzi.livejournal.com]

You got it.

[carbonel]

Other than Elizabeth Moon, who has failed to resist the temptation?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Today's perpetrator was Mike Shepherd.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

I ran into the Moon for the first time just the other week, and it is to my knowledge the first time I have run into that particular joke in space opera, and my reaction was still, that joke, we have had it.

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

I ran into the Moon for the first time just the other week,

Please tell me you did that deliberately.

[seabream.livejournal.com]

Huh. I don't recall ever having run into that in the context described. Sheltered sheltered me. Or it's just not the sort of thing I remember.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I can promise not to use that particular terrible pun.

[cadithial.livejournal.com]

Sadly, most mines are wasted, as they're really just an area denial munition.