Isaac Asimov, Game of Thrones: How to Write Sociological Stories 

_"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."_ *~ Isaac Asimov*

Asimov can write really good prose, it's just that he was full-time professor, researcher, and non-fiction writer (among other things) and wrote so, so much. He's the only author to have written in every main division of the Dewey decimal system, and he has a gigantic catalogue. Generally, the shorter the piece, the better the prose is, because it's when he takes the time to slow down and write carefully that he produces his best works. The stories Robot Dreams, The Machine that Won the War, The Martian Way, The Feeling of Power, Cal are all great examples.

I read "Foundation and Empire" when I was a kid and was struck by how many ideas Star Wars lifted from it, including calling handguns "blasters."

The Foundation series was Robin William's favourite literature. His love of Asimov got him to star in Bicentennial Man (1999).

I'd say GoT didn't change from sociological to psychological but from sociological and psychological to badly written psychological storytelling.

I’m always amazed at how Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke could craft these profound, engaging stories even though their individual characters are mostly forgettable. At one point it hit me: these are stories where the protagonist is not an individual but the human race itself.

That logic about generals and emperors is truly straight from Roman history, nearly every great victorious general after like the claudians turned right around and went for the capital

That sex scene was written by a computer and you can’t convince me otherwise 🤭

Loved that you mentioned The Big Short, one of my all-time favorite movies :D

The ultimate original sociological story is Tolstoy's War and Peace. Normally ignored by lovers of science fiction etc, but if you love GoT or Foundation, give it a go. You will be very pleasantly surprised at how readable it is despite it's age and length.

A well made adaptation of _Foundation_ could be just the thing we need right now, sociologically speaking.

"[Asimov] is famous for his ideas, not for his prose." -- Are there any recommendations of science fiction notable for both ideas and a sparkling writing style?

"They endlessly tease big space battles that don't happen or aren't important... There is a guy explaining why his trade policy will end a war with less bloodshed." ..... Well, Aaron Sorkin can make a masterpiece out of it!

Give it the Dune treatment. A bit artful, lots of wide pans, Blade Runner-esque shots. Cherry pick the dialogue from the books so that it's all a bit suitably weird but the story still hangs together. Jazz up the costumes. You might even get a feature length film out of it that way.

The Mule is one of the single most terrifying villains I have ever seen in a work of literature

Those book covers contain way more imagery and thoughts than the recent start trek movies combined. I was mesmerized and transported to another world just by looking at them.

"You were bound to fail," said Susan Calvin. "I was bound to try," said Simon Ninheimer. Calvin turned and left. She did her best to feel no pang of sympathy for the broken man. She did not entirely succeed.

omg i have the same collection of foundation novels, love them! read them in russian back in teen ages, now re-reading in english) it's always a pleasure to see videos about Isaac Asimov, I think he's extremely underrated among young and semi-young people. THANK YOU!

Finally! Someone is talking about the importance of Isaac Asimov! Great job man

I was just now reading THE LAST QUESTION, so perfect timing.

It’s fantastic to see a thoughtful video essayist using intertextuality to attract viewers to texts and ideas that haven’t been explored as much on RU-vid. It can be a little disheartening to see otherwise great RU-vidrs respond primarily to topical new-releases (like Endgame, for instance), then just contribute to the soon-forgotten discussion about the new release. What I think you do well, sage, is use common frames of reference like GoT to draw in viewers, but then push them to think outwardly, and about ideas that transcend the confines of the source material. It seems like you’re finding a great balance between strategising for growth on the RU-vid platform and remaining thought-provoking and original. Thanks! I’m happy to be a subscriber of this channel 😊

This is the first time I heard the word "disrobe" being used and I never want to hear it again ever.

This reminds me so much of The Legend of the Galactic Heroes, which is one of the greatest anime series ever made, which is in turn based on japanese Novels and short stories, written between 1982-1987 This video essay gave me the words to describe why i felt a Game of thrones connection to LotGH , because LotGH was a practically perfect blend of sociological storytelling and psychological storytelling too. You might find it interesting!

"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent"

Foundation is a large part of the reason I ended up with a politics degree. Wanting to understand, in the real world, how countries move and what difference individuals can make to this. (Foundation, and also Pinky & The Brain.)

I'm gonna try that "my chest is cold" line on my partner when I get home, I'll let you all know how it goes.* * not really

I read the trilogy in the early 70s. My only beef with Asimov (in retrospect) is that he predicted miniaturization a billion years in the future, but Moore's Law kicked in 10-15 years after he wrote the trilogy. On the other hand, he was the only scifi writer or the era to realize how important it was. Heinlein has guys navigating spaceships using a slide rule :-)

SPOILER ALERT: Don't forget to read the Robot series; I'll just say there's connection to the Foundation series.

"He's famous for his ideas, not for his prose" could also be said of Greg Egan, who may be the current era's premier writer, not of science fiction, but of math fiction.

I’d love to see a video about your thoughts on The Wire - it was the first TV show to pull off sociological storytelling in such a powerful way.

I got 4 minutes in and realized that I'm just starting to read The Foundation and this might be a spoiler. I'll be back when I'm done the book!

Can't wait to watch this later. Asimov is the Nikola Tesla or Michael Faraday of scifi: not as well remembered in popular culture, but those who dig into the genre slowly understand how important he was.

If it was as simple "Seldon predicted everything and the Foundation can handle it all", then there wouldn't be much of a story there, and Asimov was aware of that. So I think the handling of the Mule storyline will be telling. I also think that at least some of the prequels should be incorporated, if only to show the development of Psychohistory rather than rely on exposition.

THANK YOU! The dialog example was a perfect representation of Asimov and one of my biggest gripes with his writing. Yes, his ideas are brilliant and groundbreaking, but you have to dive head on to a pool of gravel to fish them out.

Oddly enough I’ve never had a problem with the dialogue. I can’t explain why though. Maybe I’m secretly a robot or something.

I think that Dune is also a sociological story, to an extent. As the Atreides saga evolves through the next three books - Herbert's original vision - Dune shifts to a more psychological story, as the power of the individual Atreides becomes superhuman. But that was Herbert's point - the effect of individuals on history, and what can go horribly wrong if they make mistakes. Or very right, if they don't.

I read these books as a kid and now that I think about it, they went a long way into how I see the world. I don't believe in individuals having much ability to create change, only in systematic shifts.

Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world

that breast scene was weird, kept laughing

2:22 I have no doubt that The Big Short earned its various accolades, including the Oscar for its screenplay, but... was that really the best reading they had for that line?

This series was so influential to me. I just remember being awed by the scope of time, and R. Daneel Olivaw :) Thanks for putting terms to what I'm interested in as an author, as always.

Lately when you upload a video I see the thumbnail and title and I'm not that excited, but then I watch it and it grabs me. Thanks for all your hard work. We can see the passion!!!

2 minutes in and this is already essential knowledge

Honestly though, I still have a hard time seeing Foundation as a TV-series. I, Robot and the other robot related short stories written after would be a better choice, like a Black Mirror-style anthology series.

*"Seldon is dead"* cit. The Mule

My favourite SF author covered by my favourite Video essayist? Sign me up! Great video...

Awesome analysis, i keep in my mind the idea that stories about "nobody" can help us focus on the problems of the "system" rather than individuals..

I think this might be 1 of 2 video essays I've ever seen on the foundation and my god I applaud you. I reread the trilogy roughly once a year. Incredible series and unfathomably influential and applicable to life.

I can't believe I never heard of Issac Akimov's work before today! I recognize his name but that's about it. I have so much to read!

Now that all 10 episodes of the Foundation show are out can you pleaseeee do a review of it?

I'm an aspiring writer, currently taking a sociology course but have no idea how to incorporate the knowledge into my work. Thank you for making a video specifically for me. I fucking love this channel.

From memory, the later books introduced robots (Daneel Olivaw, Dors Venabili). With some re-writing, they could become background characters for the whole series, providing continuity.

I'm so happy that this video exists!! These books were formative for my taste in sci fi and love of books. Glad to see them get solid recognition in a modern context and some good analysis. Also, if you want a crash course on some of Asimov's best writing with a lot less cringy prose, I'd recommend I, Robot or Robot Dreams. Both collections of short stories. I, Robot is exclusively robot stories, and Robot Dreams is some of everything.

One thing that happened in the foundation book. Was there was a fight scene when one of the characters or enemies died. Only that I didn't understand they died until he said "Oh this person is on the ground dead" I reread it several times and I still don't understand the fight scene. To this day.

Isaac Asimov, one of my three favorite authors. H.P. Lovecraft and Ray Bradbury being the other two.

I'm on an Asimov binge this year. Re-read Foundation and on to reading a couple dozen short stories. His short fiction is among the finest.

I have never been early to a Just Write video. I just want to say I love this channel so fucking much. From the hobbit movies to the Airbender video and the one marvelous scene video. I’m an amateur director myself and this channel makes me want to create more.

Psychohistory is basically the dialectical history of marxist theory. The idea that you can only understand the world through looking at the bigger picture - at the totality - and the interactions between classes. In fact you could have fooled me into thinking that the part V ch 18 quote at 9:40 was a quote from Marx, so long as you replaced the term "Seldon Crises" with "Class Contradictions"

I appreciated the explanation of the difference between psychological and sociological storytelling. I'd heard the terms used before but never quite got a clear picture of what they meant. Now I get it.

Nice thank you for reminding me to revisit these books it's been a couple of decades!

Game of Thrones did a good job of showing how large audiences can be compelled by sociological storytelling. I wonder if it will set people up better for fathoming climate change and its ensuing political crises.

I loved the first three Foundation books, they formed a large part of my childhood. Foundations Edge was interesting and definitely introduced some cool new ideas but it was also baggy. As you said, there were nine stories in the first trilogy. For Foundation's Edge there is only one in a book double the size of any of the others. After that the Foundation books became part of Asimov's 'linking everything together' project. The books got bigger and flabbier and eventually I stopped reading Asimov.

I really appreciate this video for introducing me to the sociological storytelling concept. Great stuff.

Coming to watch this right after watching the Apple series. They did a fantastic job of retaining the sociological aspects of the storytelling and the psychological aspects as the same time. Very true to the intentions of the book series, imo, and beautifully done.

From the Original Trilogy to The Phantom Menace Star War went from a psychological one to a sociological story. That did not go over very well with some fans. I like sociological stories best !!

You forgot to mention that the second half of Foundation and Empire posed one of the biggest challenges to the idea of sociological forces trumping individual action :)

1:15 I never heard anything about the Wire until some months ago, i just finished it few days a ago, it was a great TV serie.

i am glad you are returning to foundation in the present day of late 2022.

3:33 - One of the best SF pictures that were made. Use to look at it 35 years ago for hours...

It's for stuff like this that I appreciate your channel, and you.

Japan did a good job with Legends of the Galactic Heroes book/anime showing differences between two different systems, how those systems bring best and worst in humans and how it influences characters, their lives, moral compass etc. And also anime has the great soundtrack, the classics of Wagner, Dvorak, Mahler, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky.

>"These are the Foundation novels by Isaac Asimov." I've never liked a video so fast. 🤔

Wow, ive never thought about story telling in this way. Really good video!

Best Foundation AppleTV vid on youtube right now. Excellent analysis. Thanks.

I think one important aspect of sociological storytelling is that it explains the 'bad' decisions of 'good' characters as well as 'bad' characters. And yes, inherently these stories are set in or around systems that are problematic which begets problems which are, well... systemic.

Nice to see books depicted in a video that look a lot like the books I own that have actually been read and reread numerous times.

Cixin Liu Remembrance of Earths Past is also a Sociological Story.

Interesting and entertaining. My only quibble is the bit about individuals effecting change, which is more or less what the Foundation is tasked with doing - a small group who must actively manipulate the movements of large groups to optimise their course to a specific effect. It would be interesting to compare The Foundation with The Culture as they appear to do much the same thing, guiding mankind along an optimal trajectory with minimal interference.

Man, I'm always coming back to this distinction of storytelling. I noticed one show that would incredibly benefit from a more sociological storytelling: The Walking Dead. It is a perfect example of how Hollywood just knows to tell stories the psychologist way. It's so full of unnecessary, repetitive character drama.

So, half a year ago, I watched this episode up until 8:25. Now I have had time to do some reading and am ready to finish this video!

I haven't read the novels (they're in my endless tbr) but psychohistory would basically be non-linear dynamics and complex systems. Except in this area of real life science, we can't predict the future of these systems with 100% accuracy because of their complex, and often chaotic nature. Basically this is our current problem with predicting weather.

2:58 dat edit almost gave me chills

Okay, that use of Steve Carell in The Big Short got me real good lmao

Glad to see somebody talking about Asimov. Wish there was more on Heinlein, too.

1:51 Hey, it’s Uncle Six from Wu Assassins! And Mr. Chau from The Big Short too.

Yeah honestly I've been thinking about corruption in governments and why it always exists in some degree or another in almost all governments worldwide. A lot of people in my country and even within my relatives like to think of it as more of psychological issues when I've recently gained the view that it's more of a sociological issue. I've never been able to find the exact words, but thank you for this really in depth view

That contradiction is really interesting to me. People being random and society being about forces, it kind of makes me think of evolution where forces work on some constant level and the random mutations (the individuals in this case) create ripple effects of great change, not by themselves usually but counted as a whole or part of the system.

Google's algorithm is getting scary, I just finished reading Forward the Foundation last night and this gets recommended to me. Worth it.

Great video! I really enjoyed the information and insight you have. For those who are interested in reading the books Asimov connected to the Robots/Empire/Foundation series, which one day I would love to refer to as the Asimov Cinematic Universe, he wrote a chronological list of titles in the forward (author's note) after the table of contents of Prelude to Foundation. It follows the timeline of the galaxy and NOT the publication order (but I put the year of publication in case anyone's curious). 1. THE COMPLETE ROBOT (1982) --contains short stories from 1940 to 1976, including all short stories from I, ROBOT (1950) 2. THE CAVES OF STEEL (1954) first robot novel 3. THE NAKED SUN (1957) second robot novel 4. THE ROBOTS OF DAWN (1983) third robot novel 5. ROBOTS AND EMPIRE (1985) fourth robot novel 6. THE CURRENTS OF SPACE (1952) first Empire novel 7. THE STARS, LIKE DUST (1951) second Empire novel 8. PEBBLE IN THE SKY (1950) third Empire novel 9. PRELUDE TO FOUNDATION (1988) first Foundation novel (prequel) 10. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION (1993) second Foundation novel (prequel) 11. FOUNDATION (1951) third Foundation novel 12. FOUNDATION AND EMPIRE (1952) fourth Foundation novel 13. SECOND FOUNDATION (1953) fifth Foundation novel 14. FOUNDATION'S EDGE (1982) sixth Foundation novel 15. FOUNDATION AND EARTH (1983) seventh Foundation novel Asimov obviously wrote numerous other stand-alone works that aren't part of those listed above, but at the same time there is one in particular I read that I wish he had added: THE END OF ETERNITY (1955). I can't quite figure out where it would go, either before The Caves of Steel or after Foundation and Earth or somewhere in between. It has to do with humans who live "outside of time" and whether or not humankind should remain on Earth or colonize the galaxy to avoid extinction. Share your thoughts if you have an idea.

Dude I was trying to refind this video for hours. It's so good. Though it needs more tags

I just read Asimov's Foundation series for the first time. I enjoyed it immensely, especially the first 3 books. The final two novels were a bit of a letdown for me. The two prequels were better. Upon completion, I wondered how anyone could adapt this into a movie or television series. Thanks for an insightful take on the matter.

Your next video should analyze Hans Landa (from Inglorious Bastards) to see what makes him such an amazing villain.

Thank you for this. I never got to read the prequels but mostly loved the originals.

I've read these books so many times. I love them.

The resolution of Dead Hand is the EXACT moment that the foundation trilogy became my favourite books of all time.

Is it just me or isn't the best example of a sociological tv-series The Wire? Great tv-show. You could also probably throw in a show like OZ too, but I didn't see it, but I can imagine that more being about the prison system more than the individuals.

I hate that I waited so long to watch this one. Awesome work my friend

This is so interesting! Anyone here with more tips on sociological stories?

when you were talking about the movie with the characters saying that if they didn't do it someone else simply would remind me of the Nuremberg trials where nazi soldiers charged with war crimes stated that they were "Simply following orders" or Befehl ist Befehl ("an order is an order") and as such could not be held accountable. I haven't read up on it to much myself but people who are interested in more sociological storytelling might find it an interesting read.

One thing when you mention individuals as an oddity showing up in these sociological books. Consider this, these individuals were destined to arrive eventually based on the conditions presented in the book. The reasons they are the ones the books are about is because they are the successful or interesting ones. A system of reactions will quite often start with an individual change such as in the change of water to ice, quite often stemming from the seed ice crystal formed etc. Anyway all in my own opinion, good video!