Whenever this comes up, I note: I think this is only a problem for a certain kind of nerd/​geek who wants particularly intense stakes.
Sitcoms, soap operas have plenty of interesting stories that are mostly about low-stakes interpersonal drama.
(I guess this cached annoyance of mine is more about people complaining about utopian fiction rather than science fiction. But I think the same principles apply)
Whenever this comes up, I note: I think this is only a problem for a certain kind of nerd/​geek who wants particularly intense stakes.
Sitcoms, soap operas have plenty of interesting stories that are mostly about low-stakes interpersonal drama.
(I guess this cached annoyance of mine is more about people complaining about utopian fiction rather than science fiction. But I think the same principles apply)