What does the word "hybrid" imply? The term "hybrid" defines itself by combining the ideas of science and fiction to enter into a new world of science fiction. According to the OED, "hybrid" was first defined as "[the] offspring of a tame sow and wild boar; hence, of human parents of different races" and then modified into "the offspring of two animals or plants of different species, or (less strictly) varieties; a half-breed, cross-breed, mongrel" in the 17th Century. Since the term "hybrid" was developed it has suggested a sense of mythicism while integrating reality. The term "hybrid" suggests that the final creation and combination of two objects or animals will be an improvement on the previous creations. Even the idea and sales pitch of the hybrid car suggests that today "we," as a society, are living in and moving towards the future.
The term "hybrid" was rarely used until the 19th Century when Darwin developed his theory on natural selection and Mendel found how recessive or dominant genes/alleles get passed on. Since Darwin and Mendel, "hybrid" has come to signify the bringing together of two different (yet at the same time similar) objects and combining them. This becomes the scientific and realistic aspect of the term "hybrid." In order for two objects or animals to be hybridized they must be similar enough so that they are compatible otherwise they will not join to make something new. In the terms of Darwin and Mendel the reality of making hybrid animals has come through the theory of natural selection where the best alleles are continued and combined for the survival of the species. However, most hybrid animals that are "common" and come to mind are not those of reality but of mysticism providing the fictional aspect of "hybrid."
All the mythic creatures of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and other religions are in fact hybrids. These mythic creatures combine the best components of two animals to make a new, better, faster, stronger, and smarter creature that are considered fictitious. For example, the Centaur is half horse and half man combined making a more efficient hunter. The Minotaur is a hybrid of a human and a bull creating a strong individual to guard the gates of the labyrinth. These mythic creatures and others are all hybrids of two animals in order to improve upon the existing animals. This mysticism surrounding hybridity reveals the fictional half of the word, which combines with the scientific aspect creating the world of science fiction that the term "hybrid" suggests.
From developing hybrid animals, every academic field has taken to hybridization in order to better the efficiency of the everyday objects that we use. For example, in chemistry we hybridize the orbital patterns of electrons in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of that particular atom so that chemical reactions can then be improved. The appeal of making a hybrid is that one would be making something better by combining two objects or animals. "Hybrid" takes the best and most successful notions of science and combines them with the best ideas of fiction to make science fiction. Based on this notion of improvement and science fiction, the idea of hybrid cars, which combines electric and gas powered cars has become a reality.
Today the term "hybrid" no longer suggests the combination of animals, instead it stands for hybrid cars. People no longer say, "I have a hybrid car" instead, they just say "I have a hybrid" and the word "hybrid" suggests and implies a hybrid car. Since the popularity of the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius, more car companies have been making hybrid cars to capitalize on the notion that hybrid cars are better and more efficient. Lexus took hybrid cars to the next level with their "h" campaign, now the letter "h" stands for "hybrid" which then suggests a certain status about a person. Having a hybrid car now suggests that one cares about the environment and saving money on raising gas prices, making the car and word a status symbol. The hybrid car is a product of fictional ideas that science has now made a reality. Today with the word "hybrid," our "society" is living in the future and continuing to look towards the future by thinking of new hybrids to make. Maybe someday soon the myth and fiction of a Centaur will no longer be a myth, it will be a reality. Soon the science fiction notion of hydrogen cars will be a reality and someday hover cars will no longer just be in "Back to the Future." With the term "hybrid," the ideas and notions of science fiction have become a reality.
3 comments:
(However, most hybrid animals that are "common" and come to mind are not those of reality by of mysticism providing the fictional aspect of "hybrid.") I think you meant "but" instead of "by"?
Also, the last paragraph, you used "soon" to start a sentence twice one after the other, I'm not sure if you meant to but it kinda threw me off a little.
Other than that, great post. I like how you mention that "hybrid" originally implied the mixing of two supposedly different things. One example I can think of would be a mule. I agree that today "hybrid" is used strictly to mean the car and I find it interesting that the term was originally used as a technique to show power and improve organisms. Why do you we think we have to mix two seemingly different things to make something even better? Hasn't natural selection already made organisms masters of their environment? Plus, making hybrids of anything can also pose many problems as well, especially in agriculture. So then "hybridity" does not always result in the best way. Very provocative post. It makes me rethink why we mix things in the first place.
I really like how you incorporate mystical aspect of hybrids with examples of Minoan myths such as the Minotaur. I never knew that mixing two breeds would create a better breed. I just know that applies in agriculture as in food and not animals. But when you think about it, it does make sense. Also wouldn't it be really interesting if we are able to hybridize humans in the future? As in the example of Minotaur who was half man and half bull? What would this world become if myths of half man and half animal creatures were to become reality? Would humans really benefit from being hybrids themselves or is it better to just create hybrids of materials we can ultilized?
I wonder about this metonymic trend: "hybrid car" becomes "hybrid"; "hybrid" becomes "h." What is the next phase of this rhetorical shifting?
This is a great post, and you've surveyed a controlled group of subtopics as a way to argue for this realization of 'science fiction'. But isn't the point, though, that the history of hybridity shows us that that we have always lived in a time of science fiction?
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