Field Trip

Résumé

"Field Trip" by Gene Hunter is a science fiction short story written in the early 1950s. The narrative explores the experience of time travelers who journey back to the 20th century to study their human ancestors and grapple with the complexities of human emotions and social taboos that have been eradicated in their future. The story addresses the potential ramifications of technology and societal changes on fundamental human experiences, such as love and sexuality. The plot revolves around Kial, a time traveler from the year 8000, who embarks on a field trip to learn about the development of psychology. During his journey, he encounters Broyk, another traveler who is an atavist with telepathic abilities. As they interact, Kial grapples with feelings of envy and confusion regarding human emotions that have become obsolete in his time. The narrative builds tension as they face the consequences of violating the laws governing time travel, ultimately leading them to a profound embrace of the very aspects of humanity they have been conditioned to disregard. The story culminates in an exploration of the allure and danger of these archaic traits, leaving the characters to ponder the value of their past. (This is an automatically generated summary.)