Interstellar and the Cosmos

"The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stirs us: there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a great height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries."
- Carl Sagan, Cosmos

Lately, I've been developing this fascination of science-fiction, astronomy and the stars, and sciences that are outside of my science, Sociology. Cosmos (the book), Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey (hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson), and even the recent Interstellar film have challenged me, to learn and grow and think critically of what I know and what I want to know. 

While I do understand the basics of astronomy and some basic ideas of the complexity that is astrophysics, it's all so beyond me, incomprehensible, and I'm struggling to grasp these ideas. I'm not discouraged at all, but rather remorseful that I didn't develop an interest sooner. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like astronomy, astrophysics, robotics, engineering, with some form of biology (perhaps microbiology?) and chemistry (o-chem?) seem to be associated with one another, as though if you know one, you're bound to know the others. It feels like I missed out on an awesome, intellectual party of sorts. 

I think anything futuristic has my attention at the moment - steampunk in art, industrial/post-industrialism in music, and science-fiction, robotics, and industrialism in literature. It all seems so imaginative, extravagant, and conjure such unique worlds and circumstances that you can't help but want to explore and discover. 

In the end, I want to know as much as I can, so that I can impart my knowledge onto my children, when that time comes. I want to have a relationship with my kids the way Cooper has with his kids in Interstellar: he's not just a parent, but also a teacher, challenging his kids to think critically, learn new skills, and learn as much as humanly possible. It's an inspiration to be that kind of a father figure when the time comes.

IT CAME FROM SPACE!!!...(Not Really...)

I think I may have done a similar post in the past, I'll have to be sure of that, but I'm still desiring to be part of that campy Sci-Fi lore. You know, rockets and robots, world domination, and ALIENS!!! I've been reading Ender's Game this past week or so, but not as active as I'd like. It's a good read, and I'd like read more of these types of books. Good science fiction, as I have learned, not only tells a great story, but the characters wrestle with contemporary topics, such as race, status, culture/tradition, ethics, and many more. It's what made Star Trek (with Shatner's Capt. Kirk, not Stewart's Capt. Picard) so successful, as well as Ender's Game, 1984, Brave New World, and many others. Perhaps this is the sociological part of my brain doing all the talking, but I'd like to know your thoughts on science fiction: does it address current issues? Or am I just overthinking the whole thing? Also, what are some of your favorite Sci-Fi series?

EDIT: I actually had briefly mentioned my growing interest in Sci-Fi over here >>> "An Eye Is Upon You"