Apparently, some spec fic writers have a new approach—don't change people's minds, change the genre. They're calling this "mundane SF" and the idea is that their stories don't have faster than light travel or starships or life on other planets, or anything not plausible based on WHAT WE KNOW TODAY. This is supposed to make non-speculative fiction types take the story seriously and respect it. I learned about this "movement" while reading Nancy Kress' blog. Apparently, it's caused some stir in the science fictional community. I found the GoH speech that Geoff Ryman made that set everyone off and read it. I think the guy's missing the point. If you want the respect of the mainstream, then feel free to write what mainstream wants. But don't try to change genre so it's not genre anymore. And don't put it down.
I speculate, therefore I am genre!