"The sky
above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel." -
Gibson, Neuromancer
; End of applet tag
|
wistful
twisting spines of charred silicon |
what is it?
cyberpunk is the literary/film movement most closely associated with postmodernism
as such, it is often as difficult to define as the movement it is part of...
unlike other
movements, many cyberpunk icons put their money where their mouths are...
a lot of cyberpunk texts are available free of charge on the net, with the
authors' blessings, including all of William Gibson's works.
http://www.cyberpunkproject.org/
visit the above site to download and read cybertexts,
to explore more closely the meaning of cyberpunk, and much more...
http://www.cyberpunks.org/
this site focuses more on the "social
movement" aspect of cyberpunk
http://www.axismutatis.net/cgi-bin2/auth.pl?file=axismutatis.html\
a real cyberpunk community - talk about your oxymorons
:)
characteristics of cyberpunk:
always set in the
future, the setting is usually urban, and often includes existence in cyberspace
there is always an overwhelmingly powerful oppressive force present -
this force can be a government, a corporation, a religion, etc.
the
"cyber" in cyberpunk refers to the advanced technology that is always
present
virtual reality is usually a dominating theme
other technologies, like artificial intelligence, hard-wired brain implants,
advanced prosthetics, and cloning are often featured
the "punk" in cyberpunk refers to the marginalized characters that
populate the books and films of this movement
these characters are antiheroes, a staple of postmodern thought
they are of low social stature, and exist by using their wits
intelligence, therefore, is privileged (over influence, money, political power)
the main characters possess great skill with regard to technology, and it is
this skill that enables them to fight the oppressive power
the disruption and destruction caused by these antiheroes is often a matter of
survival, rather than fighting evil
the good/evil binary consequently endures a great deal of slippage
the mood is dark and dystopian - the future depicted in cyberpunk is not a happy one
cyberpunk authors
tend to make up terms and throw them at their readers without explanation
-
the resultant discomfort experienced by the reader is an important facet of
cyberpunk
cyberpunk is always a disturbing look at technology
the literature:
William Gibson
Neuromancer
THE cyberpunk novel...
this book won every SF award possible in 1984.
Neuromancer's
antihero is Case, a skilled hacker. As the novel opens, Case has been infused
with chemicals that prevent him from entering the matrix. He's suicidal from the
withdrawal when he's offered the opportunity to regain his "console
cowboy" status... for a price...
READ NEUROMANCER BY CLICKING HERE.
paste it into your laptop... it's postmodern chic
http://uranium.chem.umn.edu/~steve/neuro.html
a searchable index of Neuromancer
http://uranium.chem.umn.edu/~steve/neuro.html
a study guide for neuromancer - very well done
An Interview with William Gibson
http://carmen.artsci.washington.edu/panop/author_G.htm#GIBSON
Gibson on the Panopticon
other books by gibson:
Gibon's Postmodern Poem: Agrippa
Count Zero & Mona Lisa Overdrive - both set in the same "world" as Neuromancer
Burning Chrome - A collection of short stories, including Johnny Mnemonic (later made into a movie)
Virtual Light - set in San Franciso
Idoru - set in Tokyo
Neil Stephenson
Snow Crash
The antihero is named
Hiro Protagonist. As the story opens, he's a pizza delivery guy for the
Mafia. Y.T. is the other main character... a skateboarding "kourier".
Instead of the "matrix", Stephenson coins the term "Metaverse".
A healthy dose of humor is present in this excellent cyberpunk concoction.
other books by Stephenson:
Cryptonomicon
The first true cypherpunk novel.
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,19720,00.html
Click here to read a summary/review of Cryptonomicon.
http://www.addict.com/ATN/issues/1.07/Features/Neal_Stephenson/
An Interview in Wired with Neil
Stephenson
Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express
Contains all of the "Shaper/Mechanist" short stories... focuses on the
concept of "post-humanity".
Mirrorshades: A
Cyberpunk Anthology
A collection of short
stories, edited by
sterling.
Holy Fire
Set in a "gerontocratic" future society dominated by the
"medical-industrial complex"
http://www.scifi.com/scifiction/originals/originals_archive/sterling/sterling1.html
Here's an original short story by Sterling and Paul Di
Philippo on Scifi.com
Bruce Sterling
& William Gibson
The Difference Engine
Commonly referred to as a "steampunk" novel, this story has as its
setting an alternative version of 19th century England. In this reality Babbage's
mechanical computer inventions actually became a dominant technology.
Jeff Noon
Vurt
Virtual Reality can be addictive...
Automated
Alice
Lewis Carroll goes cyberpunk...
Walter Jon Williams
Hardwired
The protagonist is a criminal who pilots a
hovertank. He challenges the corporate entities that control his world.
the films:
Blade Runner
http://www.basilisk.com/A/A_Benjamin_BRunner_110.html
Essay: At
Home with Replicants: The Architecture of Blade Runner by Andrew Benjamin
Johnny Mnemonic
The Lawnmower Man
Strange Days
The Matrix
http://englishscholar.com/matrix/matrix.htm
Essay: Baudrillard,
Chriet and Reality: Reading the Matrix as a Postmodernist Statement by Frank
Clarke