We are mid-way through April and almost all of us are facing a second surge across the world. New variants are on the rise. So are vaccines. The best part of this wave. Even if you have been or are in the waiting for your turn, each jab/shot helps in getting our defenses against the virus. So, mask up and jab up--to protect yourselves and your loved ones. We've got this! :)
This issue could be called a sequel to one of Ooorah's most read sub-genre issues. Now I see so many of you just rushing to have a look at our famous Tevun-Krus issues and hazard a guess. Not to drag the suspense further, we proudly present: Post-Cyberpunk!
While cyberpunk took Reaganomics and gang violence to their logical extremes--a technology and violence that reaches unachieved heights. Post-Cyberpunk is a time where we more or less have new innovations under some kind of control, where violence is controlled. In a more or less way. Cyberpunk was the past, Post-Cyberpunk is the present.
Post-CyberPunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, which in turn is a derivative variety of the Cyberpunk sub-genre created as new writers and artists began to experiment with different cyberpunk ideas. Many Post-Cyberpunk stories continue the emphasis on a ubiquitous data sphere of computerized information and addition of the body, but without the assumption of a dystopia.
If you look at any real statistics, a lot of basic health and wellness indicators are on the rise. Violence (as much as we read in the papers or news in general) is on a decline. We have 'groundbreaking' technology, but it doesn't really break all that much ground, outside the markets concerned.
So, Post-Cyberpunk tends to be more like Cory Doctorow, where things are more like today.
This sub-genre Post Cyber Punk is positive yet more realistic than cyberpunk and utopian sci-fi combined. Not to mention, Post-Cyber Punk is willing to give both parties redeeming features instead of the cyberpunkial (don't know if this word exists ;)) anti-corporate, anti-government stand. Where Post-CyberPunk positions society to be probably the same or as precursor to a Crapsaccharine World due being really realistic focus, just with cooler gadgets. As we believe Cyberpunk to be the futuristic, forward thinking, on the cutting edge kinda scenario, so is the same with Post-Cyber Punk.
Accordingly, CyberPunk is actually the reaction to the darkness-induced spectator indifference of cyberpunk. Of course, Post Cyber Punk involved rebuilding the cyberpunk concepts or in-depth analysis of tropes (such as Dystopia).
What Post Cyber Punk has that separates it from pure-Cyperpunk works, is a focus on positive socialization. In Lawrence Person's Notes Toward a Postcyberpunk Manifesto, he describes typical Post-Cyberpunk protagonists as "anchored in their society rather than adrift in it. They have careers, friends, obligations, responsibilities, and all the trappings of an 'ordinary' life." For this reason, character goals also differed characteristically. "Cyberpunk characters frequently seek to topple or exploit corrupt social orders. Postcyberpunk characters tend to seek ways to live in, or even strengthen, an existing social order, or help construct a better one."
In other words, there is a notable absence of 'punk' elements as found in most other Punk Punk genres. And in recent years several works that rely heavily on the post-cyberpunk conventions, tropes and have a strong atmosphere managed to drop most of the 'cyber' aspects as well. Namely as examples: Inception and Mirror's Edge.
Aside from this major difference, these two sister-genres also share many themes, tropes and story elements to the point that many question the legitimacy of this genre as separate from Cyberpunk, and assert that Post-Cyberpunk is simply Cyberpunk expanded beyond its base and taken further logically. Purists, however, see a definite difference.
The progression of the genre mirrors how society viewed technologies.
For the lovers of Post-Cyberpunk literature, I'd like to recommend these books:
- Otherland tetralogy by Tad Williams.
- Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. To some extent, Cryptonomicon also shares the same concept.
Snow Crash especially straddles the line between dystopia and utopia and is usually considered as the trope-maker.
- "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom" and "Little Brother" by Cory Doctorow.
- Halting State and Rule 34 by Charles Stross.
- Islands in The Net by Bruce Sterling is one of the original Post-Cyberpunk stories.
- The Peace War by Vernor Vinge.
- Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.
- Sewer Gas and Electric by Matt Ruff blends a hefty dose of humor with Post-Cyberpunk.
Tell me in the comments if you have more!
With this, we sign off for another month. Take care, stay safe, protected and happy :)
Cheers, Nab =]