I believe to be a proper steampunk the gears have to actually do something. A top hat doesn't need gears to fulfil its purpose; all it needs is gravity. Putting gears on a top hat doesn't make make you a steampunk, it makes you a dork trying to be a steampunk AND FAILING IT. Which is the only thing more dorkish than being an actual steampunk.
I kinda jumped for joy and felt very validated when I saw someone made made a song about how annoyed they were with lazy people with no concept of Steampunk were jumping on the bandwagon.
Some time in the last twenty or so years since the Difference Engine was published (even longer since the Land Leviathan) the "punk" vanished from "steam punk" and was replaced by goggles and glued gears.
I still have Difference Engine and a few other Gibson novels, more his main cyberpunk repertoire, sitting around my place waiting to be read. I did read Neuromancer. Plus I haven't even dove into co-author Bruce Sterling's books which also helped define the cybeprunk genre. When they decided to create and alt past with Difference Engine, the cyberpunk term got turned into 'steampunk'. Though a number of books predate it, that kinda got the term to highlight the genre. Plus you have original actual 1800s sci fi authors like the brilliant Jules Verne who gets harkened back to in steampunk.
Amen to that! Some of them even use plastic goggles that looks like from some 90s cyberpunk rave. Now I got goggles myself.. but they look pulpy from the 1930s. I prefer 1930s pulpy alt super science tech to steampunk anyway. In the wake of steampunk, that stuff got nicknamed 'dieselpunk'. I will hide there while the hoardes of casuals are done feasting on the body of steampunk. (Maybe cyberpunk will be fun again. How long has it been since the Matrix sequels came out?)
Though stampunk was kinda fun, I feel it's being mainstreamed and diluted much like vampires with Twilight. People just don't get the mythology and just call anything with goggles and gears steampunk. I think something similar is happening to zombies too. Heaven help us if we get a zombie steampunk movie. World War Z seems to miss the point enough. Though Steampunk does already have Hollywood debacles like wikki- wikki- Wild Wild West and LXG: The League of Xtreme Gentlemen.
Also, I like this disparaging quote: “Steampunk is what happens when goths discover brown.” – Jess Nevins
I prefer my sci-fi gadgets to have a hypothetical function in addition to looking aesthetically pleasing. I'm not sure what use a steam-powered hat is supposed to have.
Steam-powered hats are only good for making jagërmonsters give you a modicum of respect... and since those don't actually exist, that makes the hats pretty useless.
I tried sitting down and designing some steampunk gaming miniatures. Turns out the only way steampunk applies to figures or costumes (as opposed to vehicles and other machinery) is with 'bionic' limbs or ridiculous guns. And one of those isn't going to crop up too often. Anything else would just make the figure look like a clueless cosplayer, and subsequently even more ridiculous.
It's true tag, please.
ReplyDeleteI am finding it difficult to discount that an "It's true" tag may be very well warranted here...
DeleteFor all I know that might be all it takes to be steampunk.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree. Is there really anything more to being steampunk?
DeleteDoes wearing plastic fangs make you a vampire?
DeleteI believe to be a proper steampunk the gears have to actually do something. A top hat doesn't need gears to fulfil its purpose; all it needs is gravity. Putting gears on a top hat doesn't make make you a steampunk, it makes you a dork trying to be a steampunk AND FAILING IT. Which is the only thing more dorkish than being an actual steampunk.
DeleteWearing plastic fangs kinda works for a cheap vampire costume...
DeleteBUT.. now adays kids are just covering themselves in sparkles.
They confused vampires with a unicorns on a pink Lisa Frank school folder.
She says it as if "steampunk" and "dork" are mutually exclusive.
ReplyDeleteAll steampunks are dorks, but not all dorks are steampunks.
DeleteAccording to Professor Elemental:
ReplyDeleteAnd all you need to start is tea and a flask
Sharp set of gears in a gleaming arc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgM4pLojXc0
It's true, for sure.
ReplyDeleteReginald Pikedevant agrees!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFCuE5rHbPA
HEY! I was going to post that.
DeleteJerk.
I kinda jumped for joy and felt very validated when I saw someone made made a song about how annoyed they were with lazy people with no concept of Steampunk were jumping on the bandwagon.
DeleteSome time in the last twenty or so years since the Difference Engine was published (even longer since the Land Leviathan) the "punk" vanished from "steam punk" and was replaced by goggles and glued gears.
ReplyDeleteI still have Difference Engine and a few other Gibson novels, more his main cyberpunk repertoire, sitting around my place waiting to be read. I did read Neuromancer. Plus I haven't even dove into co-author Bruce Sterling's books which also helped define the cybeprunk genre. When they decided to create and alt past with Difference Engine, the cyberpunk term got turned into 'steampunk'. Though a number of books predate it, that kinda got the term to highlight the genre. Plus you have original actual 1800s sci fi authors like the brilliant Jules Verne who gets harkened back to in steampunk.
DeleteCrap I got confused and now I have gears glued to my eyes....
ReplyDeleteAmen to that! Some of them even use plastic goggles that looks like from some 90s cyberpunk rave. Now I got goggles myself.. but they look pulpy from the 1930s. I prefer 1930s pulpy alt super science tech to steampunk anyway. In the wake of steampunk, that stuff got nicknamed 'dieselpunk'. I will hide there while the hoardes of casuals are done feasting on the body of steampunk. (Maybe cyberpunk will be fun again. How long has it been since the Matrix sequels came out?)
ReplyDeleteThough stampunk was kinda fun, I feel it's being mainstreamed and diluted much like vampires with Twilight. People just don't get the mythology and just call anything with goggles and gears steampunk. I think something similar is happening to zombies too. Heaven help us if we get a zombie steampunk movie. World War Z seems to miss the point enough. Though Steampunk does already have Hollywood debacles like wikki- wikki- Wild Wild West and LXG: The League of Xtreme Gentlemen.
Also, I like this disparaging quote:
“Steampunk is what happens when goths discover brown.” – Jess Nevins
So, you're a steampunk hipster? That... sounds like a desirable combination.
Delete"I liked steampunk before it was coo... oh wait it still isn't."
I prefer my sci-fi gadgets to have a hypothetical function in addition to looking aesthetically pleasing. I'm not sure what use a steam-powered hat is supposed to have.
ReplyDeleteSteam-powered hats are only good for making jagërmonsters give you a modicum of respect... and since those don't actually exist, that makes the hats pretty useless.
DeleteI tried sitting down and designing some steampunk gaming miniatures. Turns out the only way steampunk applies to figures or costumes (as opposed to vehicles and other machinery) is with 'bionic' limbs or ridiculous guns. And one of those isn't going to crop up too often. Anything else would just make the figure look like a clueless cosplayer, and subsequently even more ridiculous.
DeleteI preferred steampunk back when it was a genre and not a crappy fashion trend.
ReplyDeleteHmm - misread gears and thought "she's right, it isn't steampunk but they're not a dork, they are the mad hatter..."
ReplyDelete