ETEC 511 e-portfolio

Cyberpunk
By Lindsey Martin

Cyberpunk is a genre with science fictions root that was created in the 1980’s. The term was coined by Bruce Bethke in his 1983 short story, Cyberpunk. The word Cyberpunk is derived from the word “cybernetics”, which is a study of communication and control in the organic and machine, and the world “punk”, which refers to the rebellious counterculture of the 1970’s.

Cyberpunk is a response to our use of technology and very much ingrained in postmodern ideals. It began as a literary genre, but has since broken out into film, music, fashion, anime, and architecture. Those who identify themselves as cyberpunk idolize the vigilante characters from the literature.

The most influential pieces of literature of the cyberpunk movement include William Gibson’s 1984 novel, Neuromancer, The 1982 film, Blade Runner, and most recently, the 1999 film, The Matrix. All three of these cyberpunk icons have similarities that qualify them as being part of the genre.

The typical Cyberpunk plot is set in the not so distant future, where society is dystopic, industrial, bleak and regulated. It is a setting where government is corrupt, usually run by multinational corporations. Technology has become highly integrated into all aspects of society. Technology is not only incorporated into daily life, but also within the human body. Many cyberpunk tales incorporate the world of smart drugs, nanotechnology, and the integration of human and machine. The world in which the characters reside is not entirely real. There is a blur between reality and virtual reality to the point where characters are blended in a computer matrix and hallucinations. The typical cyberpunk protagonist is often portrayed as someone just on the outside of society, a malcontent or misfit. Often the cyberpunk protagonist is a hacker or someone proficient in the use of technology. The protagonist is often noted as a non-conformist who has already accepted the life that technology has brought them into. The character is often described as “going along for the ride”. A true cyberpunk main character acts as a heroic vigilante, who attempts to manipulate the technological system in order to “just get by” (as shown in the character Neo in the 1999 film The Matrix). What is most fascinating about the cyberpunk movement is the fact that it refers to the not so distant future and thus it is too late to fix the issues. It can then be interpreted that cyberpunk literature provides us with no real cautionary tales. has malfunctioned in ways never anticipated by its creators.

There are critics who state that Cyberpunk was a 1980’s movement that fizzled out with the end of the decade. There are others who suggest cyberpunk remains at the forefront of 21st century minds. They argue that the genre remains relevant due to the fact that the predictions and theories of 1980’s cyberpunk are becoming a reality.

Further Reading:

Jones, S. (2003). Encylopedia of New Media: An Essential Reference to Communication and Technology. New York, New York: The Moschovitis Group.