I will be sharing my interpretations and analysis of the cultural artefacts that interest me as a way of being more purposeful with my free time - this may be of interest to you. A bit about me as it relates to this entry however is: I've always been a science fiction enthusiast, but up until now that has largely been based on film and computer games. Whilst I do intend to share my thoughts on films and games (as well as art, music, philosophy, etc) (and not just sci-fi either) I think it's prudent to go back to a beginning point.
Something that has been of enduring interest to me since I first saw The Matrix as a 12 year old is a sub-genre of science fiction called Cyberpunk. It appeals to me on a few levels. Firstly, the dystopian societies the protagonists inhabit speaks volumes to our present society as well as serving as prescient foreshadowing of potential futures if we're not careful. Often these societies are ruled by evil corporations just as ours is. Secondly, the issue of cybernetics (where the cyber prefix comes from); the relationship between human and machine is blurry these days, a prime example being: the internet is changing the way we think. But it goes deeper than that, so much of our lives depends on machines that we have become alienated from our humanity. Lastly, the punk aspect, the DIY subversion of the system. The act of rebellion in the face of tyranny is the calling of the change-makers.
So, back to a beginning point. In my search to become more of a true fan of the genre I stumbled upon this: The Essential Cyberpunk Reading List. Out of the 21 books it lists, 13 piqued my interest - so I ordered them. I plan on going through them in chronological order, therefore the first cultural artefact I will be analysing will be The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester. All I know of this book comes from the reading list mentioned (I encourage you to check it out). My copy doesn't get here until later in the month but I am eagerly awaiting it.
Stay tuned...
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