Cyberwhat!?
Prior to this weeks lecture, I had never heard of the term 'cyberpunk'. So I decided to dig into the topic a little, and learn more about this futuristic style of communication. The term was originally coined by author Bruce Bethke who used it as the title of his 1983 novella. The name suggests a fusion between two things: cybernetics and punk. Cybernetics, as defined by professor Michael O'Callaghan, is;
"The science of communication and control. It maps the pathways of information by which systems may either be regulated from outside, or regulate themselves from within. The science thus has two main branches: the first one deals with the control of machines, and led to the development of things like computers, automatic navigation systems for spacecraft, guided nuclear missiles, and so-called "smart" weapons. ... The second branch deals with the more complex control processes through which self-organising biological and social systems regulate themselves and adapt to the environment on which their survival depends" (as cited in Umpleby 2000).
Punk, on the other hand, is a loud, fast and anarchist-advocating style of music with a "seize the day" approach to life, represented in bands such as Pussy Riot and Sex Pistols. With these two elements combined, cyberpunk came as a shock to audiences who were used to the sheltered and predominantly safe storylines of "space opera", such as Star Wars (Stockwell 2012).
The uniqueness of cyberpunk is found through the gritty aesthetics, technologically advanced material, questionable morality, and its amalgamated genre that combines detective fiction, film noir, sci-fi and literary postmodernism (Stockwell 2012).
Although I am still new to this concept of cyberpunk, I can appreciate it as a science and an art form. I like that it challenges the ideologies of its viewers, and also the systems within society. It is good to keep this generation on their feet, questioning their surroundings, government, and standards that they live by (although I do not necessarily agree with the morality portrayed in cyberpunk). But what I do agree with is the cyberpunk notion to always search for the truth, which is evident in movies such as The Matrix. Striving to find truth in this world that is a labyrinth of lies, manipulation and deceit is an asset that is becoming increasingly rare; just look at the newspapers... We should all know by now not to take what is written, especially about celebrities for example, at face value...
References
Umplyby, S 2000, Defining Cybernetics, viewed 6 September 2012, <http://www.asc-cybernetics.org/foundations/definitions.htm>
Stockwell, S 2012, A Brief History of Computing and the Internet, Griffith University Lecture, unpublished
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