Insanity #04 18 декабря 1999

Cyberpunk - Cyberpunk story in the early 90s.

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| Cyberpunk in the 90s |
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■ Bruce Sterling
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  In this final article for the magazine
"Interzone" I would like to talk about
Cyberpunk; not about cyberpunk - a computer
criminal, but of cyberpunk - the literary
movement.


  Several years ago, the frosty winter of 1985 (so far
ozone layer has not begun to dwindle, all winters were
frost) in the "Intezone" # 14, an article appeared under the
entitled "New Science Fiction." Article
presents an analysis of the history and principles of the NF
as a genre, the word "cyberpunk" there is no
mentioned. New SF "was also published
in the quarterly journal "British SF", whose
small circulation did not prevent its growing ambitions.
By the way, recently the magazine was released in
Color cover. A great place to manifest.


  Let's compare this minor event
recently published an article entitled
Confessions of a former cyberpunk. " Its author
is my friend and colleague, Lewis Shiner [Lewis
Shiner]. This paper presents another
try one of those who were there to announce
cyberpunk dead. Article Shiner was
Published on January 7, 1991, column
editor of "The New York Times".


  "The New York Times" - is also a good place
to manifest, but in this case should not have
forget about all the dangers of paradoxical
different kinds of "movements". Runaway avalanche
not stop with his bare hands. It can not be stopped
even millions of secular audiences.


  Before the "cyberpunk" has acquired its
sinister reputation, he was open,
public undertaking, it is very simple and
anarchic. His ethos, he borrowed from
punk music 70's. Organ of
cyberpunk, "Cheap Truth" [Chear Truth]
was distributed free to all comers. "Cheap
Truth was never copyrighted
right, on the contrary - her publishers to actively promote
"Piracy."


  The authors of "cheap justice" is always published under the
pseudonyms to avoid persecution and not
prevent the emergence of a personality cult.
"Cheap Truth" intentionally ridiculed all
existing "genre gurus" and called on all and
each run a word processor and
to join their movement. Actually,
evaluation criteria for NF "cheap justice" were
simple: SF should be a "good", "live" and
"Readable." But when an attempt was made
apply these criteria in practice,
revealed that in fact these criteria
rather vague.


  "Cheap Truth" has a fairly distinctive
popularity. We remember the basic precepts
type: "work harder" or "will cover them
on the ears old shit. "We felt that
science-fiction writers should follow these
commandments, if they want to achieve respect. AND
Most of us take these commandments are very
appropriate - for someone else. In SF
you could always ignore such
truisms in order to concentrate
attention to the peculiarities of SF as a genre:
daily routine of "dreamland". Fashionable slogans
cyberpunk like a "concentration of imagination"
and "technological literacy" were received with
such indifference. Alas, if preaching
would be to reform the genre, it would
occurred in 1956 when Aldiss [Aldiss]
and Knight [Knight] advocated the same
ideals.


  The struggle for quality SF was not new for either
anyone except the authors of "cheap justice".
They were too young and keen to understand
it. But the cultural landscape has changed, and it is
it played a role. "Technical
Literacy 50's admired and
concern - but the "technological literacy" 80
years caused ecstasy and horror. Cyberpunk was
strange phenomenon, despite the simplicity of its
basic principles.


  When "cyberpunk writers" began to take
notoriety, the idea of ​​cyberpunk
simple and accessible, have been lost. Cyberpunk
as the cult did not last long. Such is the fate
almost all cults in SF. Even contemporaries
cyberpunk read with interest "cheap
the truth "did not trust himself cult -
simply because cyberpunks themselves become a "guru
genre. "


  When you become a "guru of the genre, then this
slightly shocking. In fact, to become the "guru of the genre"
no more difficult than to roll from side to side. But
can achieve a guru? Who would believe him, even
if he will preach his ideals to
loss of consciousness? In any case not a "cheap
the truth! "Despite all this, still held
three years before the movement had fallen into
self-dug pit. "Cheap Truth"
ceased to exist in 1986.


  I would hope that this will
someone a lesson. Although it is unlikely.


  Ryuker [Rucker], Shiner, Sterling [Sterling],
Shirley [Shirley] and Gibson [Gibson] - most
the famous "guru", referred to another article
Shiner - "cyberpunk" now and forever. Other
cyberpunk, for example, the six other authors
"Mirror glasses: an anthology of cyberpunk"
[Mirrors Hades: The Cyberrunk Antology], too
deserve this title. But it is on our five
gravestones will be engraved: "Cyberpunk."
Public renunciation useless, use them
no. Even if we change our life and
writer's philosophy, even if we accept
Islam, we still can not wash away
this stigma.


  From this perspective, "cyberpunk" simply means
"All that is written cyberpunk". And under this
determination of many falls. I've always had a
weakness for historical fantasy. At that time, as
Shiner wrote meynstrimovskie novels, Shirley says
book of horrors. A Ryukera last seen
somewhere inside the "Hollow Earth". Ironically,
William Gibson wrote a humorous novel. But
All this means nothing. Consequently,
"Cyberpunk" will be alive until he is buried
last one of us. Demographers suggest that
It will take some time.


  The promulgation of the principles of cyberpunk in the "cheap
truth "has not brought benefits. has not delivered and
revival of these principles in "Interzone".
Perhaps, the principles were too vague and
abstract, too complex and confusing, at the
While the markings are not cyberpunk
differed particularly difficult - a jacket with
painted skulls, black leather jeans and
use of amphetamines. But even now, not yet
too late to give you an example the current
weltanschauung cyberpunk.


  Take the "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley [Mary
Shelley], one of the books to create a scientific
fiction as a genre. From the standpoint of cyberpunk
"Frankenstein" - it "humanist" NF. In
"Frankenstein," states that there are things
Which is not to know the person. This moral
law is not enforced people -
mortals can not understand the essence of this law,
It is something akin to the gods. Pride
must be broken, because that's how our
universe. Dr. Frankenstein commits
chilling crime, a crime
against the human soul, and retribution overtakes
it, and the role of Nemesis in favor of his
creation of his own hands - the Beast.


  Let us now imagine Cyberpunk
version of "Frankenstein." In this imaginary
product of the Beast will likely
research project of some
mega-corporations. The monster may still
seek to quench their thirst for blood, and
victims are likely to be random
passers-by. But with all that monster is not
head for the journey to the North Pole.
Cyberpunk monster does not disappear so easily. They
already roaming the streets. They are close to us.
It is possible that we are monsters. Monster
will be protected by copyright and they will be
manufacturing worldwide. Soon all the Monsters
will be working as waiters in the dishwasher or
low-brow eatery.


  In the moral universe of cyberpunk, we already know
Then they should not have known. Even our grandparents
knew about it; Robert Oppenheimer [Robert
Orrenheimer] has become "the Destroyer of the Worlds" long
before us. In the universe of cyberpunk idea that
There are some sacred boundary in which
should keep people - misleading.
Sacred boundaries to protect us from ourselves
does not exist.


  We accidentally came into this universe. We
weak and mortal, but this is not due to the sacred
the will of the gods, just such a state of peace on
moment. And the provision of many non
satisfied, not only because we
totally deprived of divine protection, but also
therefore, that this "vale of human suffering"
actually turns out to be just a bunch of garbage.
But the conditions of human life can be changed;
they will be changed and they have already changed; question
how and in what direction they are changing.


  Such "antigumanisticheskie" cyberpunk
approval - not just a literary trick,
intended to shock
bourgeois; are objective statements about the state of
culture in the late 20 th century. Cyberpunk is not
created this situation and he just
displays it.


  Today, it is easy to see scientists working on
quite radical Drafts: nanotechnology,
Artificial Intelligence, cryonics, recording and
playback of the content of the brain ... Mania
greatness walks through the audience universities where
Each boy develops a plan for
Placement of the universe in the thimble. Violation of
morality - the least of our problems, if
the devil began to sell drugs,
increases the duration of our granted
God lives dozens of times, the first in the queue
stood for the Pope.


  Every day we commit actions
unintended consequences which could have
(And are) a global scale. Since 1970
the number of people on this planet has doubled;
the natural world, until recently
surrounding humanity, becoming a rarity.


  We can not get rid of things that
seem to us incorrect. As a society, we
can not even get rid of such obviously unnecessary
things like heroin and the hydrogen bomb. As
culture, we love to play with fire, just
because we love it, and if
anything you can make money, then we have
there is nothing to keep. Resurrected corpses a la Mary Shelley
do not frighten us, something like that happens every
day in the ICU.


  The human mind itself, enclosed in
software that is duplicated
commodity. Even the contents of the human brain is not
is something sacred, in contrast,
human brain is the subject of
many scientific developments. The spiritual
aspect, no one pays attention. Under such
circumstances, the idea that Nature
Rights should prevail over the Great
Machine, just stupid. This may seem
strange to the uninitiated. Take for example
laboratory rats, in whose brains implanted
electrodes. As you look at it, if it
will passionately preach that the end
all Nature Rodents prevail?


  Almost all of what we do with rats, it is possible
to do with man. And with the rats we
done. Difficult to think about it, but it
true. She will not go away if we close our eyes.


  That is cyberpunk.


  I hope this are explained why the usual
Fiction ryaditsya in clothes cyberpunk. Lewis
Shiner, for example, just tired of those writers
issuing banal militants such as "kill-them-all"
for cyberpunk. "Other writers have made
form the essence - he complains in "The New York
Times ", - these stories so full of
video games and action movies. "Scheiner did not change their
beliefs - just that most calls
"Cyberpunk", no longer reflects its ideals.


  In my opinion, these moments do not play a big
role. Just such is the word "cyberpunk." I'm glad
to see that it is now becoming harder and
harder to write moronic thriller, written on
it is the word "cyberpunk", and try to sell it.
But as cyberpunk is diskrediterovan
such books, all those who called
"Cyberpunk" will be compelled to carry their
cross. But those who really wants to carry
his cross, do not pay at all this attention.
IU names can save our community, but it
can save writers and good writers
already doing everything possible for this.


  There is one more thing needed to
In order to understand the essence of the Movement. Cyberpunk as
and New Wave was the voice of bohemia. It was created
underground, young and energetic and disenfranchised.
It was created by people unaware of their
own limits, and rejecting limits
imposed by habits and traditions.


  Most of SF is not related to bohemia,
as well as most of the bohemians has
relationship to SF, but at the junction of these two phenomena
there are many. SF as a genre, even the most
"Secular" part of SF, has much in common with
cultural underground. But the effect of NF on
society is limited, as the harmful effects
beatniks, hippies and punks. Science fiction
as a bohemian, serves as a testing ground for
new ideas. Moreover, we can not worry that these
ideas at once will be widely used. Bohemia
perform a similar function at the outset
industrial revolution and note that
this scheme works well. Most
strange ideas - just a weird idea, and
Bohemians almost never looked
attractive. Jules Verne as a writer
adventure novels - great guy, but
President Vern, General Jules Verne and Dad in one
person - a person with whom to do business is risky.


  Cyberpunk was the voice of Bohemia - Bohemia 80.
Technical innovations that have arisen in the modern
society, could not affect his
counterculture. Cyberpunk was only
literary map of the phenomenon, which
can be observed today. In particular,
communication technologies have become much more
flexible and accessible. Our grandparents could not
provide such.


  But cyberpunks today - it's veterans NF
hone their skills and receive
large fees. But this is no longer underground
bohemia. This story is as old as the hills, such fee
for success. Underground - a confrontation around
and everything. But respectability is not just
is attractive in itself; respectability
sucks man. And if you watch this
perspective, "cyberpunk" deader than a
suggests Shiner.


  Time and fortune have been kind to cyberpunk, but
cyberpunks themselves changed over time.
The basic doctrine of the theory of motion was
formulated as the "head of imagination." But no one
of cyberpunk, in recent years has not at
shokiruschuyu this book. In recent papers
Veterans of cyberpunk, we see a better building
plot, a better elaboration of the characters,
best language, "a deep intuitive futurism." But
there is no frills and crazy dancing
tables. The situation in these books more
approaches to date, getting rid of
bizarre attributes of free fantasy and all
reduces to the usual medieval concerns about
reputation. That's nice, but it can not be
called a war. This basis of scientific
fiction forgotten. But cyberpunk is no longer able
restore him to life. Maybe this will make
someone else.

  But science fiction is still alive and
develops. And bohemians do not disappear.
La Bohème, as well as NF, is not just a fleeting
passion, though it has many similar
hobbies, and like NF bohemia old; her as much as
old as our industrial society,
an integral part of it is
(Along with SF). Cybernetic Bohemians came
not accidental, but when its members say they
do something new, then they bring in
itself misleading. They're just too young.


  Cyberpunks write about the ecstasy and terror,
invoked flight in cyberspace and Verne
wrote about the rapture and terror of the "Five Weeks in a
balloon, "but if you do not pay attention to
historical circumstances, it is seen that
Vern and cyberpunks be one and the same
social function.


  Of course, Verne, the great writer, is still
published, and what will happen to cyberpunk - show
time. And of course, Verne was unable to
predict the future, except for a few
successful speculation; so happen to cyberpunk.
Jules Verne eventually became a wealthy old
eccentric clerk in City Hall Emensa.
Worst happened.


  At that time, as the practice of cyberpunk
enjoy its unsolicited legality
activities is becoming increasingly difficult to assert
that cyberpunk was something strange or
abnormal; now easier to understand where it originated
and how he became what is there. But it is still possible
think that, for the cyberpunk countries to recognize
authority of Jules Verne. But one can dispute the
the fact that Jules Verne was a great guy, loving
his mom, while cyberpunks
advocate drugs, anarchy and destruction
shrines.


  This assertion is false. Captain Nemo was
Technical anarcho-terrorist. Jules Verne
distributing political pamphlets during the
1848, when the streets of Paris were
strewn with corpses. And it still considered
Optimist Victorians (although those who read it,
doubt it), while, as cyberpunk
Announce nihilists who set
canons. Why? Such is our time.


  Cyberpunk is gloomy, but the gloominess honest. Side
side with the ecstasy is terrible. At that time, as I
I sit, writing this and listening with one ear
news, I hear the U.S. Senate is discussing
questions about the war. And their words are burning
City, rastrelivaemye with air and the crowd
soldiers who die in the throes of mustard gas
or sarin.


  This generation will watch as the effects of
century of manic apathy and neglect
attitude to the environment will affect humans.
If we do not suffer particularly from the already committed
environmental errors - then one can assume that we
're lucky we still have more luck if we do not
witness the agonizing death of tens of
millions of people. And it's not wailing Abnormal
Bohemians, is an objective statement, which
confirm anyone who dared look at the facts
in the face.


  These prospects should affect our
feelings, thoughts and actions, and if writers will
ignore it, then they can be called
Entertainer, but not scientific writers
fiction. A cyberpunk - writers of science
fiction is science fiction, but not
"Subgenres" or "cult". We deserve this title
and we can not deny it.


  But 90 does not belong to cyberpunk. We will
work, but the movement no longer exists, even
actually "us" no longer exists. 90
belong to a new generation who grew up in the 80's.
Good luck to you. I do not know who you are, but I know that you
exist. Get up on your feet, catch the moment.
Dance on tables. Attempt to succeed,
possible. I know. I was there.

Note:
weltanschauung (German) - mirrovozrenie


                         Translation by Nikita Protsenko