Cyberpunk Manifesto
Mitch Leary
Cyberpunk. Perhaps it needs to be a group efffort. You need to lay
down a definitive philosophy of what is, and more importantly what is
NOT cyberpunk. There are too many books and videos out there which
contain bits and pieces of cyperpunk; someone just needs to bring it
all together under one cover.
I've been reading a book titled POST-MODERNISM FOR BEGINNERS, which
contains some excellent thoughts on cyberpunk-ism. This is an
excellent book as post-modernism and cyberpunk-ism are really a
destinction without a difference. The postmodern world is the
landscape in which the cyberpunk exists and feels most comfortable.
The 'Shockwave Rider' mindset seems to capture how the cyberpunk sees
himself--the ultimate Nietzchiean Last Man.
ghost
mitchel...@yahoo.com (Mitch Leary) wrote:
nah, that'd be no fun. Half the ride is guessing where you're going.
ghost
~/~ I Am The Voices In Your Head ~/~
www.accanthology.com ~/~ www.bitstreamnet.com
Benjamin Rich
Hash: SHA1
Mitch Leary wrote:
I think it's a fantastic idea =)
For too long the cyberpunk world (at least in my opinion) has been too rough
a genre, too dilluted a collection. There really isn't one film out there
that truly captures it, there are some but not many books I could put down
as really capturing it. Perhaps I'm not widely read enough, but in any case
I think some kind of group effort to produce a manifesto would be great.
I'm happy to dedicate webspace to this project if anyone else is interested
(I own a share of a co-lo so there's plenty of room and resources)
- --
All generalisations are false... including this one.
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Alexey Zakhlestine
Mitch> Someone needs to write an Official Cyberpunk Manifesto
There is definitely one. I saw it in russian language, but there must be
an english-one too, for sure.
If there isn't, I'll make a translation next week.
Hope, I won't forget to (marking message to notice it later)
netwizard
hi everyone,
i came across this Cyberpunk Manifesto a few years back on the
cyberpunk project site. I've just checked and the manifesto's still
there!
Here's the link <a href="http://project.cyberpunk.ru/idb/cyberpunk_manifesto.html">A
Cyberpunk Manifesto</a>.
I don't know, this might be what you're thinking of Alexey. What do
you people think of it?
thenetwizard
Mitch Leary
This proposed book of cyberpunk will define an era in human history
which badly needs captured by the printed medium; and don't forget to
also publish it on CDR, how appropriate.
Lists, lists, lists. The author needs to make lots of lists outlining
the various cyberpunk do's, dont's, culture, icons, movies, books,
hang-outs both onine and RL, and the most important: the cyberpunk
philosophy, perhaps by several authors with real deapth and richness
to their writing as well as those with a technical bent to their
rants.
One hundred years from now when machines are ruling the world this
book will inspire the Neo-Cyberpunk Movement to battle the cyborgs and
authorities who have their eyes on their every movement (hell, we're
damn near their already with this Office of BS Homeland Security and
cameras on every corner).
The Cyberpunk Manifesto: The Bible of Cyberpunk, via its subversive
nature, may very well become a banned or illegal book, the posession
of which could get one's freedom taken away.
We are headed full tilt for a borderless society of which maps will be
rendered useless, or perhaps illegal. The underground cyberpunk
movement with its posession of arcane knowledge of the nner workings
of the system may very well be a force to be reckoned with as we delve
deeper and deeper into the possibilities of a techno-entrapped
society.
-Leary-
Tony Lausin
been trying put together a manifesto of my own for quite some time as
well create a webspace for my own writing... unfortunately, all the
good "cyberpunk..." domain names have been taken. :( Might have to
settle for a more obscure web presence. Count me in ;)
Tony L.
On 25 Jan 2003 18:07:40 -0800, mitchel...@yahoo.com (Mitch Leary)
ghost
Fakebook]" and use that, it'd amount to the same thing.
If you're looking for a more serious cross reference of what CP culture
was looking like pick up "Logic Bomb", takes a good shot of the early
90s. Has several W.Gibson and B.Sterling interviews in it as well, often
with both at once.
Informatik
Why would you need more manifestations?
Here is what you should expect:
A CyberPunk Manifesto v. 2.0
0. The beginning
1. We feel that our world is changing. Now it seems strange. People feel
that
there is something new, not coming, but already here.
2. With appearance of Internet a new race was burn. That was a race of
digital
mind thinking person - a Cyberpunk race.
3. We live on a planet, named "Cyberspace". It is a free planet.
Everyone is happy there.
4. Today cyberspace is a mirror or even an expansion of our being.
5. Like our thoughts are invisible, like our feelings are invisible,
existing in
a form, which takes expression in body language, speech and physical creation
(such
as writing and building) - the same way everything put in cyberspace are
invisible,
coded as DATA, masked as electrical impulses, light pulses, radio waves and
transmissions over air and cable - taking its visible form in the computer
peripheries - display, sound speakers and even brain-simulation to achieve
contact
trough other In-Put ports.
6. We live in this way. And we like it. Do not clog us.
7. ........
Benjamin Rich
Hash: SHA1
Informatik wrote:
4 - I believe it's an altogether different kind of place to the real world -
an extension more than a mirror definitely. It allows us all to think in
different ways that weren't possible before the advent of this 'space' that
our programmes exist in - like the space of the mind. I think Gibson's
interpretation of cyberspace as a 'consensual hallucination' is a really
good description of what cyberspace essentially is, even if it isn't
exactly this yet.
Perhaps there should be a distinction made here between hackers/programmers,
and those with interest in cyberpunk from a cultural viewpoint? To clarify
- - 'Neuromancer' is the quintessential hackers book, in my opinion, but
later books reveal Gibson to be, I think, more interested in the effect of
technology, in all it's forms and definitions, on culture - right back from
what the what if of The Difference Engine, to the mixing of themes creating
the hyper-modern Tessier/Ashpool 'dynasty', The Bridge in the virtual light
series showing how the increasing poor and disadvantaged population of the
world may one day grasp technology as a way of separating itself and
fortifying itself from the mainstream (technology is becoming abundent and
is curiously classless).
Anyway that's a bit of a sizable rant but I think if a manifesto contains
anything, it should be highly definitive, both in core definition from the
real soul of what cyberpunk means to it's proponents, but also from a
somewhat 'meta' perspective, so we can examine and define it as a social
phenominon and all the various offshoots of it, each group probably
assuming they and they alone are really the true cyberpunk beginners or
continuers - but are in fact part of the whole mix.
Give me your thoughts on this - and the webspace for the project still
stands if anyone is interested - which it doesn't look like anyone really
is, but I might set up some space and we'll see.
- -Ben
- --
All generalisations are false... including this one.
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Naylor Zone
'manifesto.' I get the feeling you'd only be preaching to the
converted. People who are into cyberpunk are really into it and know
it mostly inside and out (the books - which are really were it all
starts from). People who can relate to this kind of sci-fi sought for
it and know it. Sometimes something is created and it doesn't have a
long life but it's still great. You have a few tastes of it, but that
may be all you'll ever get. Enjoy it.
And don't forget, the last thing any of us wants is for CP to go
mainstream. And it yet may. Something like Matrix 2 may do it. And
then we'd all be saying -"That ain't the real cyberpunk..."
Keep it tight and keep it close. Let the people who crave it seek it
out. Thats the best way. Then you all have something in common.
Lets compare it to music. It reminds me of real punk rock. It was
never on the radio, there were no videos, and you usually had to go
way out of your way to get to the good record shops that had it. But
we still found it and swore by it. And no matter what, punk is now
dead. You were either there or you weren't. The stuff playing today
will never be the same as it was then. Same thing with Glam in the
early 70's. You can't kick start it again no matter how hard you try.
It will be a long time before you get an equivalent of Neuromancer.
It was the freshness that makes it all so great.
Sorry if I came across doom and gloom but it's that kind of day.
Cheers,
Naylor Zone
"Living in Limbo ain't cheap!"
Informatik
always an exclussion.
Haven't you got enaugh already? Why would you really need to see one
more manifestation? Go to Brazil!
For those who missed it, and those who graved it - be wise and open
your eyes wider, tune up your circuits and check out your chips before
chipping them off -away - you're going to live a long live now.
A second manifestation, one more exhibition. push F9 and forget about
it
project.cyberpunk.ru/idb/neo_cyberpunk_manifesto.html
project.cyberpunk.ru/CHR/manife57.html
*=--- Saurcerer - I still love you my friend.
MAD MANIAC, aka madbyte
alie...@hotmail.com
> Someone needs to write an Official Cyberpunk Manifesto: The Bible of
The two words "Official" and "Cyberpunk" sem to me to mix
about as well as oil and water. Just who is the certifing
body?
> Cyberpunk. Perhaps it needs to be a group efffort. You need to lay
The traffic in news:alt.cyberpunk.movement would suggest
a group effort would be tricky. When much of CP literature
focuses on loners near the bottom of society (as in "low
life") it is hard to see how a .movement group got underway
in the first place. You do however get a lot of community
in the neighbouring .chatsubo group where several regulars
also have met face to face.
> down a definitive philosophy of what is, and more importantly what is
> NOT cyberpunk. There are too many books and videos out there which
Ah, the Question. It is about 20 years since Neuromancer
hit the streets and ever since then people have disagreed
just what Cyberpunk really is. The word "definite" sure
hints at military grade optimism...
> contain bits and pieces of cyperpunk; someone just needs to bring it
> all together under one cover.
>
> I've been reading a book titled POST-MODERNISM FOR BEGINNERS, which
> contains some excellent thoughts on cyberpunk-ism. This is an
> excellent book as post-modernism and cyberpunk-ism are really a
> destinction without a difference. The postmodern world is the
> landscape in which the cyberpunk exists and feels most comfortable.
POMO often comes up in this group though it is hard to see
just where it is going at times. Feel free to tell more what
in that book you see as important.
> The 'Shockwave Rider' mindset seems to capture how the cyberpunk sees
> himself--the ultimate Nietzchiean Last Man.
Perhaps more cost effective would be to find a pre existing
manifesto and indeed there are many to chose from, some even
personal. Looking through them and old posings as well they
seem as fresh today as they did 10 years ago, perhaps natural
since we are back to the 80's again. A better view than lack
of progress in this group at least.
Searching for "manifest": 213 hits
< http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=manifest&meta=group%3Dalt.cyberpunk.*
>
Searching for "manifesto": 416 hits
< http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=manifesto&btnG=Google+Search&meta=group%3Dalt.cyberpunk.*
>
==<)
[__"]_|_|_(_]_]__|_|_(_]
"] |_| (_] _['' _['' ]-" /_ |<_ [. Benjamin Rich:
->Informatik wrote:
->> http://project.cyberpunk.ru/idb/international.html
->>
->> Why would you need more manifestations?
<snip>
[Cyberspace]
->4 - I believe it's an altogether different kind of place to the real world -
->an extension more than a mirror definitely. It allows us all to think in
->different ways that weren't possible before the advent of this 'space' that
->our programmes exist in - like the space of the mind. I think Gibson's
->interpretation of cyberspace as a 'consensual hallucination' is a really
->good description of what cyberspace essentially is, even if it isn't
->exactly this yet.
->
->Perhaps there should be a distinction made here between hackers/programmers,
->and those with interest in cyberpunk from a cultural viewpoint? To clarify
->- - 'Neuromancer' is the quintessential hackers book, in my opinion, but
->later books reveal Gibson to be, I think, more interested in the effect of
->technology, in all it's forms and definitions, on culture - right back from
->what the what if of The Difference Engine, to the mixing of themes creating
->the hyper-modern Tessier/Ashpool 'dynasty', The Bridge in the virtual light
->series showing how the increasing poor and disadvantaged population of the
->world may one day grasp technology as a way of separating itself and
->fortifying itself from the mainstream (technology is becoming abundent and
->is curiously classless).
->
I think the important thing about cyberpunk, especially as expressed
by Gibson, is that it does involve the effect of technology on
culture.
Technology is one of the defining characteristics of humanity. We
have used it scrape our way out of the stone age, and we have used it
to obliterate entire populations in a single earth searing blast.
There is no escaping technology. Cyberpunk incorporates both the
beneficial and detrimental aspects of technology into the genre. This
is important. It doesn't pretend that technology will create a
utopean society without crime or suffering. It realizes that humanity
has a dark side.
Our modern world of information processing systems, virtual realities,
and emerging artificial intelligence provides even the average person
with immense quantities of information at their command. With this
information, and the ability to intercommunicate quickly over large
distances, even control remote systems in near real time, a natural
environment for hackers is created. To avoid being a victim of, or
slave to, the technological elite, the average person must aquire a
new layer of knowledge and skill which they may never fuilly grasp.
Gibson and many others refer to this in terms of an overload or
barrage of information, saturating a persons mind (I can't find the
actual language at the moment). This can have many effects, from
fatigue and confusion when faced with accounts, numbers, intelligence
gathering, and stock quotes every day, to callousness when faced with
televised violence, first-person shooters, bank robberies, car
jackers, drug cartels, famine, ethnic cleansing, biological and
chemical weapons even if merely as second hand reports. Cyberpunk
involves these realities and their effect on the individual.
Our cultures evolve over time. They are adapted to new understandings
of the world. Science changes society's basis for belief. Old
traditions of old worlds are held by new generations living in new
lands, but are anachronistic and mixed with the traditions of other
peoples. Microcomputers have been refined to the point that they can
be carried in the palm of the hand. Embedded systems are commonplace
in devices ranging from automobiles to cell phones. We carry these
things around with us. Our lifestyles are changed by them. Our way
of life is changed by them. Yet, our lefestyles can only change so
quickly. There are thousands of companies with untold numbers of
developers working on the next shining translucent technological
baubles that some of us will simply absorb, others will be confused
by, and still more will hold in contempt. Technological evolution has
begun to outpace the ability of our culture to adapt. Cyberpunk seems
to find its place a just few years ahead of us - maybe a decade ahead
- fully embroiled in this conflict. Cyberpunk culture is essentially
based on whatever culture it evolved from, but is in a world that is
simultaneously growing and decaying, a world in a state of flux, a
world of people searching for stability.
We have seen massive consolidation of corporations in recent times. I
would say that the 80's were a time of great reorganization in the
U.S. Entrepreneurs found enough investor backing to buy up small
companies, break them into their essential components, get rid of the
expendibles, spin off anything not required for the final company, and
repackage the most effective components, finally selling them for a
sweet profit. The late 90's to the present have shown that economic
factors may drive the same process. Competition drives corporations
to decrease the cost of their products, maintaining revenue levels by
cutting their workforce and exporting manufacturing to more economical
regions. Essentially, we have multinational megacorporations that are
more extensive, more powerful, less tangible, and harder to pin down
than many world nations. The power of these companies and their
ability to work beyond the realm of society, in fact as societies in
themselves, was predicted in cyberpunk. The Mom and Pop shops are
going away (sadly). Cyberpunk tells the stories of people caught in a
corporate media dominated society, some of them struggling against the
giant, some of them holed up underground, waiting for something to
break, some of them running because they found out the truth, that the
world isn't always as pretty as it seems on TV.
Not everyone is so affected by the changes going on in the world.
There are quite a few people that have strong family ties, religious
support, and material comfort. Not everyone makes an effort to access
information. Cyberpunk is about those in between - about the ones
that slipped through the cracks.
The Internet, BBSs, the WWW, IRC, NGs, Cyberspace: These environments
are frequented by many, but understand by few. These haunts are the
natural environment of the cyberpunk.
->Anyway that's a bit of a sizable rant but I think if a manifesto contains
->anything, it should be highly definitive, both in core definition from the
->real soul of what cyberpunk means to it's proponents, but also from a
->somewhat 'meta' perspective, so we can examine and define it as a social
->phenominon and all the various offshoots of it, each group probably
->assuming they and they alone are really the true cyberpunk beginners or
->continuers - but are in fact part of the whole mix.
->
We could probably write a decent description of Cyberpunk as a
literary movement, including major proponents, their contributions,
points of view, interviews, links, etc...
Cyberpunk as a social movement may be a bit more difficult to pin
down. The medium we inhabit and our ability to navigate it are
definitely commonalities. Our lifestyles probably vary, but the basic
interests are still common.
Read the existing manifesto - some parts still ring true - suprising
to read - some parts need to be cleaned up/re-expressed
->Give me your thoughts on this - and the webspace for the project still
->stands if anyone is interested - which it doesn't look like anyone really
->is, but I might set up some space and we'll see.
->
->- -Ben
Interested - would probably want to do more than just the manifesto
though. Stories, news, technologies that affect the scene, techniques
for employing these technologies to stay on the scene - convey raw
information, open source/open space as applied to cyberpunk. Too much
really.
Not sure anyone wants to hear my POV though. Aint that a CP for ya?
]_ /_\ _['' "] , | /_\ ]\/[ "] |_| [. ]_ /_\ _['' "]
[_ "] |_| (_] ]_ |_| (_]
Adam Franklin
Why the fuck does cyberpunk need a manifesto?
Yeah it would be neat to spew it out on movies and whatnot.. wait, cyberpunk could completely rip off hacker! I mean the hacker manifesto is moving right?
Lets all run around like 3rd graders and spit out a memorized little poem about how "we accept technology and are unique so we all got this manifesto so we
would/could be cool".
Yeah it would be cool until about age 14, and then only if you were into it.
I've a better idea, write a personal manifesto. Publish it online. Then people will read it and you'll get to see how many times you get ripped off. Then
you can tell everybody that your manifesto is loved worldwide because its so damn cool. Yeah. and if it all doesn't sort out, well, don't tell anybody.
Cyberpunk isn't about manifestos. It's about how cool you are and technical intelligence. It's about running the edge, taking risks.
cyber-punk: technologically versed with no regard for law.
THE PRIMARY #1 DEFINING POINT OF A CYBERPUNK IS THIS:
You can spend all day sitting at your computer doing something useful and intelligent, and still get laid at night.
The rest is just labeling.
//apf_unrevised
no66y©
"Adam Franklin" wrote in message
> cyber-punk: technologically versed with no regard for law.
The way I see it [which is not dissimilar]
Cyber = used to denote topics related to computers and/or networks
Punk = anti-establishment and deliberately outrageous
Which is me :-)
--
No66y© the Ice Weasel
Those who find they're touched by madness
Sit down next to me
Reply to address is a spam trap.
Use no66y [at] breathe [dot] com
Lev Lafayette
> This is regoddamndiculous.
My thoughts exactly.
>
> Why the fuck does cyberpunk need a manifesto?
>
It doesn't. Literary movements and a subculture have had manifesto's
in the past (I think Andre Breton did one for surrealism). But a
manifesto does imply a leading ideologue that can encapsulate the
entirety of a movement.
Cyberpunk has several manifestos.
The introduction to Mirrorshades by Bruce Sterling is one example.
The FAQ for alt.cyberpunk is another
The Hacker Manifesto published in Phrack.
The script for Blade Runner.
The PhD thesis 'A Social Theory of the Internet' by Lev Lafayette.
OK, I'm joking about the last one. Kind of.
> Yeah it would be neat to spew it out on movies and whatnot.. wait, cyberpunk could completely rip off hacker! I mean the hacker manifesto is moving right?
> Lets all run around like 3rd graders and spit out a memorized little poem about how "we accept technology and are unique so we all got this manifesto so we
> would/could be cool".
>
> Yeah it would be cool until about age 14, and then only if you were into it.
>
>
> I've a better idea, write a personal manifesto. Publish it online. Then people will read it and you'll get to see how many times you get ripped off. Then
> you can tell everybody that your manifesto is loved worldwide because its so damn cool. Yeah. and if it all doesn't sort out, well, don't tell anybody.
Obviously a more productive thing would be to write an online 'zine
which contained.
1) Tech tips
2) Literary tips
3) Fashion tips ;-)
> Cyberpunk isn't about manifestos. It's about how cool you are and technical >intelligence. It's about running the edge, taking risks.
That's not a bad definition. The 'cool' punk part with the tech savvy
'cyber' part. And let's not forget 'cyber' the ancient Hellenic term
for 'steering'.
Of course 'punk' is a prison pretty boy as well. ;-)
> cyber-punk: technologically versed with no regard for law.
Speak for yourself. I'm actually quite fond of the ideal of an
organised, rational and equal civil society ;-)
To reverse engineer politics, to hack law to it's constitute
components and reassemble it.
Or something like that.
> THE PRIMARY #1 DEFINING POINT OF A CYBERPUNK IS THIS:
>
> You can spend all day sitting at your computer doing something useful and
> intelligent, and still get laid at night.
Or, to put it in another nutshell. Cyberpunk is about extremes of
style and substance. Dammit.
L8r,
Lev Lafayette
SylkTyrant
Women and the Cyberculture. It is a Thesis written for the University
of Chicago MA Program in the Social Sciences
http://www.mindspring.com/~samizdata/intro.htm#8
The thesis provides pretty in depth citations and references. Enjoy.
SylkTyrant
introduction, past the footnotes b/c that's where the links to the
other sections of the actual thesis are, including:
II. Defining "Cyberpunk"
III. Gendering Cyberspace
IV. Picture-ing Innovation
V. Women and the Cyberculture
VI. Conclusion
J
Here we go.
The downfall of every great empire has been a stubborn grasp for
control and order. They stop changing themselves to suit the world and
start trying to change to world to suit them. Rome. England.
Microsoft. NATO.
The world: A building collapsing in slow motion. The base goes out
first. The basic ideas and principles of the current system are long
dead. But the top, the superficial parts continue on as though there's
no tommorrow, perhaps subconciously aware that there isn't, not as
they know it. Still they continue on, unable to stop.
Inertia is a basic property of matter. It is, in fact, a basic
property of societies as well. A large, powerful society, like a lead
ball, will contniue rolling in one direction long after the slope has
changed against it. But if you drop a new ball on the slope, it flows
in the right direction. Thus the only way we can be certain that we're
doing what's right is by starting from scratch. But how often do
entire worlds, cultures or ideas get born from scratch. There's no new
land to colonize, nowhere to go, no blank canvas. Or is there?
The internet is a lot like cyberpunk as a genre. It's reality with the
volume turned up. It's faster, louder, more in your face. It lacks the
restraint and control of reality, because little harm can come to you
through the monitor. It's not afraid to speed.
Enter the fringe. Those unafraid to think ideas that most view crazy,
stupid, reckless, drastic. Ideas that are often correct. Here we
brainstorm and rant, think ahead of our time because the thoughts are
free of consequence until taken into reality.
Free of censorship and control the creative side of humanity shines
through. Free of attachment to the past the future shows itself.
Free of fear, the truth is found.
Note: Oddly enough, it's a basic belief of mine that manifesto's
should not explain too much, and should rarely contain the name of the
group being manifested.
Alienthe
Mitch Leary wrote:
> Someone needs to write an Official Cyberpunk Manifesto: The Bible of
... the Economist opened with the Manifesto in this article:
http://www.economist.com/surveys/displaystory.cfm?story_id=1534303
Coincidence? Anyway, the article is interesting though I don't agree
with everything there. Still, the coincidence was too big to let it
just go past.
==<)