Writer: Swarnava Banerjee
Editor: Shreya Srinivasan Illustrator: Deepshikha Bannerjee
We all have heard of aesthetics such as Grunge, Cottagecore, Dark Academia and so on; however, there has been quite an uproar about the aesthetics that have been popularized by fiction. These forms of fiction include, but aren’t limited to, movies, books, video games, etc. Some of the most popular of these aesthetics are Cyberpunk, Steampunk, Post Apocalyptic and so on. A deeper dive into these would reveal their constituents.
The word "Cyberpunk" is one of the most resonating terms in the video game community, which first came about in tabletop roleplaying games, television shows, and similar movies. It is essentially related to the words "cybernetics" and "punk," which form a connection or bridge between the two, portraying a display or image of a technologically advanced world that is dystopian in nature with a strong anarchist and/or nihilistic undertone.
Cybernetic implants are something that cannot be perfectly envisioned in today’s day and age; however, the neo-futuristic fashion can be traced back to the 1980s when this form of media was widely available, such as in Blade Runner, Judge Dredd, Neuromancer, and many other such innumerable pieces of fiction. This kind of aesthetic primarily focuses on a superior technological platform based on the implementation of cybernetic implants in order to exceed humanistic limitations in the case of intelligence and physical prowess, all the while displaying an innate attraction towards technology as a fad.
Then we have the more "historical" counterpart of Cyberpunk in the form of steampunk, which basically encompasses the technological advancement of a world in the form of Victorian-era stereotypes. This so-called technological advancement is visible in the form of steam machinery, which can achieve results that are highly desired even in today's modern world through complex setups. The fashion focuses on a more industrial aspect of 19th century fashion, however, in the form of suits, waistcoats, and dresses that are heavily accented with brass as a display of reliance on steam as the primary power source.
The beginning of steampunk is rooted in fiction, in the form of the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells in books; the Bioshock series is a strong representative in the world of games; and on the big screen, we have The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Similar to cyberpunk, this too has an anarchist undertone to it; however, it portrays its differences in the form of steampunk being a more refined industrial backdrop while cyberpunk relates more to the criminal lowlife backdrop. This aesthetic is widely observed as Teslapunk, which honors Nikola Tesla, "Dieselpunk" which has adopted a more fossil fuel-based take on society, as well as many Lovecraftian instances.
Do you ever wonder how people from the 1950s would envision the modern world? The answer would be seen through the eyes of Atompunk. This optimistically dark aesthetic focuses primarily on the supposed future of the world, where it would either end in nuclear warfare as shown in the Fallout series or harness the powers of the atom to build an ideal society around it as portrayed in Futurama. This particular aesthetic’s fashion revolves around the 50s and 60s with a slightly modernistic yet minimal twist to it and an eerie focus on bright, usually positive colors.
Considering the roots of this aesthetic, it was envisioned as a fairer future by the people of the past, such as an ideal society, yet a realist mixed with anarchist ideologies can't help but see a more dystopian side to the same, which is observed in a prediction of nuclear war. The existence of such aesthetics has led to groups around the world adopting them, and they can be known as Vernians or Neo-Futurists.
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