Steampunk and cyberpunk are two science fiction genres that have captured the imaginations of fans worldwide. Both evoke retrofuturistic visions of the past and future, blending advanced technology with nostalgic design aesthetics. However, steampunk and cyberpunk have distinct themes, settings, and cultural connotations. This article will compare and contrast these two popular retro-futurist genres.
Defining Steampunk and Cyberpunk
“Steampunk is what happens when goths discover brown.” – Jess Nevins
Steampunk originated as a subgenre of science fiction in the 1980s. The term evokes the steam power of the 19th century industrial revolution combined with fanciful inventions and technologies that were only imagined in the past.
Steampunk stories are often set in a neo-Victorian alternate history version of 19th century England and feature retro-futuristic contraptions like steam-powered airships and mechanical computers.
The steampunk aesthetic is distinguished by the use of materials like brass, leather, wood, and gears. Fashion often includes corsets, top hats, tailcoats, and goggles.
“The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed.” – William Gibson
Cyberpunk emerged as a dystopian science fiction subgenre in the 1980s with influences from the New Wave science fiction movement of the 1960s and 70s.
Cyberpunk fiction portrays high-tech future societies dominated by computer technology and cybernetics. Stories are often set in dystopian urban environments rather than the Victorian-inspired settings of steampunk.
The cyberpunk aesthetic incorporates neon, plastic, and chrome futuristic visuals often crossed with a grungy punk sensibility.
Common fashion elements include mohawks, leather jackets, augmented reality goggles, and full-body tattoos.
Comparing Settings and Technology
Steampunk settings typically evoke the Victorian era, often in an alternate history that imagines advanced steam power technology evolving decades or centuries earlier than it did in real history. Stories may be set in neo-Victorian versions of real locations like London or fictional places like the steampunk mining colony seen in the film Wild Wild West.
The technology usually relies on exaggerated steam power, gears, and clockwork mechanisms rather than electricity and digital tech. Fantasy elements are also common in steampunk stories.
In contrast, cyberpunk settings portray dystopian near-futures dominated by digital technology, artificial intelligence, and cybernetics.
The settings are urban, often noir-inspired cityscapes marked by corporate control and urban decay. Examples include the Hong Kong-inspired future city in Blade Runner and the Boston sprawl in William Gibson’s Neuromancer.
Cyberpunk stories also sometimes make use of a virtual cyberspace that users can plug into, a concept popularized by Gibson.
Divergent Themes and Worldviews
Steampunk fiction tends to have an ostentatious, romanticized view of the past. It indulges in idealized, exotic portrayals of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
Stories often explore utopian \”what-if\” scenarios where steam power has enabled huge technological leaps forward, making the world more vibrant and adventurous.
There is a spirit of jubilant scientific romance in many steampunk tales. However, some works use steampunk settings to thoughtfully critique real 19th century history, such as racial and gender inequality.
Cyberpunk has a more cynical, dystopian view of technology and the future. It explores the darker side of computer networks, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology.
Cyberpunk cautions against dehumanization in an increasingly technological world. Stories highlight the grip of mega-corporations and the plight of anti-heroes struggling for identity and meaning. Cyberpunk works like Neuromancer and Ghost in the Shell lean into noir moodiness and a sense of alienation in the high-tech future.
Cultural Connotations and Influences
Steampunk evokes a sense of adventure and escapism, indulging in romanticism and colonial nostalgia. Its retro-futurism reflects a cultural longing for the optimism and discovery of the past.
Steampunk has overlapped with subcultures like goth and has influenced music genres like industrial and EBM. It is sometimes used as commentary to debate modern technology through a Victorian lens.
Cyberpunk’s high-tech dystopia has appealed to countercultures and activists wary of increasing corporate and government control.
It has influenced styles like punk, rave fashion, and hacker culture.
Cyberpunk fiction often serves as social commentary by taking current societal concerns to extremes in a disturbing futuristic setting. Unlike steampunk, its vision of the future is pessimistic rather than idealistic.
Steampunk vs Cyberpunk at a Glance
| Steampunk | Cyberpunk | |
|---|---|---|
| Settings | Neo-Victorian alternate history | Dystopian, corporate-controlled near future |
| Technology | Steam power, gears, clockwork | Digital tech, AI, cybernetics, virtual reality |
| Themes | Scientific optimism, adventure | Technological anxiety, corporate domination |
| Influences | Fantasy, imperial nostalgia | Noir, punk, hacker culture |
| Mood | Jubilant, exotic, escapist | Alienating, noir, cautionary |
So in summary, steampunk romances the past while cyberpunk fears the future. Steampunk settings are whimsical throwbacks while cyberpunk backdrops are bleak and alienating.
And at their hearts, steampunk revels in nostalgia and discovery while cyberpunk rings warning bells about technology stripping away humanity. Both genres make for excellent adventures!
Blending retro-futurist genres
While cyberpunk and steampunk have distinct flavors, the two retro-futurist genres also blend together at times for uniquely hybrid stories.
Works like Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book series incorporate both steampunk and cyberpunk elements into their fanciful Victorian era settings.
Anime films like Steamboy offer a hybrid mix of steampunk and cyberpunk visuals.
And many other science fiction works, like the TV show Battlestar Galactica and films Brazil and Dark City, fall somewhere between the brass-and-steam world of steampunk and the neon-drenched techno-dystopia of cyberpunk.
Their stories and aesthetics draw from both to create distinctive retro-futuristic visions.
The Lasting Power of Retro-Futurism
Both steampunk and cyberpunk continue to influence popular culture decades after these genres first emerged. Steampunk style is now seen in both high fashion and mass-market stores, while cyberpunk’s gritty hacker chic persists in games like Cyberpunk 2077.
As science fiction genres, they allow creators and fans to let their imaginations run wild by reinventing both past and future.
Steampunk and cyberpunk also both demonstrate the power of nostalgia.
Their retro-futuristic appeals show how science fiction allows people to reimagine and reconnect with history while also speculating about where society is headed next.
Whether idealizing the past or warning about the future, retro-futurist genres reflect human hopes and fears as technology relentlessly marches forward.