The Future is Cyberpunk, But Nobody Knows It
Response to “Cyberpunk Dreamers: This World Needs You”
There are a number of cyberpunk groups on Facebook. The largest is “Cyberpunk Science Fiction & Culture.” But we have to face it, cybperunk is a pretty narrow niche.
In 2014 I started creating “Evocronik,” an animated series which I bill as “cyberpunk.” Mind you, I have never read a single cyberpunk book, and am largely ignorant of the genre’s tropes. But I am a fanboy of the movies; Blade Runner, The Matrix… and of science fiction, in general. And for nearly 20 years I have followed the technological and socio-political trends leading us to the future, so Evocronik is a distillation of where I think that could lead us.
Evocronik is less concerned about the powers of the internet, and more concerned with the overall evolution of human civilization, being driven by climate change, social inequality, and runaway tech. Evocronik’s villains are the techno-elite. It’s heroes are people pushed to the fringes of society by extraordinary change.
It has taken two years and a significant investment in time and money for me to realize for myself that the project is less about creating entertainment than about alerting people to the possibilities we face. This is an enormous challenge. Even though Hollywood makes a mint off of sci-fi and superheroes, people are largely unattuned to how their evolving reality dovetails with sci-fi predictions. They seem even less concerned with the ramifications. Even Black Mirror, as popular as it is, is not a bellwether for most people.
Hopefully the next Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell will have a broad impact. But we should not hold our breath. Hollywood knows audiences hate grappling with complex social issues. Truth is, most people are far more interested in sports.
