I watched a video essay on YouTube about Solarpunk recently, and I couldn’t help but write my thoughts on some of the things discussed (I will share the link at the bottom of the page for anyone who wants to watch it.)
Whenever people talk about the future of AI and humanity, we often imagine this bleak future due to our current system of government, late-stage capitalism, and lack of tolerance for one another. We also have this pessimistic image ingrained in our psyche because of Hollywood. Movies like Terminator or Alita: Battle Angel make it easier to imagine and accept a dystopian reality because we already live in a semblance of it.
The common theme in Solarpunk is the harmonious nature. There is a good and strong relationship, not only with nature and technology but also with people from different cultures, races, ethnicities, etc. and this might sound highly unachievable or maybe even like a cult to some people. The reason why the idea of harmony between humans and nature sounds so alien to us is because of the concept of individualism, enforced by capitalism. In a capitalist society, everyone is responsible for themselves and can barely afford to care for one another as we’re supposed to, and because of this, people tend to take extreme measures to ensure their survival, which then breeds mistrust among the people. Who has the time or change to spare for a homeless person when you’re on the verge of homelessness yourself, am I right?
The mistrust that has been fostered for ages is what makes a lot of people view things like socialism, communism, and Solarpunk as a perfect (unattainable) utopia, something that only 'sounds good in theory’ because how can anyone be good-hearted enough to let such a system thrive and work for everyone?
My idea of Solarpunk that I don’t see a lot of people talking about is the part about humans. Yes, there is the union between nature and humans, humans and technology, but what about the human-to-human aspect? What about the sharing of culture? The tolerance? The joy in togetherness? A necessary criterion for Solarpunk is that everyone works together.
As I stated before, the reason why cyberpunk seems more realistic to people is because of the system that we are currently living in. In this late-stage capitalism, no one is really looking to chill with nature or accept AI that just seems to increase the risk of everyone’s misery if not done right and handled well. What people are looking for is closure, a flicker of hope, something to compensate for their time spent being exploited, and the only way they can get that is through rebellion. A rebellion that probably looks more like cyberpunk because the core themes are rebelling against an oppressive government or the elite.
That’s why a lot of people live vicariously through characters in movies like The Hunger Games and Divergent.
For us to execute an effective Solarpunk future, there are a few problems that would arise on our journey, and here are a few listed below:
Problems to tackle
The Problem of Population: Humans are an invasive species. When left alone, all we do is reproduce and reproduce and reproduce until there is no space left on the ground, and we then start looking to conquer space. The more people we have, the more we need to accommodate, and that means less space for nature.
The Problem of Preserving Nature: for humans, technology, and nature to thrive, we need to actually give space to nature. Space for humans is a natural given; space for technology is something we can accommodate because we depend on it, but space for nature is where people start to drag their feet. Giving space to nature would mean we have to reduce the growth of the human population, which can be a difficult topic to discuss.
Solarpunk is not something we can just shove into this current system. It’s incompatible, and there are a lot of reasons why it wouldn’t work, like an exploitative government. or privatization of property. So, how can we ensure that we do not unintentionally create cyberpunk on our path to solarpunk?
Next steps
Enlightenment: The first step in making sure we don’t miss our goal is by educating everyone. We see a lot of media that makes it possible for us to imagine a cyberpunk or dystopian future, but there’s less about Solarpunk and even less about a better future. We can make more videos, write more, and produce more content that inspires optimism and the idea of a harmonious future where everyone is accepted and our lives aren’t defined and determined by our paycheck.
Ethical AI development: Technology is an integral part of Solarpunk. A technology that aids human development and gives us more time to focus on other issues
Sustainability: When we talk about a better future with good environment, that’s where the topic of sustainability comes in. Elimination of fossil fuels, waste management, reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, etc. will require that we stop using things like cars, encourage public transportation, or invest in walkable cities. For us not to force fit Solarpunk into our current environment and actually move towards a better future, we would need to implement using recycled products or locally sourced materials for our everyday use.
It’s disheartening that there isn’t a lot of Solarpunk content in the media; even AI can’t generate images that are totally Solarpunk because there isn’t much to draw inspiration from. The images oftentimes come out looking eco-brutalistic and congested. So unattractive to the point where it doesn’t even look conducive for inhabiting.
There are some examples of places that have taken steps towards a sustainable future, like Aardehuizen, Netherlands. The design of the environment is structured in a way that caters to humans, is walkable, creates community spaces that function as third spaces and leaves less space for cars.
In conclusion, it is necessary to remember that Solarpunk is not something that can be achieved overnight. There are a lot of things that need to change, and it will be a long and slow process. But just because it’s not something that can be done at the snap of a finger doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.
For anyone who wants to watch the video: Solarpunk Cities: Our Last Hope?
