Why Cyberpunk?

by Phantom Writer

If you are unfamiliar with the Cyberpunk movement or what Cyberpunk is, this is an explanation for you. Even if you are 'punked, or think you are, this may change your view of what being 'punked is. Either way, this is one of the many views of what Cyberpunk is.

Many people, even a few 'punks will tell you Cyberpunks are a hacker underground. The truth is that Cyberpunks are more than hackers. Cyberpunks are writers, such as Gibson or Sterling. Cyberpunks are artists, or thinkers. The true Cyberpunk is not tech, it is knowledge. Cyberpunks are free thinkers, they are those that know something is wrong, and something has to be done about it.

All Cyberpunks agree that power is knowledge. Those who have it, can hide it, or spread it hold the power. Cyberpunks believe that knowledge should be free. Free to those who want to hear it. Cyberpunks are not out to save those who want to be complacent or ignorant. Cyberpunks are out to enlighten and educate those who want to be free. Cyberpunks are smart and knowledgeable. They do not run with morons who are out for the thrill of adventure. Cyberpunks are very withdrawn, they do not flaunt their talents in the open, they prefer to be in the shadows, their message scrawled on the walls, pirated over the air, or posted on a BBS.

Cyberpunks are not in it just for the thrills. There are enough places to go just for the thrills. The true Cyberpunks all have a message to spread. We are the street poets, the electronic philosophers. I am not saying that Cyberpunks don't enjoy the thrills. Many of us find breaking into systems fun, or pirating our messages exciting. We are not kids screwing around, we have something to say, and we have the means to say it. If there is one thing that links all Cyberpunks together, it's technology. Whether it is a new MIDI set-up, a new word processor, or a hard drive that has one hundred more megabytes than the guy next door; there is a unknown pull towards thing s of high technology. Cyberpunks crave newtech. It is out bread and butter. What is a Cyberpunk without his tech, without his "cyber", just a punk. This is the '90s, tech is in. Tech is the vehicle that carries the truth to the ears of those who want to hear it.

Many people will say that we are criminals. They say we are criminals for hacking, pirating radio and TV, for altering telephone lines. We do what is right inside of us, not because the law says it's right to do. The world is going to hell, quickly. We are preparing for something disastrous to happen. We are not fanatics waiting for the world to end. Look around, the economy is falling, our ecosystems are dying, civilization is crumbling. We can see it, and we are preparing for it.

We are not forcing a way of live on anyone. We do not ask you to shave your heads. We do not ask you to give up meat. We don't ask you to worship a leader. We don't care what kind of music you listen to. We do ask that you are willing to hear, to learn, to see what is happening around you. We ask that you voice yourself and be brave enough to act when push comes to shove. We are not violent by nature, we believe that people have the right to know what is going on. When you deprive us of that right, then we sink underground. A place where we are hidden, able to spring up and say what we have to say. We are not radicals, punks, or criminals. We are the voice. Do not shut us out.