A Culture of Dreamers and Tinkerers
Posh Victorian dresses. Top Hats. Waistcoats. Goggles. Airships. Impossible steam powered devices. And a promise of adventure.
When people hear the word "Steampunk", these are the things is they instantly tend to imagine. While the genre has gained a large part of its fans just based on those first impressions, people soon discover that it offers so much more than that. Almost every person can find something appealing in steampunk, and no two people imagine it the same.
At the heart of it, Steampunk builds a world aesthetically somewhere in the Victorian or early Edwardian Era, but where Industrial revolution is in full swing, with steam engine and clockwork remain the dominant technology. The genre obviously draws comparisons to the "Cyberpunk" genre and sub-culture, however the differences are prominent. One of the main differences is the optimistic outlook on humanity and technology, which replaced the cynicism of cyberpunk.
While this setting may sound straightforward at first, it can take many different shapes and forms, from mostly realistic and true to historic fact, with only several divergences, to completely improbable and fantastic, safely in the science fiction zone. In the softer steampunk stories the differences can be miniscule, like some of the anachronistic and somewhat improbable devices from the Sherlock Holmes films, or the numerous works of Jules Verne, who is believed to have codified many of steampunk tropes.
Other stories build entire alternative histories around steam powered technology, forgoing realism and giving in to their imaginations. The ideas of how technology which is both advanced in function yet primitive in its core design are examined at length. Industrial buildings and factory piped dominate the skyline, and airships and blimps roam the sky. Mad scientists build humongous coal powered robots, and the steam powered space ships traverse the outer space. The world is full of mystery and wonder, as it was during the Victorian Era, and bursting with people from all walks of life, eager to uncover these mysteries.
Steampunk Larp Member with Robotic Arm
Whatever the setting is, there is something in common in all of them. They create a marvellous retro-futuristic visual feel that manages to appeal to both those who have strong nostalgia for the fashion and look of the Victorian and Edwardian Eras, as well as those who enjoy the often intricate and complex inventions based on steam, gears and clockwork. They manage to join together the ordinary and the exotic in new and exciting ways. And what is more important, this union is strongly individual for different places and different people, and is one of the primary reasons why steampunk is so rapidly gaining popularity.
In our time of mass production and mass consumerism it is very easy to become just a face in the crowd. It is hard to be prominent, and when somebody does stand out, it's usually by doing something or wearing something that shocks the onlookers. While this does make a person stick out from the crowd, it is not a positive impression.
Steampunk enthusiasts, however, avoid that problem altogether. While he old fashion clothing is quite prominent, it avoids being irritating or shocking. In our mind we are used to thinking of those period clothing as proper and stylish. And it is not just the higher class fashions. Even the middle and lower class clothing of the period have a sense of dignity and style to them. Of course they are noticeable in the crowd and feel appropriately strange amidst all the T-shirts and track suits. But instead of being irked or repulsed, you can't help but admire them.
Surprisingly enough, any clockwork and gear themed props that are so often added to the costumes by streampunks seem only to add to this charm, if done right of course. Humanity has always been fascinated by complicated clockwork and gears, and this fascination has transferred onto steampunk as well. It is also important to note that most of those props are self made, often from materials and tools at hand. While it can end up looking underwhelming, when such props work, their uniqueness and complexity captivates. For that reason even in a crowd of steampunk enthusiasts every person can be regarded on their own, and appreciated for the effort they put into their outfit.
But in the end what makes the steampunk genre and subculture so alluring and likable is not just the curious clothing. It's the mood. It is not melancholic and emotional like the Emo culture. It is not nihilistic and rebellious like the Goth culture. And finally, it is not cynical and dehumanizing like Cybepunk.
It is optimistic. The world is changing, and this change can be for the better. It is exciting, and full of wonder. And everyone can explore it, everyone can pick up their tools and join in on the fun.
So put on your top hat, Good Sir, and welcome to the Steampunk Arcade!
