Of course the Difference Engine, one of the early Steampunk novels took on those aspects head on, quite successfully I thought, so being soft on imperialism is not inherent in the genre. For that matter before the term was invented Moorecock's Oswald Bastable novels were hardcore steampunk, and and managed to both capture the appeal, while deconstructing and sentimentalization of empire. I could almost hear Moorecock muttering "fucking Kipling", all through the books, even though the characters and technology were full of nods not to Kipling but to Jules Verne.
I've got two words that are going to make all the pain go away. Miniature Golf.
Mayor ,'Lies My Parents Told Me'
Natter 70: Hookers and Blow
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Typo Boy - Oct 12, 2012 9:52:48 am PDT #25432 of 30001
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.
Atropa - Oct 12, 2012 10:01:20 am PDT #25433 of 30001
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
One of the underlying problems is that steampunk has turned into mostly a cosplay/SCA: Victorianana movement. People feel they need to create a persona to take part in steampunk, and everyone wants to be a lord/lady/airship pirate. So when other people point out that incorporating "Wild West Indian", "Great White Hunter", or "Gypsy" into their personas & costumes is at the least uninformed and clueless, and at the worst offensive and racist, the usual response has been "But it's just a costume! We're just playing! It looks awesome! Why are you being so meeeeean?"
I was much more excited about steampunk when it looked like there was going to be a stronger focus on the Maker Movement, and less about pretending to be someone else. If I wanted to LARP, I'd go back to the Camarilla.
Matt the Bruins fan - Oct 12, 2012 10:02:34 am PDT #25434 of 30001
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
When I left the Rite Aid this morning, a white dove and some black crows flew right past me. I felt as if I was in a 70's rock song.
You should have dived sideways in slow motion while firing off a gun in each hand, Scrappy.
Atropa - Oct 12, 2012 10:02:56 am PDT #25435 of 30001
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
However, the steampunk convention I'm attending at the end of the month is going to be the first one where I WILL be in a character-specific costume. The theme is Victorian Monsters, and the Infamous BlueJay and I have taken this as the opportunity for me to dress up as a Victorian gender-swapped Beetlejuice. I'm really looking forward to it.
hippocampus - Oct 12, 2012 10:06:32 am PDT #25436 of 30001
not your mom's socks.
I was much more excited about steampunk when it looked like there was going to be a stronger focus on the Maker Movement
Yup. This.
Jilli, can you suggest "explorers" ?
Atropa - Oct 12, 2012 10:10:29 am PDT #25437 of 30001
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
Jilli, can you suggest "explorers" ?
I will, but I suspect that the people behind the event really REALLY want to wear pith helmets and feel like they're the heroes in a Rider Haggard novel.
Jessica - Oct 12, 2012 10:20:49 am PDT #25438 of 30001
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
I cannot stop laughing at these [link]
hippocampus - Oct 12, 2012 10:25:21 am PDT #25439 of 30001
not your mom's socks.
I suspect that the people behind the event really REALLY want to wear pith helmets and feel like they're the heroes in a Rider Haggard novel.
yeahhh. You can glue a lot of cogs on a good pith helmet.
Jesse - Oct 12, 2012 10:26:57 am PDT #25440 of 30001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
OMG, those made me laugh out loud.
everyone wants to be a lord/lady/airship pirate
OK, is it wrong that I feel like it's OK if everyone is dressing up as a lord/lady and swanning about in drawing rooms and whatever? Like, somehow I think it's acceptable to play just the far-away benefits of colonialism? Or is that just because I'm typing this on a computer while wearing cheaply-made clothing?
Atropa - Oct 12, 2012 10:34:56 am PDT #25441 of 30001
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
OK, is it wrong that I feel like it's OK if everyone is dressing up as a lord/lady and swanning about in drawing rooms and whatever?
To be honest, it wouldn't bother me as much as it does if everyone doing it quit trying to put on a British accent. Pete won't go to steampunk things with me because he can last about 10 minutes before he wants to kill everyone with an affected accent.