Is The Diamond Age Steampunk, technically?

I consider it steampunk, and it's one of the books I reference when people ask me about steampunk, but I don't know if other people in the subculture would agree with me. But that book is why the StuntHusband and I called each other Neo-Victorian.

Whooo. Well, never mind. I just talked to one of the event organizers, let them know about the current RaceFail happening in the subculture, and gently suggested that "Safari" may need re-thinking. He nodded a lot, and said something along the lines of, "But we're reinterpreting the history the way we want it to, without the awful parts", and "We've all talked about it, and we don't want to cater to the whims of people who rant about imperialism any time someone wears a pith helmet."

You may want to blog about this. Or Tumble about it. Yes, I am serious.

I second what Plei just said.

Thirding.

I am going to wait until after this year's event, because the proposed theme for the 2013 theme was told to me in confidence. It's not been publicly announced yet, and I need to maintain a working relationship with the organizers at least through the end of the month.

Whoops. You think this will destroy the working relationship, huh?

You might be right about that.

Whoops. You think this will destroy the working relationship, huh?

I think the guy I talked with will think I'm overreacting, but shrug. His wife, the other con chair? She will be pissed. Because in some ways she got into steampunk and set herself up as "Queen of steampunk" in Seattle because she realized no one was taking her attempts to do the same in the local goth scene seriously. She saw me as competition for a very long time, and it's only been recently that she's started being friendly toward me. Mostly because I've made it clear that I have no interest in taking over the steampunk scene. But as soon as I take a stand and publicly point out I think they're being clueless? Yeah, I'll go back to being a threat to her.

Cross-scene drama: things I get to negotiate.

it's one of the books I reference when people ask me about steampunk

Is another one The Anubis Gate? I feel like you recommended that to me -- I really liked it -- and I don't know if it was w/r/t steampunk, or something else.

Is another one The Anubis Gate?

I'm pretty sure I recommended it to you, but because Tim Powers is awesome and not because of any steampunk overtones.

Okay, because I somehow connected it with steampunk, and then couldn't figure out what it was about the book that was steampunk-y. Got it. And it was awesome. The ending was one of those make-me-clap-my-hands-with-glee endings.