Hello everyone. So, recently there was a thread that kind of devolved from its original subject into a discussion of the Japanese, oriental or asian aesthetic in Cyberpunk. Personally I don't think there is anything wrong with using the aesthetic of other cultures in ones settings and that in some cases it can add more appeal to the story as a whole.

So, I thought I'd create this thread to discuss the various cultures used in Cyberpunk so that we could broaden our horizons.

7851401
Doesn't Shadowrun have some, drawing on Native American ideas for instance?

I don't live in the "west", so basically wild west, mad max-esque dystopias, and mega corporations feels as culturally unique as how you or others view Japanese as aesthetic. This is despite living with basically western media.

What I have not truly seen executed well, as least in popular media, is how more than two cultures mix when they are in a small community.

You could take Singapore for example. It has a multitude of different races and belief living together. The big issue with this cultural melting pot is the potential idealogical clashes. But they have done something right. Heck, it has all their respective religion living respectfully to one another.

So yeah, I certainly love to see how different cultures gel with one another. And since it is a Cyberpunk world, it is interesting to see how their religions adapt to the world, or the world adapts to the religion. It is a good world building aspect too.

Though, I don't find "cyber religion", as in praying to the machine, really interesting as a religion. It feels like a cult since other religions have a more organic belief. These organic religions are basically dealing with philosophy and their mortality.

7851401

So, recently there was a thread that kind of devolved from its original subject into a discussion of the Japanese, oriental or asian aesthetic in Cyberpunk.

Sorry about that. I always seem to get tangled in these off-topic debates.

Regarding the cultural aesthetics, the recent game Atomic Heart used what can be described as "Soviet aesthetic", which is not completely new but still quite refreshing.

7851403
It does, there's a nation that secedes from the U.S. that is entirely Native Americans and heavily uses shamanistic magic. Of course the most commonly used currency is called the Nuyen, which is inspired by the Japanese Yen. With the planetary alignment, the return of magic, the return of creatures once thought mythical, Japan's economy became the dominant one.

7851401
Well... I know in SolarPunk

we use African and First-Nation
13:40-14:35

edit: all different tip of Punk

7851446
World Building GODs, (Religion), Myths, Legends and others (Holiday)

Why is Sci Fi so Religious? 26:45-49:35

7851465

7851401
I will say, when I think high tech, I do think of places like Akihabara, Tokyo and Shenzhen, China, and a lot of electronics does comes out of that area of the world, so I could easily see where that sort of aesthetic would work its way into cyberpunk. (Not to mention, I've got the game Shenzhen I/O, where you play as someone that just moved to Shenzhen and get assigned electronics devices to make...)

I could see the potential in Soviet cyberpunk. They pretty much had their own clones of a lot of the rest of the worlds computers.

(Though now I'm thinking about the idea of British cyberpunk. Go Sinclair/Acorn/Amstrad aesthetics for the tech and such...)

--Sweetie Belle

7851403 To an extent, yes.

7851465 Oh it's quite alright. You gave me a topic for a new thread, so it's all good.

I haven't played Atomic Heart, however I could definitely see Soviet Russia melding with the Cyberpunk genre fairly well.

7851625 So, I need to say that Solarpunk is NOT Cyberpunk.

While they are both "punk" genres and can share similar elements doesn't make them the same.

It's like coffee and milk. Are they both liquids? Yes. Can you mix them? Yes. Is coffee the same as milk (or vice versa)? No.

7851446

I don't live in the "west", so basically wild west, mad max-esque dystopias, and mega corporations feels as culturally unique as how you or others view Japanese as aesthetic.

Wow, that's actually a very interesting perspective. I grew up with Wild West (and a few post-apocalyptic) stories, movies and shows, so I'm actually interested in how someone who didn't grow up with that background might observe.

What I have not truly seen executed well, as least in popular media, is how more than two cultures mix when they are in a small community.

You could take Singapore for example. It has a multitude of different races and belief living together. The big issue with this cultural melting pot is the potential idealogical clashes. But they have done something right. Heck, it has all their respective religion living respectfully to one another.

Interesting. So, are you saying that you would like to see more of the idealogical clashes, more of the living respectful together, or both?

May or may not be taking notes for future projects.

So yeah, I certainly love to see how different cultures gel with one another. And since it is a Cyberpunk world, it is interesting to see how their religions adapt to the world, or the world adapts to the religion. It is a good world building aspect too.

Though, I don't find "cyber religion", as in praying to the machine, really interesting as a religion. It feels like a cult since other religions have a more organic belief. These organic religions are basically dealing with philosophy and their mortality.

I agree with both of these statements.

It is cool to see religion in stories adjust to their environment or the society in a certain environment adapting to a religion.

Yeah, the whole worshipping the ghost in the machine (or machines themselves) can feel a but cultish if not done right.

I will say, I could see a religious group looking at cybernetic limbs crafted/anointed by a priesthood and viewing their cybernetics as an extension of the divine or their god(s).

7851692

So, I need to say that Solarpunk is NOT Cyberpunk.

While they are both "punk" genres and can share similar elements doesn't make them the same.

It's like coffee and milk. Are they both liquids? Yes. Can you mix them? Yes. Is coffee the same as milk (or vice versa)? No.

ok, sorry, I miss read what you wrote
I thought it was fall All Punk

I agree with both of these statements.

It is cool to see religion in stories adjust to their environment or the society in a certain environment adapting to a religion.

Yeah, the whole worshipping the ghost in the machine (or machines themselves) can feel a but cultish if not done right.

I will say, I could see a religious group looking at cybernetic limbs crafted/anointed by a priesthood and viewing their cybernetics as an extension of the divine or their god(s).

World Building GODs, (Religion), Myths, Legends and others (Holiday)

Why is Sci Fi so Religious? 26:45-49:35

John Shirley's cyberpunk short story Shaman had an interesting Voodoo aesthetic going on, where the protagonists learned of and began to tap into the new spirits that were emerging from humanity's psychological focus on those aspects of their technological future that seemed significant. Electricity, media, street drugs...