Defining Steampunk

So… I wanted to do an interview this weekend but, ah… Yeah. Things didn’t turn out as planned, so here is something that came to my attention recently. Steamers trying to explain to Steampunk to the non-initiated. Is there a definition? Plenty, yet none has been accepted as, The Definition. But why?

For starters, were does the name come from? The term was coined in 1987 by science fiction writer K.W. Jetter in Locus magazine for books like the Anubis Gate (1983), Homunculus (1986) and his own Victorian themed Morlock Nights (1979). He based this name on the dystopian science-fiction genre Cyberpunk, like The Matrix, I Robot, Johny Mnenomic and Blade Runner. Because of the Victorian-setting they used he coined the word, Steampunk. Little did he know of course that a entire subculture would spawn from this.

Before we move on, Steampunk is not a theme. It’s a genre. People tend to get that confused in my experience. Steampunk as a genre is defined as Cyberpunk in the past, but many writers have moved away from this classic definition of the genre. However I already did a piece on this a few months back. All I can add is that, these last few years the name Fantasy Steampunk has been tossed around to describe stories that have Steampunk-esque settings, but have supernatural entities involved like vampires and werewolves.

When it comes to stories, we have a clear definition for what is and what isn’t steampunk. However when it comes to the subculture and all what that contains it is a different matter. For example, Steampunk music. There is no such thing, yet there are Steampunk themed bands. Steampunk related stories and/or adventures or told through the lyrics. As for sound, forget it. Yeah, there are bands that have that ‘good ol’ vintage sound to it, but that doesn’t mean it’s steampunk. I think Montague Jaques Fromage told it best. ‘There is no such thing as steampunk-music. But there is Music Steampunks like.’ Here is the think. I think this goes for most other for expressions of Steampunk. During my interviews with Ebenezer C. Whitford and Rosie, both replied that their designs weren’t meant to be Steampunk. Those were deemed such by Steamers.
Steampunk is very inclusive. There is a lot of free to be had when it comes when it comes to design, fashion and themes. No wonder it´s so hard to define. People try, but usually end up telling a whole story of everything that can be found within it confines. So let’s start with, what you should focus on explaining.

Context. Usually we are talking about the worldwide subculture, not just stories or music. It´s a subculture based upon an esthetic, which combines modern and archaic technology with added decorations, based upon the Barok or Arte Deco styles for example. So it’s a very creative movement in which the DIY-mentality is held in high esteem.
You could clarify that this esthetic is based upon stories of Jules Verne and HG Wells, this however, rarely works because few people in the Netherlands seem to know these writers. Also it gives people, even Steamers, the impression that their stories are Steampunk. No, no they are not. They are plain science fiction. 

It is also true that Steamers have the tendency to romanticize old world customs and some try to reenact this behavior. This, however, is not unique to Steampunk, but still something to keep in mind.

As for a definition… Well there are a lot of um. One very popular one is Victorian Science Fiction or the way Victorians saw the future.
I have issues with these descriptions. Ok, the last one is accurate in some way. Still, I don’t like the term Victorian. First off, what does Victorian even mean? There is Victorian Engeland (1819/1837-1901).  You could emphasize the 19^th century perception of technological progress and that technology makes anything possible. One can also describe Victorian England as the perfect Dystopia in the past, with an imperialistic and corrupt government, liaise fair economics and eugenics policies. It’s also know for macabre things like Jack the Ripper, body snatchers and let’s not forget the Great Stink. In short, what Victorian means is rather vague. Also, a lot of people started to associate Victorians exclusively with Steampunk. Everywhere you look at cons and fairs are tophats and grand dresses. There is nothing wrong with that, but it has lad to a great amount of same-ishness in an otherwise very inclusive genre. What about non-Victorian styles, aka the rest of the world or other time periods and cultures. Why can’t we use our own history for inspiration? And I don’t want to hear, ‘Well, not allot happed in the Netherlands.’  That‘s just saying. ‘I don’t want to look for it.’

What definition do I prefer? I like Retro-Futurism or Creative Anachronism. Yeah, they are a bit blend but it’s way more accurate in describing what Steamers do. Combine things that don’t belong together, like old and new, technology and art, etc. It also suits my wish that steamers will look for different era’s and cultures for inspirations. But that is a whole different subject.

So, what did we learn? That Steampunk is hard to define and discribe. Still, people seem to have few problems identifying Steampunk. It’s kinda like porn in that regard. You know it when you see it. 


Do you have a good discribtion of Steampunk for the non-initiated. Please leave it down here in the comments.