Transcript History of the Future

History of the Future
11: Cyberpunk and the 1980s
This Session
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Overview of 1980s
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Focus on elements found in Gibson & Card
New trends in the future
Framing of “Cyberpunk” movement
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Including earlier depictions of computer
Real-world developments in technology
The 1980s
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Global Politics dominated by Cold War
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Domestic politics shift
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Conservative revival gains pace
Growing social inequality (yuppies)
Brashness & materialism in pop culture
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Early 80s – intensification
Late 80s – collapse of USSR
Strong reaction in “alternative” media
Lots of new consumer technology
The Reagan Years
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“Morning in America”
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Budget shifts
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Social programs cut
Military programs grow; high-tech
buildup
Large tax cut (“supply-side economics”)
Recession follows
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Feel-good appeal
“Rustbelt” industries crumble
Cold War revives
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Promise to defeat “Evil Empire”
Strategic Defense Initiative
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Pitched to Reagan as magic shield
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Did he believe? We may never know.
Science fiction authors help to promote
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Massive plans
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Ben Bova (editor of Omni)
Jerry Pournell (author, computer columnist)
also Edward Teller (hydrogen bomb physicist)
Lasers, killer satellites
Massive software, network challenges
Few independent scientists support
America spends many billions
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Soviets start to get worried
Nuclear War Re-emerges
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Arms-race intensifies
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Anti-nuclear movement grows
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Nuclear Cruise Missiles based in
Europe
Trident submarines
Missiles more accurate, more
warheads
Large demonstrations common
Theme common in popular
culture
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Missile Command video game
Wargames film (1983)
Rightwing SF
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Enjoys something of a revival
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General mood, Star Wars movie may
help
Many stories of survivalist or
libertarian bent
Fervently pro-technology, pro-space
travel, anti-government
Generally militarist
Specialized sub-genre
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Baen Books – publisher
Writers: Jerry Pournelle, David
Drake, etc.
Rise of Japan
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Will computers follow TVs?
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5th Generation Project
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breakthroughs in artificial intelligence sought
Advances feared in software, processors
Japanese pursue “software factory” approach
They have all the coolest electronics
Japanese pop culture becomes dweeb-cool
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Very futuristic – comics, videos
Cartoonish fashion, clothes
Japan: The Pop Group
Synth-pop, Asian-influenced futurism meets Tokyo chic
Shifts in Pop Culture
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Music and fashion subcultures
fragment
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New entertainment forms
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Punks
Post-Punk (including “New
Romantics”)
Many others -- Heavy Metal, Rap,
Techno
MTV arrives in early-80s
Atari and home videogames in late70s
Escapism is common thread
A “Haircut” Band
The Future Changes Slowly
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Many suspicious of Glasnost, is it just PR?
Genuine progress in arms control late 80s
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Cruise missiles eliminated
Treaties to reduce warhead levels
Nobody predicts sudden collapse of Soviet
union
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CIA or science fiction writers
1980s future suddenly looks very dated
New Trends in the Future
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Virtual Reality (new term circa 1982)
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Genetic Engineering
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Immersion in simulated world
Key theme of cyberpunk fiction
Idea spreads rapidly into mainstream culture
Recombinant DNA is new technology
Though cloning often appeared in 70s
Nanotechnology
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Creation of machines at molecular level
Creeps as theme at end of 80s
Cyberpunk: The Idea
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Term coined in by Bruce Bethke
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punk part reflects streetwise attitude
Tone tends to be dark, cynical
Virtual Reality as central idea
Other themes
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Alteration of human bodies, genes
Popular culture, media power
Critical of corporate power
Often romantic, rebellious
Cyberpunk: The Movement
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First self-conscious movement since “New Wave”
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Push to shake-up science fiction
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Neuromancer (1984) is defining statement
Gibson & Bruce Sterling are key proponents
Sterling publishes “Cheap Truth” magazine
Fame soon spreads beyond genre
Largely faded as movement by late-80s
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Influence remains strong on later work
Neal Stephenson’s Snowcrash (1994) is popular
Computers in SF
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Common by mid-1950s
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Nobody much predicts
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Futuristic technology lags history
Big, expensive, central computers
Used mostly for mathematics
Personal computer
Microchips, miniaturization
Interactive graphics
Main extrapolation is artificial intelligence
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Often arrives spontaneously
Cybernetics
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Coined by Norbert Weiner, 1947
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Idea tied to automation
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Popular 1948 book, “Cybernetics”
From Greek – “steersman”
Generalization of feedback, as control principle
Animals, machines – both seek goals
Idea gets tied to Artificial Intelligence
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Also “cyber” is popular prefix
Networking: Real Life
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First networks military
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Networking research funded in 1960s
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SAGE air-defense system in mid-1950s
ARPANet built for computer science
researchers
Ties together existing computers
“Computer Utility” idea popular in late-60s
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Pipe computer power into homes, offices
Thousands of terminals on one big computer
Never really pans out
Networking, Reality II
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Idea of terminal (rather than personal computer)
lasts into early 1980s
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Academic attention given to “computer conferencing”
from late 70s
Commercial “videotext” networks of mid-80s
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News, reference material, home shopping and
banking
Limited, controlled by big corporations
All fail in US – slow, expensive, not useful
Networking: Fiction
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Little realistic treatment pre-1980
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Much more focus on AI than networks
John Brunner, Shockwave Rider, 1975 invents
idea of computer “worm”
Vernor Vinge, “True Names” (1981)
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Hackers adventures in virtual environment
Comic-book story; anti-government ideas
Influential on libertarian new activists of 90s
The Information Society
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1960s: idea of “Knowledge Worker” popular in
1960s
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1970s: post-industrial society
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Increasing importance of science, technology,
education
Popular phrase
Associated with micro revolution, new faith in
automation (idea from 50s resurfaces)
1980: Toffler publishes “Third Wave”
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Utopian, libertarian, decentralized future
Very influential
The Micro Revolution
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Integrated Circuit (silicon
chip) technology
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Used from mid-1960s for
computers
Initially just a few
components on chip
Rapid Progress
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Densities grow, Moore’s law
coined
RAM chips from 1970
The Microprocessor
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Intel 4004 is first one
Intel introduces 8080
microprocessor in 1972
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Simple but usable “computer on
a chip”
Forms heart of inexpensive
electronic devices
MIPS offers Altair computer as
kit in 1975
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Useless but expandable
Personal computing takes off
among electronics hobbyists
Home Computers
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Apple II, 1977
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First mass produced
micro
Purchased for home,
school, office
Cheaper home
machines follow
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VIC 20, Atari 800,
Commodore Amiga, etc.
Actual Use Unclear
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“Computer literacy” is main
selling point
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Talk of “home productivity”
applications
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Designed to be programmed
BASIC built in
Balance checkbook
Organize recipes
Videogames become main use!
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Many converted from arcade
Hackers
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Term originally has positive
association
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By mid-1980s means
electronic vandals
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geeky pranksters at MIT
Sometimes credited with
superhuman powers
Media fascination continues
into 1990s
Problem for science fiction
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Actual hacking very boring