In What Way Has Cyberpunk Influenced Our Understanding of Cyber Space?

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In what ways has the genre of cyberpunk fiction influenced our understanding of cyberspace? Has cyberpunk influenced the ways in which Internet technology is actually used? Cyberpunk is a movement that began in the 1980’s that merges the realms of technology and popular culture integrating mainstream as well as underground aspects. Set in the style and field of science fiction, it was also called Hard science fiction as its plot revolved heavily around technology and biology. Cyberpunk fiction was the birthplace of writers that conceptualize cyberspace. A writer William Gibson in his novel ‘Neuoromancer’ brought the first concept to light which might just be the most popular Cyberpunk book ever (McCaffery.C, 2000). His work is mostly seen as the right and wrong components in Cyberpunk fiction . In a Cyberpunk fiction story plot, there is generally a ‘system’ that overlooks the lives of the public by an oppressive government, fundamentalist religion or Mega corporations. The system is heightened by certain technologies which is something that is advancing at a rapid rate and is puzzling to most people. Especially when it comes to information technology, computers and mass media. Most of the times these technological systems seep into its human components too, such as cloning, genetically engineered organs and brain implants. This aspect makes the human a part of the machine, which in turn is the ‘cyber’ characteristic of Cyberpunk. As every system has outcasts, rebels, criminals or visionaries that live outside the system, Cyberpunk fiction focuses around these people who use the systems technological tools to their own advantage and to cater to their own needs. This is ‘punk’ component of Cyberpunk (The Cyberpunk Project, 2004). A conflict between the natural and the artificial. It began with the introduction of personal computers, video games, networks,

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