Editing Cyberpunk

= Cyberpunk (Genre) =
A subgenre of '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction science fiction]''' characterized by high-technology settings, cybernetic augmentation, and dystopian social structures, typically emphasizing the contrast between advanced digital systems and societal decay.

== Remembering (Knowledge / Recall) 🧠 ==
=== Core terminology & definitions ===
* '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk Cyberpunk]''' – A sci-fi genre blending cybernetics, high-tech environments, and low-life sociopolitical realities.
* '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetic Cyborg/cybernetics]''' – Integration of biological and technological systems.
* '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia Dystopia]''' – A society marked by oppression, inequality, or environmental decay.
* '''Netrunning / hacking''' – Fictional or stylized forms of intrusion into digital systems.

=== Key components / actors / elements ===
* '''Typical protagonists''' – Hackers, dissidents, mercenaries, outcasts.
* '''World elements''' – Mega-corporations, ubiquitous surveillance, neon-lit megacities, black markets.
* '''Influential creators''' – William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Masamune Shirow.

=== Canonical works, models, or artifacts ===
* '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuromancer Neuromancer]''' (1984)
* '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner Blade Runner]''' (1982)
* '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell Ghost in the Shell]''' (1995)
* '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk_2020 Cyberpunk 2020]''' (tabletop RPG)

=== Typical recall-level facts ===
* Emerged in the late 1970s–1980s.
* Motto often summarized as “high tech, low life.”
* Influences: noir fiction, post-industrial society, early digital networks.

----

== Understanding (Comprehension) 📖 ==
=== Conceptual relationships & contrasts ===
* Contrasts with utopian sci-fi by focusing on societal decay despite technological progress.
* Related to '''[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Postcyberpunk Postcyberpunk]''', which softens dystopian elements.
* Connects with transhumanism through themes of body modification and identity.

=== Core principles & paradigms ===
* Technology is ubiquitous but controlled by powerful entities.
* Individuals navigate oppressive structures using subversive skills.
* Themes: alienation, surveillance, corporate dominance, blurred boundaries between human and machine.

=== How it works (high-level) ===
* '''Setting''' – Hyper-urbanized, neon-drenched megacities.
* '''Conflict''' – Individuals vs. corporations, states, or systems.
* '''Devices''' – Cybernetic implants, virtual realities, AI entities.
* '''Tone''' – Gritty, noir-influenced atmosphere.

=== Roles & perspectives ===
* Authors: critique contemporary technology and capitalism.
* Readers/viewers: explore ethical dilemmas and identity questions.
* Designers/creators: build immersive, tech-saturated worlds.

----

== Applying (Use / Application) 🛠️ ==
=== "Hello, World" example ===
* A short story premise: a street-level hacker infiltrates a corporate datavault to uncover a hidden AI manipulating city governance.

=== Core task loops / workflows ===
* Define sociopolitical context (corporations, state surveillance).
* Introduce tech elements (augmentations, networks).
* Develop personal stakes for the protagonist.
* Use noir-style tension and moral ambiguity.
* Reveal systemic critique through plot progression.

=== Frequently used actions / methods / techniques ===
* Worldbuilding via sensory detail (neon, rain, crowds).
* Integration of slang and techno-jargon.
* Depicting cyberspace as an explorable digital landscape.
* Using body modification or implants as plot devices.

=== Real-world use cases ===
* Inspiration for video games (e.g., ''Deus Ex'', ''Cyberpunk 2077'').
* Thematic foundation for tabletop RPGs and transmedia worlds.
* Framework for speculative design in UX and HCI.
* Analytical lens for digital capitalism and AI ethics.

----

== Analyzing (Break Down / Analysis) 🔬 ==
=== Comparative analysis ===
* Versus space opera: smaller scale, more grounded tech, darker tone.
* Versus postcyberpunk: more pessimistic and gritty.
* Versus solarpunk: focuses on collapse rather than ecological harmony.

=== Structural insights ===
* World structure dominated by corporations instead of traditional governments.
* Social layering: elite technocrats vs. marginalized urban populations.
* Recurring motifs: neural jacks, virtual networks, street markets, artificial intelligences.

=== Failure modes & root causes ===
* Overuse of clichés (neon, rain, trench coats).
* Shallow depiction of hacking or tech jargon.
* Romanticizing dystopia instead of critiquing it.

=== Troubleshooting & observability ===
* Check for coherence of world rules (technology, politics, economics).
* Ensure characters’ motivations align with oppressive conditions.
* Monitor tonal consistency (noir + techno-dystopian).

----

== Creating (Synthesis / Create) 🏗️ ==
=== Design patterns & best practices ===
* Blend cutting-edge tech with social decay.
* Use technology to expose vulnerability rather than empowerment.
* Incorporate noir elements: moral ambiguity, antiheroes, corruption.

=== Integration & extension strategies ===
* Fuse cyberpunk with other genres (fantasy, horror, detective fiction).
* Integrate real tech trends (AI, biotech, AR/VR).
* Extend worldbuilding with multi-perspective storytelling.

=== Security, governance, or ethical considerations ===
* Highlight issues of surveillance, data ownership, AI autonomy.
* Explore ethical dilemmas of augmentation and identity.
* Consider implications of corporate-state power fusion.

=== Lifecycle management strategies ===
* Establish historical backstory (economic collapse, technological boom).
* Maintain internal consistency of tech evolution.
* Revise setting as real-world technologies change.

----

== Evaluating (Judgment / Evaluation) ⚖️ ==
=== Evaluation frameworks & tools ===
* Criteria: thematic depth, world coherence, originality of technology, social critique.
* Tools: narrative analysis, genre comparison, socio-technical assessment.

=== Maturity & adoption models ===
* Mature genre with continuous influence in film, literature, and games.
* Evolved into variations: postcyberpunk, biopunk, nanopunk.
* Global adoption through Japanese anime, Western novels, and multimedia franchises.

=== Key benefits & limitations ===
* Benefits: sharp critique of technology and capitalism, rich aesthetic, compelling conflicts.
* Limitations: risk of formulaic tropes, pessimistic bias, limited cultural perspectives if not diversified.

=== Strategic decision criteria ===
* Use cyberpunk when exploring tech-driven inequality or identity shifts.
* Avoid if story goals require optimism or expansive exploration beyond urban decay.
* Consider hybridization when aiming for fresh thematic angles.

=== Holistic impact analysis ===
* Influences tech discourse, aesthetic design, and cultural imagination.
* Shapes visual language of futurism (neon, holograms, grids).
* Future trajectory: expanded global perspectives, intersection with AI ethics, eco-cyberpunk hybrids.

[[Category:Science Fiction]]
[[Category:Cyberpunk]]
[[Category:Speculative Fiction]]