What do steampunk people do

So what do you do with your props? Do you have to ascribe to any specific ideology, or wear your Steampunk clothes every day, or learn a secret handshake? The answers to all these questions and more are below, because this article will teach you how to get the most out of being a Steampunk! This is a sticky issue for some people, but the crux of it is that no, there is no special ideology required in order to be Steampunk.

In case you don't know what an ideology is, it's a set of beliefs, or a set of philosophies, that govern how you look at the world.

Some people argue that Steampunks have to be for or against certain things, but that's nonsense. You can be black or white, Democrat or Republican, religious or atheist, and none of that matters. Photo by Margaret Killjoy of a few Steampunk gentlemen ironically crashing a Steampunk pro-labor rally.

That said, there are certain characteristics that tend to be prevalent among Steampunks not because they're enforced or required, but just because the Steampunk aesthetic and community tend to attract a certain kind of person. Your average Steampunk is a creative individualist who has a keen interest in history, though of course Steampunk is made up of all kinds of people. The best way, bar none, to make friends in the Steampunk world is to frequent online communities.

These forums are the best chance to get your voice heard, rather than drowned out in the crowd. Your specific area may also have its own Steampunk community, so try doing a search on Facebook or Google for your city with the word "Steampunk". There's no better way to learn about events in your area than on the internet, so search around! These events are really your bread-and-butter as a Steampunk, because steam-central events allow you to bust out your finery that you've worked so hard on or spent so much money on, or both and show it off to people who will appreciate it.

Not only that, but you can sit down and have a drink with people who probably share some, if not all, of your interests. Steampunk events can come in all different types, from an informal gathering at someone's house to a fancy tea at a teahouse to a Steampunk night at a local club. I live in Atlanta, and we're lucky to have one of the best Steampunk scenes in the country.

The Artifice Club hosts quarterly club nights, as well as other fun events from time to time. There's hardly a month that goes by that we don't have at least one Steampunk event to go to, if not two or three.

For example, yesterday there was a Victorian festival at a local historic cemetery, and there was a Steampunk meetup. Photo by Cristian Duran. This is a Steampunk meetup in Chile! I say this not to make you jealous, but to give you an idea of the variety of events that you can attend. I also said in the above paragraph that we were lucky to have such a great Steampunk scene here in Atlanta, but that was a lie; luck has nothing to do with it.

We have some really awesome people who work very hard to put these events together. They don't even get paid to do it; they do it because they love it. So if you find that your local scene is lacking in organization, make a community! However, the genre and its aesthetic have become familiar to the general public through various works. As a matter of fact, in 20, Leagues Under the Sea , the Nautilus is a futuristic submarine developed in a classical era But since this classic of French literature was written in the 19th century, it is classified as a science fiction novel instead.

The Nautilus, the futuristic submersible imagined by Jules Verne, was more advanced than all other submarines at that time. We could also mention The Wild Wild West. In the famous TV series, and its film adaptation, two secret agents travel the Far West in the s using anachronistic inventions to fight their enemies. The story takes place in an imaginary Victorian age and it features characters from the popular literature of the late 19th century Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Taken from the Victorian influence corsets are frequently incorporated into steampunk costume from the most basic to most elaborate. Industrial-style rivets, chains and metal buckles are popular adornments along with chunky belts and choker collars.

There are lots of brightly coloured lenses, antique metallic finishes and evocative aviator goggles. Steampunks are big hat lovers — the bigger and more elaborate the better. Lace, feathers, scarves, gloves sit alongside the aforementioned goggles and monocles.

Masks are hugely popular as are umbrellas, compasses, watches and other techy-gismos. Steampunks have to merge their own personal use of technology with the aesthetic elements of the steampunk subculture, but must also reconcile the differences in technological use within their own lives. Analyzing themes within Steampunk allows for better understanding of the sociological significance of the subculture.

Though many themes are applicable to Steampunk, the most relevant ones are commodification, DIY, and globalization. Commodification plays a major role in diluting the significance of Steampunk as a subculture. Because people can simply purchase items related to the subculture instead of researching and actually learning about it, the significance and original motivation behind Steampunk is undermined, and ultimately loses significance within the subculture overall.

The Do-It-Yourself mindset is a major part of Steampunk, and ties in with the appreciation for craftsmanship. Similarly to how Punks engage in DIY to resist the commodification and commercialization of their subculture, steampunks associate DIY work with resourcefulness and originality.

Particularly because DIY emphasizes personality and creativity, it contrasts with the increased presence of monotonous technology, where everything is specifically designed to be the same. By focussing on creation and appreciation of handmade products, Steampunk encourages critical thought of modern society and the trend toward increased technological use in every day life.

The international spread of the Steampunk aesthetic and subculture is largely due to globalization via the internet. Though there is not exact origin for the subculture, the internet allows for participants to organize meetings and events more effectively, through which participants can establish stronger connections with one another. Strong communities validate the enthusiasm and participation in the subculture, and provide a safe environment for participants to engage in subcultural activities without fearing negative social commentary.

Additionally, globalization allows for interesting cultural combinations as steampunks from around the globe mix their interpretations of the subculture to design incredible new creations, which further inspires other participants to engage in creative combinations as well. Vintage Tomorrows Samuel Goldwyn Films, is a good introduction to the Steampunk genre and what the subculture actually includes is.

The documentary also includes interviews with participants to give a more in depth understanding of the individual experiences as part of the subculture. Because so many people are fascinated with elements of steampunk, there are tons of movies that include some elements of the subculture. An adventure story combining space travel in traditional wooden boats, mechanic astrological maps, cyborgs, and pirates provides insight into a completely alternate steampunk universe.

A war hero must protect the president of the United States against a mad evil-genius engineer on a journey through the Midwest.