Why I love Steampunk.
Gallivanting into the third act of The Wind Merchant caused me to reflect a bit on the world that the story placed within.
Airships, flying cities, fun inventions/devices made of brass, wood, and leather… I love all that stuff.
Examining the elements, I realized I more drew on the elements of Steampunk that I appreciate and placed them in a fantasy world of my creation instead of something more traditionally Steampunk, per se. The story isn’t set in 19th century London or even the Wild, Weird West, but an alternate world where society has been forced to escape (and live) above the clouds for spoilerish reasons.
Switching gears (see what I semi-inadvertently did there?), I came to the realization of why I love Steampunk. For many familiar with the movement, one of the main tenants of the ideology is that we live in a largely disposable society where the most amazing technology gets discarded after an upgrade every year or two, and Steampunk stands in stark contrast with the everyman craftsmanship where the materials consisted of leather, wood, and brass… things that last longer than plastic and glass.
…and that speaks to me.
The idea of things being created and tossed doesn’t sit well with me, and I think finding myself in a society where I know the shelf-life of the things around me unnerves me a little.
I like the idea of owning something that will last me a really long time, or will outlast my time here and exist well into future generations. It took me a long time to understand why I appreciated having tools and items around me that could feasibly be the last of those items I would ever need, but I think I finally understand it: Coming from the Christian faith, I believe we are souls that will last forever, so the idea of having something point to the idea of things lasting longer than our time here on earth is what connects with me on a deep level.
Whether or not I consciously realized it when I was drawn to Steampunk, it’s there, and while it’s not one of the main themes of The Wind Merchant (directly), I thought I would share this little bit of self-understanding that took me longer than it probably should have to dawn on me.
vcD,
-R
