this post was submitted on 28 Nov 2023
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Solarpunk

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Categorizing themes and visions of solarpunk fiction [from Solarpunk Stories] (www.solarpunkstories.com)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by andrewrgross to c/solarpunk
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I saw an effort at trying to systematize solarpunk elsewhere that felt a bit confused, but it reminded me of this. I'm not typically inclined to try to taxonamize everything, but I'll admit that the appeal definitely isn't lost on me. This felt useful.

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[–] jeffhykin@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

These are useful categories, and "shades" is a good name.

The "now solar" almost fees more like "ancient solar" to me, because 1800's America, at least in the Appalachian mountains, very much had that kind of jugaad/frugal-engineering vibe. Places with water wheels, front yard gardens, small windmills, compost, wells, rainwater systems, and lots of clever wooden hacks. With a general style a little bit like this place

[–] HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Metropolis. 100%

[–] David_Eight@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I always thought of Metropolis as more Diesel Punk(Art Deco) and Solar Punk as more Art Nouveau inspired.

[–] andrewrgross 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

"Metropolis" in this context isn't referring specifically to the Fritz Lang film. That's one of the categories of solarpunk art and fiction in the article. It's essentially solarpunk set in a large city.

[–] David_Eight@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

IDK isn't it though, the article mentions the movie directly, I'm assuming that's where they got the "Metropolis" name. I get what you mean by "solar punk in a large city" and how that's different but, feel the name is confusing in the context of the article.

[–] apgw@bunt.social 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@andrewrgross @David_Eight

Unqualified comment: "Solarpunk" art looks like hippie stuff, not punk.

[–] JacobCoffinWrites 3 points 1 year ago

The art could definitely be more punk, which would bring it more in line with some of the fiction and much of the IRL stuff. Much of the current art is sort of generically ecoutopian. I think a lot of that is from concept artists who don't know what else to call a megacity with touches of green, and AI art fed off the same stuff. I'd love to see more punk, diy, and reuse elements in solarpunk art.

[–] alex@jlai.lu 6 points 1 year ago

Cottage with more people or rooted with fewer people.

[–] keepthepace 3 points 11 months ago

Far out eco-futurist for me

[–] JacobCoffinWrites 2 points 1 year ago

I guess my photobashes would fall under rooted

[–] insomniac_lemon@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I know it's probably not solarpunk, but is there one where I could be a cyborg brain just doing whatever I can that is helpful and/or just existing in some other* way?

Because I don't expect I'd ever see even the beginning of such a future, aside from the unlikely event that my head is cryopreserved (and that still assumes revival is possible under good circumstance, with cyborg tech good enough to exist comfortably).

*=digital/VR, static or passenger/"barnacle"/redundant/lookout, roving, tiny or big, torpor, symbiosis etc

[–] Lordbaum@mander.xyz 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I mean the picture looks more dystopian, but in a free socity You can look and life like how ever you want. Also maybe there is a back story to why you live as such a brain. While it is an utopia accidents can still happen. Maybe while working on a community project your body was blown away but yor community which has good neuroligist saved you. Or maybe you where there at the final days of the Cyberpunk era, when the catpital-state.complex maked the last and most brutal attemps to destroy the revolution. And now you are trying to fix the problems the old system created.

[–] insomniac_lemon@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

The image is just the best I could get stablediffusion to do that looked like something that hints at it having a brain. Though I'd also say welding in a dark+hazy garage probably is usually going to look dystopian.

And I was talking from my own perspective being a shut-in with medical issues in the very-not-anythingpunk now. If I could do cryonics testing and somehow be revived by a non-corp science organization that'd be the best outcome (climate/ocean/space work?).

Though yeah, aside from mech stuff (or just eyes-in-the-back-of-your-head/vehicle/building) I could see a brain having a lot of possibilities for revolution-type-stuff if the tech was viable. Ducts or other small (non-hospitable) infrastructure, tunneling through the ground, shipped/smuggled, carrier drone etc.

Problem is, I could see cryonics being seen as a very un-solar concept even if just for the energy/money cost and technical unlikelihood (false hope), so I don't expect someone to offer me a spot in their secret cryolab even if there was a chance of it being viable. Also the delay on a plan like that isn't great either (admitting in 100+ years it will still be a struggle) unless maybe being generous and saying revival straight into a solarpunk future could happen.

[–] David_Eight@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This reminds me of Kintsugi, which is a Japanese art/ philosophy of fixing broken pottery/objects using gold. The idea being that you shouldn't hide that you repaired something but embrace it because the repair/imperfection is a part of the objects history/being.

I feel like a "Solar Punk" solution to your broken would incorporate this ideal.

[–] insomniac_lemon@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

fixing broken pottery/objects using gold

Yes, I know of it. Coincidentally, one of the images I generated (trying to get something that looked like a robot with human eyes*) that I like is a gold mask that looked shattered. (with organic-looking eyes, though just in-frame with no real detail outside of the head and has an upset stare/blank expression)

*=the idea being (mostly) full-conversion cyborg but keeping natural eyes (or a synthetic equivalent that uses the same nerves) rather than using cameras.

I feel like a “Solar Punk” solution to your broken would incorporate this ideal

Explain how. At least if you mean now, as I work with what I can (but can only do so much with given circumstances). Can't afford the gold and I don't know if something like the glue exists.

[–] David_Eight@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Well traditionally, transplanting a brain into any sort of machine has always been portrayed as negatively losing ones humanity. Since Solarpunk is meant to be optimistic there's inherently friction between those ideas.

But my point is that they use gold because it's seen as beautiful, that's why jewelry is gold right. In other forms of fiction the brain is always transplanted into an ugly utilitarian machine (I.E. Robocop, Robotman from Doom Patrol ect.) There's no reason a machine can't be beautiful, like a piece of jewelry, cars, apple products. The example you had isn't "beautiful" at least I don't think it is.

And if you wanted to practice Kintsugi yourself, you can find kits sold online. I never tried it personally.

[–] insomniac_lemon@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

And if you wanted to practice Kintsugi yourself

I meant that I am not aware of glue that fixes problems in one's life/society.

There’s no reason a machine can’t be beautiful, like a piece of jewelry, cars, apple products. The example you had isn’t “beautiful” at least I don’t think it is

It was just the best I could get an AI spit out, it didn't really get it (I didn't even tell it welding). I would like to have easily swappable equipment/bodies much like clothes/PPE. Though if I were welding, beautiful probably wouldn't be high on the list. I probably would go for something aesthetically nice if I had a choice, though I probably would go with "good enough". It's not like I designed my look now. Having faceplates in different color-schemes/materials would probably be the biggest thing (like the pseudo-tux type thing).

Though I could see going with brushed metal or matte ceramic.

For the rest of that, I would say:

  1. It's my headcanon that every likable/non-rigid robot character in fiction could have a brain. Both the audience and other characters often show care for them, even when there is no hint that they are "alive" in some way. Not everyone is emotional, and lack of visible emotion does not mean evil either.

  2. I don't think humanity loss would be a thing, particularly with nerve connections allowing sensations and pain. Also it'd be useful to have different modes of sensitivity (and maybe even external audio-visual feedback) based on context, much like how PPE functions now.

  3. There are actual current-day "humanity-loss" issues, lots of different things related to perception (and policy). And in some cases it's even a battle lost 50+ years ago. For example, a small cyborg would probably be more "human" than a not-fully-focused driver in a 4,000-pound truck (see also: road rage).

[–] Lordbaum@mander.xyz 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sorry that I missintrepeted the cyborg brain thing. Wait do you mean you want to be frozen until a Solarpunk World or do you want a cyborg body or both? I'm kinda confused

[–] insomniac_lemon@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Both, if it were an option. Somewhat of a cut corner because head-only cryo is cheaper (less space/meat) but also the health stuff plus I don't have a strong sense of identity with it anyways (so if there are "ideal" people for this, I am one).

It is also kind of an escapism thing, easier basic existence (particularly less limitation/upkeep compared to my shut-in life now) yet actual purpose and travel/sights. Which fits here I'd say, though if things had been better from the start I probably wouldn't feel this way.

[–] Lordbaum@mander.xyz 1 points 1 year ago

I mean unlike our society cybernetics neurology and medcin are making hughe progress so maybe (depending where you life) you might get something like that in 10-15 years. It is probably harder to keep the Brain alive and give you sense than the control of the robotic Parts. Because Brain Machine Interfaces already exsist. Also a solution might be a VR headset +BMI which controls a second you while being in your room.