Journal VI

Diamond Age has so far been a great delight to read. The world developed by Neal Stephenson is rich and full of depth. The story mainly focuses around three major story lines, including John Percival Hackworth, Judge Fang, and the most primary character, Nell. The story focuses on the lives of these characters, as well as many other, and they're interactions and connection with a device know as, The Young Lady's Illustrated Primer.
The tale begins in the Neo-Victorian world the Hackworth is a part of. He befriends one of the highest ranking Neo-Victorian and "Equity Lord" Lord Alexander Chung-Sik Finkle-McGraw. Finkle-McGraw collabrates with Hackworth to create the Primer. Hackworth has other motives for creating the Primer and it's uses. He goes to Dr. X, a crime lord, to get the proper information and technology for the conception of the Primer. After the Primer has come together and is whole, Hackworth is rolled by some hoodlums that work for Dr. X. One of which is Harv, brother of Nell. He pinches the Primer from Hackworth on orders to return it to Dr. X, but after Harv's sister has bonded with it, he denies ever finding it. So it is that the story continues with Nell developing a very close relationship with the Primer and subsequently a ractor named, Miranda, who becomes a sort of combined mother figure. Nell creates stories that coincide with her life ad the Primer gives her a sort escape from the very awful events that befall her. The Primer also teaches Nell how to speak properly, read, do math and defend herself, as just a few examples. She becomes very attached to the Primer; all who see her with it can tell how much she truly needs and loves the book. Judge Fang is a Confucian judge in the Celestial Kingdom and investigates the Hackworth's mugging in the Least Territories, after he had illegal second copy of the Primer created. This investigation leads him to call into question his allegiances to the Coastal Republic. Judge Fang is a and some of his coworkers resign from they're positions in the judicial system due to this. Hackworth is later caught in his deception in creating the second Primer and is ordered to develop a huge amount of Primers for the orphaned girls of Shang-hai. A lot more happens but I can't some it up just yet.
The various technologies and devices used in this futuristic vision of the world, are described is great detail. Stephenson, gives these devices flaws that could be found in any kind of technological machinery, making them seem even more real. The Primer is described beautifully and sounds as though it has a great deal of charm to it. The world also sounds very frightening with all of it's new technologies for killing people on a domestic level and the intensity of the advertising. The whole world of this book feels very whole, mysteries and all.

Journal II

The genre of Cyberpunk seems to be that of the more realistic and, maybe, the more pessimistic author. Although much of what is addressed in many of the stories in Mirrorshades seem plausible, they also have a feeling of nostalgia. This is most likely a result of the stories being written in the early to mid-80's, but it gives them almost a naive quality. Some of the subjects they've written about have happened or are happening. Then again, some stories have this sort of feeling of normalcy and then a strange bit of information is given and it completely takes you out of what you felt was a safe place. The other vision of life we're given is one of supposed security in the state and world that the future has formed and it's rotten from the inside out, rotten with technology.

Snake-Eyes, for example, really appealed to me because the main character, George, lives and talks about places where I've been and grew up. He also describes his life in a very human, confused and frustrated sort of way, which makes him seems very “real”. At first it seems as though he's just another cast off from the Air Force, left to mentally designate and vanish. His purpose though becomes much more complex and strange as the story continues and he becomes controlled by the primeval force in his mind and a space “computer”. Passions ends up conquering all though love and the need to be in control. Which is a very compassionate and emotionally appealing conclusion to a tale that began so dismally.

This seems to be a running theme through out all of the Cyberpunk genre. Regaining hope through deep external and internal strife. Many of William Gibson's stories follow this pattern as well. He shows a world very similar to the one we live in now; dirty, used and lost in the past to a degree. Gibson also gives the impression that maybe it's for the best that we aren't living in the gleaming temple world that was envisioned for us. The Gernsback Continuum gives a great example of the potential totalitarian steel nightmare we avoided. We aren't burdened by he horror of flying cars, food in pill form only and uniform identities. What our future is now holding is poorly constructed condominiums that block out all view, tainted food sources and economic disaster. That will at least hold true, for the time being.

sources:

Mirrorshades, Bruce Sterling 1986

William Gibson - Official Site

Cyberpunk Project

Mirrorshades Postmodern Archives