most likely? not the xenomorph part of Alien, specifically, but the general message of unchecked corporate greed leading to disaster for everyone is an all-timer.
this post was submitted on 06 May 2025
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Cyberpunk
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What is Cyberpunk?
Cyberpunk is a science-fiction sub-genre dealing with the integration of society and technology in dystopian settings. Often referred to as “low-life and high tech,” Cyberpunk stories deal with outsiders (punks) who fight against the oppressors in society (usually mega corporations that control everything) via technological means (cyber). If the punks aren’t actively fighting against a megacorp, they’re still dealing with living in a world completely dependent on high technology.
Cyberpunk characteristics include:
- Dystopian city setting where mega-corporations rule
- Full integration of technology into society, featuring cybernetic implants
- Outsider protagonists (punks) who often are very familiar with the technology around them
- Hard boiled detective and film noir vibes and influence
- Themes dabbling in trans-humanism, existentialism, and what it means to be human.
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Is ‘Brazil’ in contention?
That's closest to the expected Idiocracy in cyberpunk aesthetic.
Whoever thought that we'd look at idiocracy and think "well, it's optimistic because they put the smart person in charge of real policy"
I guarantee it wasn't Mike Judge. He put Crocs in the movie because they were just coming out and thought they were so stupid, they'd never take off.
Look where we are now.
Or 'THX 1138'
Oof. The Ministry of Information would like to interview you about your involvement in this "buttle" affair.
I think Blade Runner 2049 is our most likely future from a food systems/decimated eco system perspective. Androids and flying cars, yeah, maybe. No natural vegetation and only the only crops being produced in greenhouses. Probably not by 2049, but I could easily see it by 2149.
Is our current dystopia not good enough?
Side note: I really liked Her. Great music, relatable story (for terminally online folk at least). If you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend.
Karen O is a treasure.
"ChatGPT has released a new voice assistant feature inspired by Scarlett Johansson’s AI character in ‘Her,’ which I’ve never bothered to watch because
Tap for spoiler
without that body, what’s the point of listening?
"
Colin 'Scarlett Johansson's husband' Jost.
William Gibson's writing after the Sprawl trilogy always seemed very likely to happen. I mean, squatters living on the Bay Bridge in NorCal after it gets damaged in an earthquake, for instance. Not the really out there stuff.
That was always one of my favorites, and it seemed so likely. Now, however, I realize that it was horribly overimpressed with corporations, like most 80s stuff was. We know innovation isn't something megacorps do anymore.
The one I wished for was more of a Shadow Run future, and my native friends and I used to joke about it.
Yes, absolutely. His most recent books, the peripheral and agency, have a very plausible outcome—ultra rich living supported by automation after 60-80% of the less fortunate perish over 30 Years in a series of rolling catastrophes they affectionately refer to as “the great jackpot”.
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Snow Crash seems to be a favorite of the current heads of mega tech corporations.
-Federal government still technically exists but has barely any ability to do anything -Everything privatized including police and emergency services -Wealthy live in gated communities while most of the population lives in corporate owned slums -Leader of a megachurch is trying to take over the world
Yeah, this one really seems like we are heading in that direction.
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Nothing that relies on AI that can pass for a competent human.
Admittedly, this is an ignorant guess, but I don’t think we’re on the right track to manufacture consciousness. I’m not even sure it can be done at all.
I was hoping for Shadowrun, at least there'd be magic, elves, orcs and trolls around
Robocop one is rather close.
1984 and brave new world simultaneously
This is what I tell everyone, we're on a path where both of these novels are true, at one point will there be a split of one or the other. I think it'll end up closer to 1984.
Or Judge Dredd, Demolition Man
I actually think that Hollywood is putting out these movies to get everyone used to the behaviour. Well not actually but maybe it's sort of somewhat possible.
The classic of course.
We're allready half way there. Neuromancer.
My company poached a bunch of people from a competitor. And I'm hoping to parlay my US job into a transfer to the EU to get citizenship. Meanwhile my company is building arguably the most complex system ever made by humans. No one employee knows enough about it to say how it works. All we know is that big corporations pay big money for it. And if a system is capable of becoming self aware, it will happen in one of our facilities as no one else has systems as big and fast as ours.
Yes, I work in AI.
Let me guess, you’re building Skynet. Just remember not to give it any minigun robots, nuclear missiles and robot factories.
No one employee knows enough about it to say how it works.
Just a friendly warning: This is a giant red flag for any job.
You are almost certainly working for a scam if you hear things like this. This is exactly what Bernie Maddoff employees would have said, or anyone at FTX or WeWork.
My advice? Get the most out of it that you can, money, transfers to EU, whatever, and don't let them drag you along. set deadlines. make written contracts with dates in them.
Be prepared to not be paid without warning, and MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: Keep Receipts, save emails, photograph them if neccessary. Be aware of laws, and get things in writing if you are requested to do anything you are not sure is legal.
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A mix of Her, Gattaca, Mad Max, Idiocracy, 1984, Ready Player One, Waterworld.
Deus Ex 1's dystopia probably - ultra wealthy trying to ascend humanity with the help of technology, the powers that be imposing morality and good/bad guy values onto general populace, heavy indoctrination of state/international police and general high levels of poverty. All we're missing are cool augmentations, but we've speedran the rest of the checklist pretty well
Cyberpunk? Deus Ex, just the first game. The sequels have the depth of a puddle.
Or if climate apocalypse then something like Mad Max, but way dumber perhaps.
That'll do.
"This plague...the rioting is intensifying to the point where we may not be able to contain it."
"Why contain it? Let it spill over the schools and churches, let the bodies pile up in the streets. In the end they'll beg us to save them."
"You misunderstand. They're rioting because we're trying to save them with vaccines. They don't think they need to be saved."
"God, people are so fucking stupid. Why do I even want to take over the world?"
Yeah we were too optimistic in our dystopia fiction.
Idiocracy lacks the malice and bad faith.
The ones with fascist governments are the closest, like 1984.
If fascism is not a distraction. I still can't believe that the billionaires have let Trump win with no further plans.
They're working toward the Network State model where they basically get to be tech-enabled neo-feudal lords with near slave populations.
Yep, Ive heard it referred to as techno-feudalism.
Mad Max once climate change really gets cooking.
The Road.
Robocop. We are almost there.... Except Robocop isnt going to be a good guy, and there will be many of them.
Samantha Morton was the original voice for the AI (which I'm guessing would have been an amazing improvement), but was replaced by Scarlett after everything was recorded. Some BS about appealing to the American audience, but I think it was more about a cash bung and BJ.
Upgrade is perhaps an interesting cyberpunk dystopia given current events.
Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said, or A Scanner Darkly. Definitely something by Dick.
Our dystopia somehow manages to both be one of the most boring and the most destructive. Figures.
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