wrote:
> >Omar Haneef '96 ([email protected]) wrote:
> >> Nemickol ([email protected]) wrote:
> >
> >> What you are saying makes sense to me. I see how your explanation of
> >> cyberpunk fits in with the books and the term. But Nightfly seems to have a
> >> different account of cyberpunk. Or are you guys not concerned that your
> >> fellow cyberpunk has a different idea of what you are "about"?
> >
> >I'd be pretty frightened if they did. All participants here are equals
> >and each has their own path.
> Cultures are different than ideologies. Ideologies (or "philosophical
> movements") require an explicit assent to fundamental principles, but
> cultures are something you find yourself swimming in, like fish in
> water. Ideological committment requires self-criticism and renewal of
> committment (Some readers may remember some old threads of a year ago and
> the expression "ceremonies of committment"). Ideologies cannot tolerate
> much dissent (that "dissent" can be imagined indicates it is an ideology
> and not a culture that is being considered). They require an explicit
> uniformity and committment on a fundamental level, which, if deviated
> from will be criticized and if uncorrected will lead to expulsion.
> Of course we aren't concerned, Omar. Why would we be? enculturation is a
> developmental process, not an intellectual one. One reason why this group
> gets into a feeding frenzy over someone who tries to define cyberpunk for
> us all (you remember my "sometimes .edu's are so gosh darned cute"?) is
> that inevitably such manifestos exclude people who are part of the
> culture, no matter how laudable the sentiments and ideals contained
> therein, for the sake of defining a Movement or an Ideology.
> Should I exclude someone because I don't share their taste in anime?
> Should they exclude me for not sharing it? Cultures are diverse.
Agreed. But members of a culture have things in common.
Example: Pakistani Culture, middle class
Usuallly
muslim, conservative, family oriented, into education, into worldly
possessions, speak urdu fluently, speak english a little less fluently, very
good hosts, very polite with guests, a little nosy etc.
Now one needn't have ALL the characteristics but you Do need to have some. A
goodly amount. The reason for this is not to label a group but to explain
the label the group has. What is the experience? If you find, as I have,
that they don't really see themselves as the same thing then perhaps there
ISN'T one culture. The term may be an optical illusion, something each one
thinks refers to something that it doesn't refer to.
-OH
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