Why do we read cyberpunk?
Oh, cautionary tales, obviously. Cyberpunk stories show us bleak, frightening worlds where corporate power, overpopulation and mass surveillance have formed dark, soulless societies in which the individual means nothing and those in control care only about profit. They’re warnings, something to frighten us away from the right decisions.
No, hold on, clearly it’s about transhumanism and the ever-blurring line between mortal and machine. Augmentation, alteration, enhancement through technology; narratives that push our definitions of what humanity means and where science might take us within our own lifetimes.
You idiot, it’s because they’re the purest expression of revolutionary zeal! Cyber, remember? They’re calls-to-arms that drive us to rebel against our corporate overlords! They show us that one person can always make a difference! They prove the importance of unfettered communication and how these vast systems that surround us still aren’t so immune to change when we stand firm and resist!