Cyberpunk Science Fiction and Postmodern Aesthetics: A Critical Approach

Year 2021, Volume: 35 Issue: 4, 1625 - 1642, 17.12.2021

Metin Çolak

https://doi.org/10.48070/erciyesakademi.1014792

Abstract

Postmodern theory and aesthetics have become a frequently discussed phenomenon in almost every field, especially since the 1980s. However, this theory and aesthetics appear with a significant effect, especially in the field of literature and art. Cinema has a special place here. Postmodern aesthetics still maintains its existence by increasing its effectiveness in cinema. One of the factors that put this aesthetic in the focus of current discussions is undoubtedly the contributions of science fiction genre, which has increased its effectiveness and popularity with technology, to this aesthetics. Science fiction literature is a field that offers tools to postmodern aesthetics that can approach the existing system both critically and affirmatively. However, science fiction literature, as a whole, does not do this, cyberpunk as a subgenre within this field does this: cyberpunk provides texts, perspectives to postmodern aesthetics for criticizing the system, or the establishment. But how critical are these critical perspectives? Does this subgenre really criticize the system in which it was born, or does it subtly glorify it? In this study, the answers to these questions are tried to be given based on the critical thoughts of very important writers of the Western world, Fredric Jameson and György Lukacs. Since science fiction and its subgenre cyberpunk are such a wide field, this study focuses only on William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, who played a decisive role in the emergence and popularization of this subgenre and examined the characteristic features of the dystopian background of this subgenre using the descriptive research methodology. This study differs from previous studies as it deals with the contributions of Gibson and Sterling to postmodern aesthetics through the critical perspectives of Lukacs and Jameson.

Keywords

Science Fiction, Literature, Art, Cyberpunk, Postmodernism

Siber Punk Bilim Kurgu ve Postmodern Estetik: Eleştirel Bir Yaklaşım

Abstract

Postmodern kuram ve estetik özellikle 1980’li yıllardan bu yana hemen her alanda sıkça tartışılan bir olgu haline gelmiştir. Ancak bu kuram ve estetik özellikle edebiyat ve sanat alanında belirgin bir etkiyle karşımıza çıkar. Burada sinema özel bir yere sahiptir. Postmodern estetik sinemada etkinliğini arttırarak bugün hala varlığını korumaktadır. Bu estetiği güçlü bir şekilde güncel tartışmaların odağına oturtan etmenlerden biri kuşkusuz teknolojiyle birlikte etkinliği ve popülaritesi artan bilim kurgu türünün bu estetiğe yapmış olduğu katkılardır. Bilim kurgu edebiyatı postmodern estetiğe, varolan sisteme hem eleştirel hem de olumlayıcı anlamda yaklaşabilen araçlar sunan bir alandır. Ancak bir bütün olarak bilim kurgu edebiyatı bunu yapmaz, bu alanın içerisinde bir alt tür olarak siber punk bunu yapar: Siber punk postmodern estetiğe sistemi eleştiren metinler, perspektifler sağlar. Ancak bu eleştirel perspektifler ne kadar eleştireldir? Bu alt tür gerçekten içinde doğduğu sistemi eleştirmekte midir, yoksa onu alttan alta yüceltmekte midir? Bu soruların cevabı bu çalışmada Fredric Jameson ve György Lukacs gibi Batı dünyasının çok önemli yazarlarının eleştirel düşüncelerinden yola çıkılarak verilmeye çalışılmaktadır. Çalıma, bilim kurgu ve onun alt türü siber punk çok geniş bir alan olduğundan ötürü, bu alt türün ortaya çıkışında ve popüler hale gelişinde belirleyici rol oynayan sadece William Gibson ve Bruce Sterling’e odaklanmakta, bu alt türün distopik arka planının karakteristik özellikleri tanımlayıcı araştırma yöntemi kullanılarak incelemektedir. Bu çalışma Gibson ve Sterling’in postmodern estetiğe yaptığı katkıları Lukacs ve Jameson’ın eleştirel perspektifleri aracılığıyla ele aldığı için daha önceki çalışmalardan farklılaşmaktadır.

Keywords

Bilim Kurgu, Edebiyat, Sanat, Siberpunk, Postmodernizm

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