I’ve always found the cyberpunk dystopias to be a kind of magical realism precisely because they are so intractable.
The villains are always ten steps ahead. The system of oppression never seems to falter or contradict itself. The plucky rebels always have a nefarious super secret mole in their midst.
IRL, our businesses and governments are riddled with flaws. They’re staffed with legions of lazy and incompetent bureaucrats. They are constantly getting caught with their pants down.
What really keeps the system going is inertia. Too many people are afraid of banging into the security state. Too many people feel like they, personally, have too much to lose in resistance and nothing to gain from a revolution. Too many people are simply pessimist - convinced the hell they know must be better than an uncertain future.
I’ve always found the cyberpunk dystopias to be a kind of magical realism precisely because they are so intractable.
The villains are always ten steps ahead. The system of oppression never seems to falter or contradict itself. The plucky rebels always have a nefarious super secret mole in their midst.
IRL, our businesses and governments are riddled with flaws. They’re staffed with legions of lazy and incompetent bureaucrats. They are constantly getting caught with their pants down.
What really keeps the system going is inertia. Too many people are afraid of banging into the security state. Too many people feel like they, personally, have too much to lose in resistance and nothing to gain from a revolution. Too many people are simply pessimist - convinced the hell they know must be better than an uncertain future.