I may enjoy the steampunk asethic, the literature, the style of clothes. But there are times when I see videos it, such as on BBC, that make me weep. It turns what is a cool genre of scifi, a nice style of clothing, into a joke. It comes across as quite ... well twee. Almost childish. And this is me, the person who likes to sit inside once a week with friends and play a tabletop roleplay game where we are Vampries! I may do this but I do not think that I, or they are vampires, nor do we act like this outside of the game (3 hours a week tops). Don't get me wrong I like the idea of customization of devices so they are unique. But I think it is all the ray guns etc. It's very LARP. I guess we all roleplay to an extent when we go out to clubs. But then seeing someone going around brandishing a ray gun/steampunk arm, in a very serious manner just grates on me. LARP has it's place. This is of course a personal opinion. I know I will get flamed by someone.
Honestly I just don't get it. It's a LARP genre trying to act as a subculture. Bits have succeeded (look at Etsy and the like as people make things from scratch!), but others have failed (Steampunk music - Steampunk music is more than likely never going to decided upon as it is a world that has never existed and never will. The music would more than likely be Victorian, lots of violins. No rock. No guitars. Yet we have bands labelling themselves as steampunk as a way to certify their own being because they have no idea what genre they are other than they like the clothes).
Oh and then there is the issue of the faux Victorian etiquette. No just no! It's again just plain annoying. You are a mockery of a time that not only had great scientific advances, but was also conservative, racist, and raped the world in the name of old Queen Vic. Your manners simply hide the fact that you do not comprehend the Victorian age. For if it was that great it would still be around today.
I think I have greater respect for Furries
link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8376028.stm
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