Welcome to The Steam Renaissance! This journal will chronicle the lifestyle of the industrious adventurer. You will learn pertinent information on society and fashion, physical culture, science and exploration, and perhaps you'll even find yourself a bit entertained. So strap on you chronometer, button your trousers, and don't forget your hat, this is going to be one hell of a ride!
The very essence of steampunk is the culture of the Victorian era. Interestingly enough, the focus is always on high society and science fiction innovation. However, to construct a complete culture, even world, one must look to the peasantry and the rural life. The farmer, woodsman, and huntsman were integral to the empire and society in general. Some of the last to gain access to new technology, they clung to the old ways faster and longer, and produced a very different view of innovation, and yet even provided situations for innovation to thrive.
There is BBC Two documentary miniseries that highlights this life, and provides valuable, historical information on the life and times of the Victorian farmer, and Victorian pastoral life. The series is called "Victorian Farm" and is no longer being aired on the BBC, and DVD copy has not made a US release. If you are able to play region 2 coded DVDs, I suggest you purchase a copy. There is also an accompanying book (also in "Christmas Edition"). For us Americans without access to British DVD technology, you may watch on YouTube:
This series is quite wonderful to watch for entertainment value as well as educational content. The crew made a sister series called Edwardian Farm as well (also on YouTube), for those of you who like to revisit the colonial days. One book, referenced on the Victorian Farm frequently, and used as the primary source of information, was Henry Stephens's Book of the Farm.
Well, there you have it, for your cosplay, fiction writing, gaming, and lifestyle choices, here is yet another valuable resource to help you fill out your steampunk fantasies. Good Journey.
Let me open by saying my reading list has recently expanded (though it always is, but never, perhaps, by quite so much at once.) I have not read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, yet. Perhaps this entry is premature, but I feel the need to speak anyway.
Is it possible to be steampunk before steampunk existed? Well, of course. H.G. Wells and Jules Verne certainly were. But what about Ayn Rand? If the method of steampunk is industry and innovation (with a large amount of "what if?") wrapped in a dystopian 19th/very early 20th century, then yes. When I went to see Atlas Shrugged in the theatre, I was impressed. Very impressed. Apparently it failed to make even a quarter of its budget in ticket sales, and the critics hated it, but I absolutely loved it. If it makes DVD, I highly recommend it. Here is the trailer if you're unfamiliar:
Really, the fine point of this article is the overall flavor of steampunk: socio-political tension during the industrial revolution/era. The science fiction is wonderful, but it is a vehicle to tell a story, not the story itself. In Rand's case it is individualism and capitalism (which is a term created to deride the free market thinking of the Austrian school of economics.) I thought I might briefly touch upon the idea.
I make no secret of the fact that I am very strongly individualist and support the free market.
Individualism is simply the philosophical tenet of personal liberty and worth. Each person experiences life unto himself, through his own lens, and to try to box that in, and control and direct it is unnatural. People must be free to think, believe, feel, and express as they desire. In the United States, we, ideally, manage by exception, allowing people to just live, and only punishing those who can't let others "just live". Unfortunately, that is just an ideal now. The U.S. has become a dystopia. Much of the civilized world is, really, but I am here, and so I refer to my country. This is the time, and the place to LIVE steampunk! We have a system to fight, and technology to support us (though steam is no longer the source of power, we can certainly create, innovate, and use meager means to glorious ends!) In the realm of the free market, there is a strong battle going on, because politics and economics are not mutually exclusive. The market truly directs the country, and those who direct the market eventually gain enough ground to direct us! No, we must fight to set the market free, and in doing so, we may set ourselves free. The ultimate, yet hardest to attain, school of thought on economics is the Austrian school. Dating back to St. Thomas Aquinas, and following through Ludwig Von Mises and his pupil F.A. Hayek, and on to today, it is the single most free economic philosophy, with the most prosperity on its record, and the greatest amount of opposition by the powerful, wealthy aristocracy.
Folks, we have an opportunity here, not just to cosplay, but to live the life. It's time to be industrious once again. It is time to fight for our lives, and our liberty. I say, full steam ahead! Start by changing yourself, and let the world follow. Good Journey.
Though many of you well initiated into steampunk are fully aware of this man, I would like to introduce to the rest of you Professor Elemental. While I am not generally a fan of the musical genre of hip-hop, this wonderful blend of beats, jazz, comedy, and received pronunciation, cheerfully dubbed "chap-hop", is simply charming. Without further ado, here is a sample of the man's work:
I suggest you pick through some of the footage behind the scenes, and in interview. He's quite a charming fellow. Indeed, if I ever produce any music, I believe I will attempt to make contact, and collaborate on a song...but that is the future. A note of interest, The Professor is in a "feud" with Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer.
I'm keeping this one short, just wanting to give a little credit for exploring a niche musically, and succeeding wildly. So to you, Professor Elemental, thank you!
This will likely be a short entry, but I wanted to bring up hats. Between those who cosplay, and those of us who simply live the life, formal hats abound. Of course, there are many hats, and certain hats fit with certain garments best, but I would like to bring to your attention the four chief choices: Topper, Homburg, Bowler, and Fedora.
The number one choice for those in cosplay, and the most formal is the top hat, often called a topper. They can be manufactured of silk or wool, cheaply for costume, and boutique for the life. It is simply the gentleman's hat, best suited for formal functions and the theatre.
photo linked from Wikipedia
Second in line in formality, and yet far less popular, is the Homburg. A fine hat, none the less, it came into popularity with King Edward VII in the first decade of the 1900s. Certainly dapper, and coming in just at the end of the "steampunk" timeline, it is more than appropriate wear. Featured as the villain's hat the "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", Alfred Molina wore it quite well. If you're tired of silk toppers, but still desire the height of high society, I suggest you take this hat. Perhaps best suited for politicians and gangsters for cosplay, anyone can really wear it with pride.
photo linked from Wikipedia
Next in line is my personal favorite. Despite the trends in entertainment, the bowler is the hat that won the wild west. The bowler was designed to replace the top hat for horseback riding and gamesmen. Because a gentleman must always be a gentleman, especially in public, he must dress properly, but a top hat is simply too delicate for the rigors of the outdoor lifestyle. This is where the bowler came in. As a special commission, it had to be sturdier, less expensive, and yet still quite dapper. The stingy, curled brim, the lower crown, and being hardened felt made this a most choice hat. Though truly a step down in formality, it was the first gentleman's hat to be made in a range of quality for all levels of society. A working man's hat, an outdoorsman's hat, The bowler represents both coattails and rolled sleeves. It fits well on both sides of the pond. My friends, this is a choice hat.
photo linked from Wikipedia
Finally, we get to the most popular hat until the baseball cap. The Fedora. Now, let me make this clear, the trilby and the panama, though derivative, are not fedoras. I have a very strong, personal bias against the trilby (I will kill you if I see you wearing one.) The panama is really only appropriate if you're wearing casual whites on a riverboat, so that's off this list too. No, the proper fedora is a moderately brimmed hat, most often snappable. There will likely be a slight upturn at the back, but nothing dramatic. Despite being more a favorite of the noir scene, it dates back to the 1890s (though primarily as a women's hat, and not coming prominently into men's fashion until 1919.) This hat will certainly put you in a unique niche with your steampunk cosplay, but it is an acceptable accoutrement. A fine hat by any standards (and I really will kill you, quite viciously, if I catch you wearing a trilby.)
photo linked from Wikipedia
Okay, so I lied, I'm giving you a bonus. The quite singular pork pie. The pork pie hat is found quite often among jazz musicians andearly comedians (though, by no means exclusively.) This hat was indeed the hat of choice for the worldly British gent on the scene. Once again, much like the fedora, it can come with a generous brim or a stingy brim, or anywhere in between (all dependent on the manufacturer's niche, and designer's eye.) Though not strictly formal, it is a hat of quality character. With popularity through the mid-19th century, it was a favorite of Americans during the civil war, as well as the Brits. I find it a charming hat, with the stingy brims more suited for comedy and music, and the more generous brims for evening wear. I would suggest you stay away from the woven straw variety (of any hat, really) unless you're at a picnic, performing vaudeville, or at the fair. Get yourself a pork pie today, and paint the town red!
photo linked from Wikipedia
Well, my friends, this is the end. I have ranted quite long enough, and this article has turned out quite a bit more lengthy than intended. Please, choose carefully when looking to adorn your head, and if you're going whole-hog on steampunk cosplay, don't forget your goggles and cogs--another topic for another time. A final note, and suggestion: Please treat a hat like hair, make sure it suits your head and face well. Get it properly fitted, and please don't wear it with your t-shirts and blue jeans. Slacks and henleys are fine, but you have to at least look somewhat dress-casual, or steampunk disheveled (still buttoned up...) to pull it off. That's it, my friends, I have said enough. Good Journey!
Sherlock Holmes was written as an incredibly brilliant observer, and a very flawed human. As a habitual drug user, and prone to depression; inept in all manner of emotional interaction he was also stunning in the art of deduction. It is that very deductive reasoning I'd like to talk to you about today.
I am no Holmes. I am not quick witted, and I do not pick up on the minutiae that makes for legendary discoveries. However, I find that I am quite adept at discerning a great many truths out of very little information, and that is a skill I would challenge anyone to hone. It has served me well, this deductive reasoning. While it takes me some time to examine the given facts to discern the mysteries that escape most, I am finding that for others, this path of reasoning does not even enter into the realm of possibilities.
Socrates once said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." And though he was speaking philosophically, I have to agree on that level and more. I feel it applies to general logic and life skills. Blindly blundering through day to day tasks, giving no thought to how things works, or why, leaves you stranded in the face of critical failure.
Perhaps it is unnecessary to know all the different species of tobacco, or regional soil composition, but to have a basic understanding of how the physical, chemical, and biological world works will allow you to understand so much more than just high school science. This analysis has led me to greater understanding of martial arts, technology, fitness, and even culture. I am by no means the ideal of anything, but it is my goal, and I believe I have chosen the right path.
Sherlock Holmes was a renaissance man in his own right. He understood combat, deduction, crime and social pathology, music, and a few other miscellaneous things. He had a good life (for a fictional character), despite vices, and he lived how he wanted, and according to his beliefs. He stripped away all the unnecessary things according to those very beliefs, and fulfilled a great many notable achievements.
By the way, if you haven't read any of the stories, I suggest you do, They're quite enthralling. Oh, and if you're not familiar with turn-of-the-century parlance, you may want to read with a dictionary beside you. I promise you'll be inspired to greater things. Good journey.
As of April 2011, I am a sixteen year practitioner of the martial arts, with traditional, non-traditional, and progressive cross training on my record. I've had a few full contact fights, and a few point matches. I've home trained, and trained in fully equipped facilities. You could say it is a passion of mine. I have many strengths and weaknesses, and the more I learn, the more I realize I have to learn. I have recently started training in Wing Chun, from the Ip Man lineage, the same lineage Bruce Lee trained in. My instructors' Sifu is Samuel Kwok who trained directly under Ip Man's son's. Now, I am not a purist. In martial arts I am somewhat of a pragmatist (though I do have a fondness for Hollywood techniques just because they're fun) and functionality is absolutely key to me. I had almost given up on Chinese martial arts because of this. They seem to lack a lot of real world functionality. But the little I had been exposed to Wing Chun through cross training drills, and what I read and watched, I decided that Wing Chun was sufficiently applicable. After being introduced to a possibility at actual instruction, I dragged my feet a bit, weighing cost, time, and desire. Eventually I just said, "Screw it, I'm doin' it." I fell in love with it immediately. Is it a complete system? Perhaps not. It assumes you can keep the fight on your feet, and does not deal with grappling much more than trapping concepts. However, as a functional system of self defense, and a basis, or part of a mixed regimen, it is fantastic. So remember to feel the fight and keep your elbows in. Here are some resources for some home study, and if you're lucky enough to have someone to train with, you'll find progress that much faster:
Master Wong's YouTube channel:
(He is not a purist by any means, and as far as I can tell, does not do Ip family style, but it's still a solid, free resource) http://www.youtube.com/138mws
Another Youtube source, ChinaBoxer:
(This guy is really conceptually informative, and once again, I'm not sure, but I don't think he is Ip family style) http://www.youtube.com/chinaboxer
Finally for YouTube, I'm bringing in Sifu Sergio:
(He is also not Ip Man Wing Chun, and he is trying to sell you something, but his info is good, and the free stuff is very informative. I have not purchased his full services, so I cannot speak for their quality.) http://www.youtube.com/SifuSergioChannel
This page is really more for fun and introductions, but has blueprints on how to build the wooden dummy. The information is still good, just in a format for nerds like me, and kids: http://www.wingchunonline.com/
And very finally, I give you Sifu Samuel Kwok's page. This guy is the real deal, and has the correct information on the Ip Man lineage. I hope to meet him the next time he comes to the states: http://www.kwokwingchun.co.uk/
I hope you find this information useful, and, at the very least, enough of a peek into the Wing Chun world to see if it is right for you. Good Journey.
There is an ongoing debate about human nature. Some believe people to be inherently good, while others believe the opposite, and everything in between. So let me give you my take. Regardless how life originated, we can all agree that people need guidance, training, education to develop into productive members of society. We have all been potty trained, given direction in manners and customs common to our everyday lives, and told what is right and what is wrong. This is all good and well, but there is a lot of disagreement, especially from culture to culture, how these things are determined.
In my assessment, people are consistently self serving, and take the path of least resistance. This is neither good nor bad, morality doesn't even enter into it. It is biology and physics. Our primary goal, once born, is to stay alive. Our secondary goal is to procreate, and after that, the next goal is to make all that easier and more enjoyable. These goals/objectives are hardwired into us. That is to say, it's natural. We need to be potty trained not because we're naturally bad, or want everything covered in filth, but because nature dictates we must eliminate waste, and without direction and standards we will just relieve ourselves wherever, like any wild animal.
No, morality really has nothing to do with it. People are neither naturally good or bad. People naturally want to live, and live easy. Society has decided that in order for the most people to live and live easy, we all need to agree on some basic rules, like no violence, no theft, and be polite. Of course, some people didn't take to that early training, and decided that they deserve easy life at any cost. This produces injustice, crime, and generally poor behaviour per social standards. These people are not inherently bad, though, they just don't understand how to mesh nature with structure. Some are hopelessly lost, and need to be removed from society because of this, and some can be taught to integrate.
I suppose, in the end, as long as we all understand that everyone has the right to live and pursue their own accommodation, then there is no need for debate over human nature. But there will always be debate because people seldom look at it through the eyes of science and logic. All I ask is that we respect life, and take responsibility for all consequences linked to us. Good journey.
Hello, my name is controversy, and I'm here to talk to you about guns.
My friends, you will find that in a world view directed by reason over emotion, level headedness over hot headedness, many things will come to light differently than you imagined. This is a debate I've had several times, and even when the opposition had no platform, I was the bad guy.
I am a fan of firearms. I am scared to death of firearms. Each is an emotional stance based not in reality, but in isolated compartments. Liking them or hating them is irrelevant. Without getting too deep into another discussion, a discussion on liberty, I would like to say that without the possibility of forceful opposition, there is none. A renaissance man must consider self reliance, for relying on others constantly breeds unnecessary dependency. Dependency breeds individual weakness, and opens the door for oppression. This is not an emotional platform, this is reality.
In the debate on firearms you have to look at data to understand reality. Anecdotes and incidents are flavorful examples, but do not shed light on the whole picture. Before I continue, let me say that each loss of life or health is a tragedy, a terrible price to those who knew and loved the individual(s) involved. I am not degrading this fact, but it is an emotional fact, and has no further place in this debate.
Considering data, the world does not have a violence problem, and certainly does not have a firearms problem. On statistical average, violent crime, including the much heralded terrorism, and also firearms violence is less than one percent of all crime. Now, this is to say that despite the differences in countries' laws, violent crime is consistently below other forms of crime. But you might be thinking that is terribly subjective, and many crimes on the books are not really crimes at all. Okay, fair statement. However, statistics do not filter unjust laws. Let's look at it this way, violent crime directly affects fewer than one percent (that is, per capita) consistently. Even in the murder Capitol of the world, Columbia. Reference:http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita
One of the common misconceptions is that more guns equals more violence and death. That is simply, demonstrably, not true. Remember that correlation and causality are two different things. It appears that the social climate has far more to do with violence than the availability of weapons. Compare the statistics in the above link with the following:
Another question is of emotional stability. Isn't is easy to just lose your temper and pick up a gun and shoot someone? Well, as easy as it is to stab them, throw a lamp at them, drive a car into them, set something on fire...Violence can happen in many forms, and it is often unpredictable. Many of the known serial killers of years past had nothing to do with firearms, and we didn't catch them until several people were dead. Of course, these situations were planned, and not an emotional burst, but it goes to illustrate that violence can happen anywhere, and anyone can perpetrate it. Many of the most violent people are people you'd never consider a threat just looking at them. It does not take a gun to hurt someone, it takes motivation. While we're on the topic of hurting people, how do you suppose a 100 pound woman will defend herself against a 225 pound assailant? Or how about a healthy young adult male against a gang of thugs? Perhaps these people should learn the venerable art of being a victim? Or, perhaps, they should carry a gun. A firearm is the only true equalizer in a mismatched physical conflict. Martial arts are wonderful, but they do not fully equalize. Found objects, while useful in sudden conflict, do not fully equalize. The police? No, I'm sorry. The chance you will be able to dial 911 during a conflict is small, and even if you do, in the few seconds your adversary needs to take you out, the police are still getting in their cars. It is the exception, not the rule, that help will be able to arrive and rescue you from harm. Remember what I mentioned about dependency. If you think you can depend on the police to resolve your conflicts, you may find yourself asking more than anyone can give. I haven't even mentioned the criminals with illegally obtained firearms yet.
Regulation is the stickiest aspect of this all. More than anything else, people debate gun CONTROL, not the guns themselves. Let me ask you this? Does gun control work in Columbia? Or how about Russia? You can name any place that has laws against firearms, and I guarantee you can find an abundance of them off the books. Laws are for honest people. They're a lot like locks. They only keep honest people honest. If there is a law, there is someone willing to go around it.
Let's look at some numbers, and then we'll call it quits. In a recent debate, I was given a statistic of 34 people killed by firearms daily in the United States. I didn't fact check that, and that sounds high to me, but let's run the numbers. 34 deaths per day times 365 days per year equals 12,410 deaths attributed to firearms each year. Now, if we divide 12,410 by the approximate 300,000,000 people who live in the United States, that comes out to about four hundred thousandths of a percent of the population shot to death each year. Percentages that small are ignored by even the most fastidious of statisticians. It is numerically insignificant, and does not represent any populational threat. At the time of this writing, I live in Arizona, the last cowboy state, in reference to firearms freedom. There is no registration, no licensing, and the firearm death rate, according to the most recent statistics, is 18 per 100,000. That's .00018%. In other words, statistically insignificant.
The last thing to consider is a cross-reference. On the books, alcohol attributable deaths come in at a whopping 75,000 per year. That is more than six times higher than the above assumed 12,410. Do you know what 6 times four hundred thousandths of a percent is? STILL STATISTICALLY INSIGNIFICANT! Why is alcohol still legal? One, because prohibition cause more people to be harmed in relation to alcohol, and two, because we consider people to be responsible enough to handle themselves while drinking. And, you know what? Most people can. That's right. People who are taught responsible use, respect, and have even a basic sense of social ethics and morality are responsible enough not wave around a loaded gun, not to point one, loaded or not, at anything they don't intend to destroy, and not to discharge a firearm without just cause. We don't need more laws governing firearms, we need to allow people the basic right to defend themselves, and trust that they can do so. We will deal with the bad seeds as they come along, like we always have.
And a personal favorite, an article from a statist, a left winger, those people generally against guns, who happens to love the second amendment of the United States Constitution, and believes in the right to bear arms:
A time ago I decided that the best path in life for me to follow was that of the renaissance man. A renaissance man is one who has attained significant proficiency across a broad range. The classic renaissance man held the arts and sciences in high esteem, and he always sought out the next level of understanding. This is my quest, and I would like to share it with you.
There are many great thinkers, past and present, who have postulated what it is to become the ultimate human being, or superhuman. The world of education attempts to give us a hunger for this by exposing us to a broad range of subjects. However, as I look around the world I know I notice that people, like all nature, tend toward the path of least resistance. Knowing this, however disheartening, it is easy to understand why so many appear so ignorant. There is much of which I am still ignorant, but it does not stop me from searching.
The renaissance man ideal is to pursue many subjects to rote proficiency. In my honest, humble opinion it is unnecessary to spend a lifetime mastering one single subject. Yes, the world needs specialists, and I am by no means suggesting that anyone should abandon a knack or passion for the pursuit of less of more. What I am advocating is picking up where school left off. We spend almost the first two decades of our lives learning many things others deem important to life, and the majority of us leave it behind as we enter adulthood. Sure, many go on to higher education, or become skilled tradesmen, and many don't. All those options lead to limited proficiency.
Those who follow the path of the autodidact, the self teacher, often go on to accomplish more personal triumphs than their peers. The road of the autodidact is filled with passion, frustration, excitement, and depression. For every thing learned, increasing questions arise. There are days when everything seems bleak and pointless, and progress is incredibly slow, but there are also days where progress moves at such a blinding rate that it is nearly impossible to measure until the pace slows.
So where does one start on the road to the renaissance? Figure out what is to be learned. I have an ever growing list of things to accomplish. Some things are small, and can be done in the space of a weekend, while others may take years to hone. Some may take the rest of my life to reach a satisfactory level. So make a list, and keep a journal of progress. Find certification courses where needed, and use all resources within your means. The public libraries and the internet will be your dearest friends, but don't shun the advice of those who are potential mentors. It may take years to become a surgeon, but military field medics can be trained in less than a year. It may take a lifetime to learn all the subtle nuances of your favorite martial art, yet a competent fighter can be built from the ground up in six months. This is your goal: Not mastery, but rote proficiency. And remember, mediocrity is never acceptable.
A sample list for you to start with:
+Attain a level of health and fitness such as everyday strength and vitality are greater than the average person.
+Learn functional, practical combat
+Develop basic emergency medical skills
+Learn wilderness survival, and emergency urban survival
+Develop a fine art (music, painting, sculpture, etc.)
+Be well read in classic and popular literature
+Understand basic financial and economic principles
+Dive into social and political philosophy
+Learn about the natural sciences
+Find an understanding of language and culture
I hope to help spark something inside you and help you learn on your path as I share my journey with you. Thanks for tuning in, good journey.
