Vintage Tomorrows

Chapter 8. History Has Sharp Edges

This is where things get serious. History is not some quiet dead beast that will just lie down and let you play around with it. History is alive and it has sharp edges. When we play around with history—when we punk the past—James reminds us about one of the very first lessons we ever learned in school. No, he doesn’t mean: “Don’t flush your towel down the toilet” (that was just him... at least he hopes so). What he means is: “Don’t run with scissors.”

The past is full of atrocities and inequity. It is also filled with inventions and inspiration. This is serious stuff. What can steampunk do to change the world? Is it for good or for ill? James doesn’t shy away from the darker side of steampunk, ...