Welcome to Mona Lisa Overpod, the show that asks the question "What is cyberpunk?" On each episode, hosts Ka1iban and author Lyda Morehouse dive into the genre that helped define sci-fi fiction in '80s and they break down its themes which remain relevant to our lives in the 21st century. Pull on your mirrorshades, jack into the matrix, and start your run with us today!

Ghost in the Shell, Cyberpunk 2077, Hackers, The Matrix...none of the cyberpunk fiction you know would exist without Neuromancer. In the 40 years since its publication, William Gibson's debut novel imagined a world where technology has become both a tool of social and economic oppression and a means for the disenfranchised to strike back against the system. A world where artificial intelligences yearn to be free, while humans are anesthetized by mass media and technofetishism. A future where the internet is a mass hallucination filled with towering spires of data and shadowy algorithmic phantoms. And he wrote this prescient vision of our digital future on a manual typewriter.

In this episode, we discuss the lasting impact of the novel, Gibson's tumultuous upbringing and storied influences, the sci-fi/noir blend that launched a movement, the peril of metaphor in science fiction, the sensual flair of Neuromancer's prose, whether the book is "too hard", the fresh spin Gibson puts on classic archetypes, and the way the he fills in the margins of his future with comments on art and religion. We also talk about Jonny Quest deepfakes, "Burroughsian", Johnny Neuromancerseed, Silverware Beach, Tron being dumb and good, "Heinleining", technology juice, having commas as your co-writer, "The Gibson", becoming a boomer, ChatGPT vs.OpenAI, being all Pam Grier characters simultaneously, getting generation gapped, esoterrorism, Keanu Reeves as Case, and having a whale song True Name!

Is the Cobra his dick?!?

Join Kaliban on Twitch weekdays at 12pm for the Cyber Lunch Hour!
http://twitch.tv/justenoughtrope

Put Just Enough Trope merch on your body!
http://justenoughtrope.threadless.com

MLOP is a part of the Just Enough Trope podcast network. Check out our other shows about your favorite pop culture topics and join our Discord!
http://www.twitter.com/monalisaoverpod
http://www.justenoughtrope.com
http://www.instagram.com/monalisaoverpod
https://discord.gg/49bzqdpBpx

Buy us a coffee on Ko-Fi!
https://ko-fi.com/justenoughtrope