Behold the Difference Engine

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Hello, dear reader, and welcome to the Difference Engine; a blog celebrating 19th century aesthetics with a 21st century twist!

Delighted as I may be that you should chance upon my humble blog, I realize that the Neo-Victorian aesthetic movement, or "steampunk" as it has come to be known, is at present unknown to most mainstream media consumers, bloggers filling a key role among said consumers. As such, allow me to enlighten you:

The name "steampunk" originated as the result of Victorian-era technology (most notably clockwork and steam engines) and fashion (pocket watches, top hats, corsets, etc.) coming together with the modern underground "punk" movement. While I find that the phrase Neo-Victorian is a much more accurate representation of this trend, steampunk is the more widely accepted mode of identification.

The roots of steampunk lie heavily in science-fiction and fantasy literature. While many important works in the foundation of the genre were written during the 1960's and 70's, the coining of the term "steampunk" is attributed to author K.W. Jeter in the early 80's. As the genre began to grow in popularity, its fans became more open in their emulation, adaptation, and re-creation of 19th century fashion and technology, due mostly in part to the Internet.

The popularity of steampunk skyrocketed as ladies and gentlemen affiliated with the Neo-Victorian culture hit the web. The technology and style attracted fans of industrial music, while the romantic allure and terrifying tales of Victorian England drew in the gothic crowd. As more and more individuals began to recognize steampunk, an entire culture evolved surrounding the genre, leading to artwork and engineering, clothing design and role-playing, even Industrial Age music!

Now, in the year 2010, with steampunk enthusiasts numbering in the hundreds of thousands, steampunk conventions are not uncommon, and adaptations of classic films (Sherlock Holmes, Wolfman) are showing in theaters around the world. The Neo-Victorian movement is starting to reach the mainstream.

Reader, I pray my explanation shed sufficient light on Neo-Victorianism and its colourful history. If, however, you seek further information, might I suggest visiting the related links to your left? I personally guarantee them to be satisfactory.