Terrapunk is the rebellion against stagnation. Terrapunk is movement towards the future. Terrapunk is the rallying cry of the builders, the individuals, the founders, the leaders—the creators.
Why?
We need a new word, one that is clearly for human, space, resource, tech, markets, and population maximization. One that encompasses all energy technologies and other technologies, one that implies expansion beyond Earth, one that believes in the power of the individual to create. One that recognizes that humans are not only subservient to Earth’s climate, but rather, that if we could harm the climate, we are also powerful enough to enhance the climate.
Against solarpunk:
Have you ever seen any rocket launches depicted in solarpunk? One might say “but we are happy on earth, we have everything we need!”.
But:
Being constrained to earth is untenable for expanding humanity—it is stagnation, and stagnation is collapse.
Not just maintaining the Earth, but improving it:
If a slight increase in oxygen levels or other gas were to increase human performance, or a space lens to increase certain wavelengths of light would improve conditions, improving the Earth this way would be terrapunk. For terrapunk is not merely about the reduction of harm, it is also about the improvements we can make beyond baseline.
(This is very important!)
We terraform to create conditions for life, and we utilize the resources around us. We harness asteroids full of ammonia and nitrogen into Mars, we ignite gas giants to stimulate light for growth on new planets, we harness exiting suns for energy, we turn planets into resources—we create conditions for life, to let life experience the cosmos as fully as possible.
Against “harmony”:
The terrapunks do not minimize themselves to squeak out an existence in harmony with the environment, they maximize the environment and themselves.
The human body is in a constant struggle against entropy—if a human is in harmony with the Earth, they are dead.
The aesthetic:
The art of terrapunk is human-centric. It is about the individual, the adventurer, the creator, the founder—the Human In Action, enhancing their surroundings. We are as Gods, and we should embrace this.
Excerpts from “The Terrapunk Manifesto”
I enjoyed “The Terrapunk Manifesto” by Jack Nasjaq:
Why?
Against solarpunk:
But:
Not just maintaining the Earth, but improving it:
(This is very important!)
Against “harmony”:
The aesthetic:
Read the whole thing.