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It's only the friggin' punkest thing you could ever do! You can bet thousands of teenage wannabes, looking for acceptance have dreamed of doing their own bit of home improvement.
Only they'd probably do it really poorly and say because of that reason, it is punk. :p

And does punk have to be dystopian?
I like to think the punk element of steampunk is how, despite all the problems of that time, in our steampunk world it doesn't have to be like that. We can fight the power! biggrin

Cyberpunk, psst. Now days people just use that as an excuse to listen to dance music and take drugs! xd

Then you see nothing! Dx

I recall this one artist who did lots of cool steampunk stuff explaining it like that. This guy.

I wouldn't say that anything that differs from reality is punk, but in his view and mine, our steampunk worlds have steamy 'punks' doing punky things.
In the real world however, a steampunk can add an element of punk nature to themselves should they so choose to do so. For instance, protesting, living an eco lifestyle, making their own clothes (DIY!), being anti-consumerist.

Doesn't that make more sense? Aren't some steampunks 'steamy'-punks?
Not all of them obviously, but that's wot I fink.

Or maybe I just see the same thing through different eyes.

I can see how that are plenty of 'steamy'-punks; but I can also see a heck of a lot of punk-less steampunk.

I guess my problem lies with why making ones own clothes (etc.) is punk. That would surely make the default setting of humanity 'punk', and thus punk = human.
Or perhaps my problem lies with that fact that 'punk' changes its meaning all too readily as people seem to expand it to cover whatever thing they fancy it to mean (as can be the case with all words). How does one define punk? If I gathered together all the definitions I've seen attributed to it, I could apply the word to a whole lot of things.

No! NO! You see nothing! You have no eyes! gonk

As I understand it, the whole DIY thing is meant to be way of showing your anti-consumerism. A way to rage against the machine by breaking the chain of mass production.
However, people have pointed out, this is often used as an excuse to praise poor worksmanship. You also do point out a very laudable inconsistency. By putting up my own shelves, am I not taking a stand against those conformist handymen?

Punk is one of those words that means alot of things to many people. Indeed, whatever concrete meaning it originally had has long been diluted by the many thousands of minds who have pondered it's true meaning.
But you could say much the same about goth or even steampunk as we have seen. Such is the great philosophy of sub-cultures and the individuality of the huuuuuman imagination.

I feel the only logical thing to do, is agree to disagree. Although I do recognise my view on the matter is probably in the minority.

I must say that while I am still somewhat new to the whole concept of steampunk, I imagine mine as being a somewhat even balance of steam and punk. I really like the aviator type steampunk with the airships and all, and would wear three-quarter pants, hessien boots, a vest, aviator jacket, scarft, and goggles with an aviator cap. It would remind me of a sort of kodona look from Lolita (which is my usual style)

I would also probably do more of a steampunk lolita mix, and I have several ideas for outfits for the two.

but when it comes to simply steam or punk, I think a mix would be best for me. I'd probably do a rather punk hairstyle, (I'm thinking blue hair), something probably short and a bit spikey, like a bob, but I'd go more steamy in dress. My steampunk name is also a bit more punky, Natalie Cox (Nat Cox for short), and that tends to be more androgynous in nature. Just like I'd have a more "steam" additude, but I'd have multiple piercings in my ears.

So I'm not sure what that amounts to... but I'm thinking a fair balance between steam, punk, and a bit of lolita mixed in as well. I love the history, and I like the idea of having punk elements in it, because while it is the past, it's meant to be mixed with the future, so the past isn't the only thing that's involved. If it was just the past... It would end up being kind of like Lolita or EGA.

In Steam v. Punk (Steam takes the Gold) The term 'Punk' does not in anyway associate with the age of steam.
Perhaps, 'Steamhooligan' or 'Steamrapscallion' would be more suitable and widely agreed with?

What say you?