Retrofuturism: Creating a New Political Ideal
My campaign was featured in the nationwide Steampunk online newsletter called Steampunk Explorer. This recognition was for our retro-futurist campaign song: “Public Service is What It’s For.”
So, what is punk, Steampunk, and retrofuturism? Punk philosophy stems from the idea that there is virtue in doing something yourself, not because you are “talented” or “gifted” or “well connected”, but because you love it for its own sake. This earnest zeal enables enormous creativity to take shape and also shows up in cosplay across all genres.
Retrofuturism is an artistic movement rooted in what we thought the future would look like in past eras, with Steampunk being one of many genres within this movement. Retrofuturism in its optimistic form combines, in the present day, the noble aspirations from our past with promises for our future.
I have been a fan of Steampunk for about 15 years. This punk retrofuturist artistic movement celebrates the aesthetics of the 1830s-1930s, combining them with fantasy and science fiction elements in a Vintage-Fashion-but-not-Vintage-Values way. What makes it punk is the DIY ethos at the heart of it.
At its core, any genre of punk is about publicly being and owning who you authentically are, knowing that being yourself in public gives others permission to be themselves as well. This ethos is the foundation of the community that congregates at the annual Bay Area Steampunk convention called Clockwork Alchemy. This Steampunk community brings together artists such as Obtainium Works, Samuel Coniglio, and Eerie Elegance, writers such as Harry Turtledove, Valerie Frankel, Drake and McTrowell–and such diverse musicians and bands as Frenchy and the Punk, The Cog Is Dead, Steam Powered Giraffe, swing band Lee Presson and the Nails, Postmodern Jukebox, and singer/entertainer Auralio Voltaire.
My desire to run for office incubated within this community, and I genuinely wanted to serve the residents of my Santa Clara County home. But what I found in the larger world was a network of establishment power brokers who actively discourage grassroots candidates from running. Moreover, the establishment adores curated candidates who have scarcely lived life beyond the petri dish of politics, calling any outsider inexperienced, regardless of their applicable technical expertise. This impoverishes our civic life, discouraging average citizens from running for office.
Several years back, I sat outside the concert hall at Clockwork Alchemy with Guitarmy of One, alias Scott Helland, the eponymous “Punk” from Frenchy and the Punk, and we discussed how we could make politics less scary and more inviting for people to answer the call to service. He recommended art and music.
I agreed with Scott, and have since built a campaign with style and sound – to invite people into a more wholesome world of civics, in which each of us belongs. My style serves as a living declaration that your authentic self is no obstacle in seeking a civic office.
Whoever you authentically are, I want you to know you can be that person and still run for office, get elected, and serve your community. I call this attitude Civicpunk – the idea that we are the leaders of democracy, in all our diverse and idiosyncratic glory. At its core, Civicpunk is the revolutionary idea that you matter – not only do you belong in a voting booth, but you belong on the ballot. Just imagine what sort of nation could we live in if grassroots candidates run and win elections!
Back in 2008, I was introduced to Steampunk with this quote: “In an era of universal casual-wear, dressing well is an act of rebellion.” The Civicpunk equivalent is: “In an era of political cynicism, civic participation is an act of rebellion.” It is in this spirit I run for Santa Clara County Assessor: with my love of civic life on full display while being authentically myself.
If Civicpunk inspires you, share this article, follow the campaign’s social media (links here: https://www.electcrockett.com/media) and please donate as well! Thank you!
