William Gibson's Johnny Mnemonic

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William Gibson's Johnny Mnemonic

"Johnny Mnemonic," is a short story written by William Gibson. It appears in a book of short stories written by Gibson called Burning Chrome in 1986. Gibson is a writer of science fiction and one of the first to write in the new genre called cyberpunk. Cyberpunk is a type of fiction that examines a futuristic world dominated by computer technology, massive cartels, and cyberspace. In other words, its an artificial universe created through the linkup of tens of millions of machines (Gibson 904). This is the futuristic world of Johnny Mnemonic. Even though this story is very interesting in terms of science and technology, it is also interesting in the sense that this short story examines how technology and science can affect the worlds delicate cultures. In this examination of the short story "Johnny Mnemonic", I will define what is meant by culture and describe how technology and science has effected the unique subcultures of the Lo Teks and Yakuza. Two subcultures that are within the larger cyberpunk cultures described in "Johnny Mnemonic". As well, I will describe where the characters such as Johnny Mnemonic and Molly millions , fit in to these cultures, if they do at all. Also on this same theory, I will give examples of how our own cultures in today's world contrast with these fictional cultures in "Johnny Mnemonic", but I will also show how we are following in the same path in which those in "Johnny Mnemonic" have followed.

What is meant by the word culture? Culture, according to Websters Dictionary, is the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought. These patterns, traits, and products are considere...

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...ons web page. List of quotes by Gibson and others. Internet. 28 April 1995. Available www:http://sfbox.vt.edu:10021/J/jfoley/gibson/gibson.html William Gibsons web page

Gibson, William . "Johnny Mnemonic." Burning Chrome, . 1986

Johnny Mnemonic . Dir. Robert Longo. Pref. Keanu Reeves, Ice-T, Dolph Lungdren and Henry Rollins . Tri-stra pictures , 1995.

Mohl, Lucy. "Why Johnny cant Blink." Review of Johnny Mnemonic. Internet. 28 April 1996. Available www: http://www.film.com/reviews/J/johnny.mnemonic.lucy. html"Why Johnny cant Blink."

Reid, Bruce. "No Brainer." Review of Johnny Mnemonic . Internet. 28 April 1996 . Available www. http://www.film.com/reviews/J/johnny.mnemonic.stranger.html"No Brainer."

"The ultimate Gibson Hot list", Links to Gibsons Books and Biography.http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~mdrapes/gibson/etc.htm "The ultimate Gibson Hot list"

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