So(lar) What?

"So, you say that you are exploring worldbuilding through a Solar Punk lens," you say that I say, "...what does that even mean?", and to which I say, "That's a fair thing to ask".

Worldbuilding, much like the concept of the multiverse, is the land of infinite possibilities. Only limiting factor being the well of experiences that one can draw from. Outside of that, the imagination has the resources to create anything that it pleases; theme parks, mini disasters, heroic interventions, awkward family gatherings, larger disasters, space odysseys, even utopian worlds where everyone flourishes.... and I do mean everyone. Not just people, but animals, plants, insects, fungi, weather patterns, A.I., virtual reality, the planet, and everything else in-between has a chance to thrive and live their best life. If we can imagine the harmony then it is possible that it can exist... but how do we get there?

That's the space that solar punk aims to explore. To paraphrase the definitions that others have used, it is an aesthetic movement that explores a harmonious marriage of technology and nature. A viewpoint that sees ourselves as the caretakers of our planet, rather than the consumers of her resources. A place where making space for others is just as important as making space for ourselves. A culture where we give as much as we get. A drive to maximize the possibilities, but not at the expense of others.

Through the utilization of permaculture, sustainable building techniques, mindful ecological practices, building of strong communities, dissemination of power & empowerment of the individual, cultivating biological and cultural diversity, radical self-expression (and radical self-acceptance), and anything else that promotes healthy relationship building with others and ourselves, we can learn to be better stewards of our own destiny. Solar Punk is a fresh reimagination of what it means to truly live and exist cooperatively. It's also the closest approximation to the world that I'm working to create for my novels.

There are a lot of challenges that arise when creating a world from this perspective. Some of the major points to solve are; What it means to cultivate a positive and authentic human experience? How can we think about and live our life in way that leaves us fulfilled at the end of the day? How can we cultivate our own fulfillment while also contributing to the strength of our community? How does a strong (and weak) community integrate with the rest of the communities and/or societies around the world and what are those challenges like? What should be our overall goal as a globally connected species?

It is by no means, an easy goal.  

However, it is a challenge that I find worthwhile.

And the more I think about it, the more I'm filled with hope for a brighter future.

As I explore and develop my worldbuilding practice, I see more and more things in common with the Solar Punk community. In such, I am very grateful to find a community of likeminded individuals where I can draw from the collective well of knowledge and experiences. I really want to create a world that is utopian and also fantastical, strangely mystifying yet firmly rooted with a solid sense of physics, biology, sociology, and psychology, a fresh slice of life that falls within the realm of possibilities. And in order to do that, I have to start from square one.

So, the goal is, bit by bit, topic by topic, to tackle as many idiosyncrasies as I can muster. While I'll be focusing my approach to worldbuilding through my own internal lens with a bit of SolarPunk™ filter, I'll strongly encourage feedback, criticisms, questions, and encouragement from any and all persons to greatly encourage the use of my thinking muscle and dial in that focus. There is quite a bit of groundwork to be laid before I solicit more niche topics to cover, so that will be the direction this blog will head for a while. I'm also going to add in a comment section with each post to help facilitate feedback as well (as soon as I figure out how to make that happen), and will also utilize various social media platforms as well.

Safe to say, there is a lot of ground to cover, and you don't need a meteorologist to tell you that complex systems are complex. There are a near infinite amount of directions that we can explore for a better way of life. Plenty of dystopian worlds warning us not to make the same mistake. Few utopian worlds showing but a small slice of what could be. Luckily, we can utilize Solar Punk ideologies as a compass to make sure that we are treading in the right direction.

That feels like enough build up for me, so let's get to it!!

Thanks for reading! :)