A science fiction genre characterized by its focus on "high tech and lowlife". Basic themes include the dehumanizing effects of technology, and the accompanying societal breakdown. Think dark and dirty, with lots of wires and neon lights.
The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by American science fiction author Bruce Bethke as the title of his short Sci-Fi story Cyberpunk, written in 1980. It was further popularized by the author William Gibson.
Cyberpunk can cover numerous themes and motifs but generally involve reflecting on the current anxieties of society and amping them up to an extreme; things like mass surveillance, corporate monopolization, climate change, mass media, artificial intelligence and any other themes can thus be accommodated by a cyberpunk setting.
For the series of the same name, see Cyberpunk (series).
