is this the first time an author has single handedly spawned a subculture? it's the only example i can think of since gibson coined "cyberpunk" (1984) - it seems like every cultural movement since at least punk has spread globally over time. punk had more life in japan in the past decade than anywhere else. this article served as a much needed reminder: i need to move to Buffalo, NY and study under Steve McCaffery (or Penn!). Nothing remotely like this in Atlanta.
Well, one can guess there were Muslim kids of a 'punk', skunky or otherwise unholy mode around before this book was out there.
And far as I know, Gibson coined 'cyberspace' in '84 but 'cyberpunk' was tagged by critics to describe a few writers that became seen by most as a tribe.
At that time there were many 'cyber' threads growing in many levels of subculture,
WG was sponge and then became the magnet, as if he actually thought of them first.
Also have to say , one has to go and really check out Japanese 'punk' and see if one thinks their version' of '1977' UK or NY punk has anything really to do with the original mode -style -emotions.
I mean hey, Tokyo's kids be stylin' in their way and might even be angry about something,
but it's along way from the original thing or representing things 'punk' in 2009.
Re: Buffalo - you should go up North and check it first, helluva cold place !
Cheers