Beyond Capitalism: The Rise of Solarpunk

Solarpunk provides hope in an age of darkness. It’s a bright vision of the future — an anarcho-communist vision we’ll have to fight for.

Feb 11, 2023

Don’t you feel like there is something inherently wrong with the world? That this is not how things are supposed to be like? That something — it’s difficult to say what exactly — is missing?

Poverty, inequality, discrimination, hunger, disease, war, estrangement from people and nature, isolation, the rise of mental illnesses, suicides, pollution, mind-numbing and useless office jobs, the destruction of the environment, and countless other terrifying things are wreaking havoc on us.

Capitalists are trying to convince us that we are living in the best possible world. That this is how it is supposed to be — that if we just wait a little longer things will become much better and there will be peace and prosperity for all.

Things will not become better and nothing will change. Not without force.

Politicians and the system that sustains and feeds them have proven that over and over again. If we want the world to change, if we want a better future — for us, for our children, and future generations — then we will have to take things into our own hands. There are more of us than there are of them.

It might be time for a Solarpunk revolution.

Chapter 1: Dark visions of the future

Typically, science fiction stories depict depressing and dystopian visions of the future. In the most traditional cases, they paint a future in which people travel through space and discover new stars and galaxies. More or less interesting adventures and shenanigans ensue with most resulting in wars, genocides, and the like.

However, not all science fiction stories are set in space. There are also numerous subgenres that stage their dramas on boring old Earth. Cyberpunk may be the most popular of these.

Cyberpunk and similar subgenres depict versions of the future that are mainly expressed through new technologies and the resulting social changes. Sometimes humans have solved the mysteries of artificial intelligence (AI) and are threatened by it, other times robots are rebelling against us, and in still other cases clones or other spawns of genetic-engineering-gone-wrong are turning the world upside down. There are numerous possibilities, the majority of which are interpreted as dangerous and threatening.

Technological and scientific advancements are only one component of these imaginary futures, however. The social aspect is far more intriguing: How do people live in this future? How do they treat each other? How does their economy work? How, and do they work?

In each sci-fi scenario, these questions are answered differently. However, the societies they portray are almost always depicted as dystopian, rather than utopian. Solarpunk is the exact opposite — but more on that later. First, we must consider the dystopia we already inhabit.

Chapter 2: The real dystopia

Cyberpunk, one of the most popular science fiction genres, is typically very dystopian. It depicts devastated, hyper-capitalist worlds shaped by cyber prosthetics, AI, bright advertisements, a futuristic, immersive kind of internet, and neon lights. Neon lights everywhere.

However, Cyberpunk is guided even more by the society it represents. This society is characterized by a stark disparity between rich and poor. Poor people are frequently no longer even considered ‘real’ citizens and are denied access to medical care, education, and other essential services.

This world is primarily ruled by mega-corporations that wield the real power. Governments, if they exist at all, are little more than their puppets. People mostly live to work for and be exploited by these corporations. It’s a bleak existence, akin to slavery. Meanwhile, the unbridled pursuit of profits is wreaking havoc on the environment. Some people have forgotten what trees look like.

Is there anything you realized while reading these paragraphs? How dystopian are these scenarios? Is our current reality that far removed from such a vision? The truth is that much of it no longer sounds dystopian, but rather familiar.

The wealth gap is massive and growing, billions of people lack access to food, medical care, and other basic necessities, and younger generations are expected to live and die working while, at the same time, their employer destroys the environment and exploits workers in distant and not-so-distant lands. Politics is infested with corporate influence, lobbyism, and greed. Thousands die in useless wars, fueled by power-hungry psychopaths.

We are not envisioning a dystopia, we are living it. We just got used to it.

Chapter 3: Fiction becomes reality

Our reality is heavily influenced by artistic and fictional depictions of the future. Even though science fiction has long been a niche genre, it has always played an important role in shaping and defining expectations. Science fiction is just a reflection of how we envision the future.

We expect new technologies (such as new phones that can do the same things as older models but marginally better; or new TVs — 8K is so much better than 4K — and cars — yes, you definitely need this gigantic SUV in the city) to pertain a certain aesthetic. This aesthetic is significantly influenced by how these things are depicted in science fiction media, including dystopian ones.

But it’s not only about aesthetics (although they do play an important part in Solarpunk); it’s about what we expect the future to be like. It’s not technological progress itself that is harmful, but rather the way that capitalism exploits and abuses innovation

In short: people’s fears about the future are really fears about capitalism and how the system incentivizes corporations and individuals to use new technologies to further exploit the planet and oppress the working class. I assert that if we were to live in a more equitable society, there would be less anxiety about the future because innovation would not be used to benefit merely a few at the expense of the many.

We should not fear progress; we should fear capitalism. And we should work towards building a more just and equitable world. That is where Solarpunk and anarcho-communist ideals come into play.

It’s not too far-fetched to predict that we will indeed some day have high-tech prostheses and nanorobots (we are not that far away); that we will develop real artificial intelligence (we are closer than most people think, looking at you ChatGPT); that companies will rule our world (actually, that one has already come to pass); and that the internet will continue to evolve to become more immersive and invasive.

Is it going too far to say that the uncountable dystopian portrayals of society have at least accustomed us to the idea that our society will turn our the same? That these fictional worlds create a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy? Maybe capitalist realism is indeed made for eternity and history has already come to an end.

Perhaps this is, in fact, one of our main issues, and perhaps this is why we need more attention for a genre that is heading in an entirely different direction. A new movement that not only wants to tell fictional stories to make people feel better but aims to revolutionize the world and change it for the better. That movement is called Solarpunk.

Chapter 4: Solarpunk

Solarpunk is a bright, optimistic, and hopeful vision of the future. As the name implies, it’s a vision in which people live on the basis of sustainable technologies, highly developed renewable energy systems, and anarcho-communist ideals of community and cooperation.

Humanity in harmony with its surroundings; no longer parasites who exploit nature until all resources are depleted.

Looking at artistic Solarpunk interpretations, one typically sees cities overgrown with green plants that blend in perfectly with their natural surroundings. Solarpunk is all about harmony, peace, and happiness, both with nature and with one’s fellow human beings. In short, it’s what we all desire but are too afraid to imagine.

Not only are the technologies and the infrastructure in a Solarpunk future sustainable, but society is also depicted in a much more optimistic light. It is usually one with very little or no hierarchy. There are no shortages in this society — not even artificial ones created by mysterious ‘market forces’ — and nobody goes hungry or homeless. In general, a Solarpunk society is one that has risen above poverty and scarcity.

Capitalism has instilled in us the terrible notion that poverty and inequality are somehow ‘natural’ and cannot be avoided. That some people are worth more than others. Capitalism is constantly creating new ‘needs’ which it aims to fulfill in exchange for money — a constant stream of useless products and bullshit that do not make us happy in any way.

Don’t you feel exhausted by this world? Do you not feel, in the deepest parts of your being, that this is not natural? That this is not how we are supposed to live? That something is missing?

I am convinced that humanity can progress beyond such things. Beyond artificial inequalities, beyond poverty, and beyond the tyranny of money. I am, indeed, absolutely sure that we can free ourselves from the reign of the rich and powerful, and create a better world together.

Capitalism has failed us all. It has failed to deliver on the promises it made at the beginning of the 20th century. There is no peace; there is no prosperity for all. It’s time to try something new. All it takes is a little revolution.

I’m author, writer, and activist Antonio Melonio, the creator of Beneath the Pavement. If you enjoyed this piece, please consider becoming a paid subscriber here on Substack or over on Patreon. It’s the best way to support Beneath the Pavement and help me put out more and higher-quality content.

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