Propulsion, Mechanics, Steam, and Society

One of the points I find ironic in the nomenclature of steampunk is that, when you get right down to brass tacks, we are still a steam-driven society. It's just that, these days, the mechanical movement propelled by the steam generates electricity rather than being applied directly to the motion of pumps or wheels or gears. What the more avid retro-mechanical fans seem to desire is not steam itself but direct mechanical motion. What I find interesting, given this, is that most envisioning of steampunk technology or accessories is either not steam driven or not a direct mechanical process. If it is a direct mechanical process, it's most likely clockwork--that is spring-driven. If it's not clockwork, it's an air-ship, which historically have used internal-combustion diesel engines. And if it's not an airship it's very often a ray-gun.

( What this leads me to expect and postulate )