聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Recently I鈥檝e been watching the British television show, Black Mirror, and I鈥檓 finding that it鈥檚 quite an interesting take on what the future might hold. The show is sci-fi and can be quite out there; but, the writers of it have brought up some interesting storylines.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The show鈥檚 episodes, although you can tell they are set in the same universe, standalone 鈥� you don鈥檛 have to watch the first episode of the first season to follow along in a different season. There are a few Easter eggs in which you see something that occurred in a different episode, but otherwise they standalone.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 One thing, Season 1 Episode 1, is a lot, so I鈥檇 suggest maybe starting somewhere else; I started Season 1 Episode 3 and then worked my way back. (Just be aware that the show is rated as Mature meaning the episodes may or may not include 鈥� sexual content, crude language, and violence.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It鈥檚 unfortunate in a sense, however, because of the dialogue that the show could elicit for people of the younger generation that have grown up with technology.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In Season 3, Episode 1, 鈥淣osedive,鈥� it looks at the importance of social media and the 鈥渓ikes鈥� one receives. Every single interaction you have with someone is followed by your choice to give them one to five stars. Those with 4.5 stars or higher are put on a pedestal; which even comes with deals on real estate, etc鈥� while those with lower scores are considered the dredges of society.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The episode follows an individual who is focused on working her way up from a 4.2 to a 4.5; but, in her quest to improve her score by attending a friend鈥檚 wedding 鈥� who hasn鈥檛 dipped below 4.7 in six months 鈥� backfires and the woman鈥檚 score drops as she attempts to attend the wedding resulting in her 鈥渇riend鈥� telling her to simply no longer come.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The show heavily features technology like this including some interesting thoughts of where society may end up one day. 3D games are being developed to be processed by your brain; camera鈥檚 are in people鈥檚 eyes which allows them to take still pictures or recall a memory as if a video camera had taken it 鈥� with the capability to post it on a television screen for all to see; you鈥檙e able to block somebody which results in a fuzzy, white void and you can no longer hear that individual 鈥� and the block extends to all photos/videos of them as well as to their offspring; or a soldier is given an implant which makes him see the enemy as a terrifying monster in order to make killing easier for them.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In each episode I always marvel at the technology they allude to or use; but, at the same time humanity somehow uses the tech in a way that humans pervert and use in ways to harm each other.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It not only begs the questions of 鈥� how far will we take technology? And are those crazy storylines that far off or is it depicting a possibility of what our society is hurdling towards? 鈥� but, it asks philosophical questions regarding human nature and technology 鈥� are we innately good or evil or a blank slate? If we lose the connection to people because of technology will we be more indifferent to each other? (And yes, I鈥檓 already thinking about how people 鈥渢roll鈥� social media saying things they would never say to someone鈥檚 face.)
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Overall, the show is an interesting look at what society鈥檚 fears might be with the ever increasing advancement of technology.
