While reading Chapter 18, I could not help thinking of a movie that I saw recently: Gamer, featuring Gerard Butler. While far from being a cinematic masterpiece, it provided an interesting interpretation of the blurred line between cyberspace and "real life", and also of the dangers of relying on mass media. In the movie, Butler is simultaneously a video game character and a human being. This is made possible by mind control technology used on death row inmates to provide entertainment for those with the money to play the game. To a large degree, the movie is meant to make the audience sick and to be wary of technology on the whole, media in particular.
Gerard is not to be messed with.
This resonated with me particularly because of Lippert's assertion that "science and technology increasingly have distanced us semantically and experientially from this lifeworld, our ideas and their images have become similarly remote." I would contend that in certain instances, such as in Gamer or The Matrix, technology becomes a replacement for the real world, but does not necessarily make an attempt to distance space from cyberspace.
I have seen gamer as well as the Matrix and would have to agree with you on your post. I think you contention is interesting, and again would have to agree.
ReplyDeleteGerard Butler is in it? haven't seen Gamer.... but now I will. Also, I do find it interesting that technology has distanced us so much from the real world. I agree that it makes our thoughts and ideas more remote. There is less time spent thinking freely when the mind is always engaged in cyberspace.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw a preview for this movie in the theaters, I thought everyone of my male friends who play videos games would want to see it. Not the case at all! This movie really does compare to what Lippert says, and contends with his theory. Gamer depicts the crazy inability we have begun to have with the distinction between real world and cyberspace. Though it may not be a good movie, it exhibits a good example of how technologically driven our culture has become.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of the movie, sounds quite interesting! There's a problem with the image, though.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit the first time I saw the trailer for this movie I was very interested in the concept. The idea of becoming part of the game seemed very realistic to me. Gaming seems to be evolving towards an individual becoming one with the game. Game systems such as the Nintendo Wii asks for the user to be more interactive than regular control games. In addition, I've read articles were people are trying to invent some sort of headset in which people are actually drawn into the virtual world. We have indeed been drawn into all the fancy gizmo's we see to date, but in turn we have distanced ourselves from the real world. Question is, how far will we go? I think at some point people will realize the connection they've lost with the real world and may step back a bit.
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