Research Journal

Research Journal - Phase 1

Research Journal - Phase 2

Machines I encountered in the first hour of the day : :

According to Jacque Lafitte who categorises machines according to their function, this excercise bicycle would be classed as an 'active machine'. This is due to the fact that it redirects or converts the energy put into it. This is a machine that is beneficial to your health and therefore serves you in an effective way that is not detrimental to your, mind, body etc.

Potential Idea 1:

A prevalent part of society is the rise of social media which has influenced the formation of identities. This is something that I could explore further:

Identities formed through technology

Potential idea 2:

The transformation of industries with the development of technology

I could look into industries such as : The music industry, fashion industry, advertising in general, gaming industry etc

Finalised idea and point of further exploration From my initial areas of interest the common thread found is the development of technology within different sector. I will be able to analyse these subject areas within a fiction text that explores this such as Black mirror.

Related fiction rp1

Research Journal - Phase 2

Chosen piece of fiction + Rough title

Rough title options:
1) Is Black Mirrors depiction of technology an exaggerated version of contemporary society and to what extent should it make us question the present?
2) To what extent is Black Mirror representative of the future and to what extent should it make us question the present?

Refined title: What does Black Mirrors depiction of technology reveal about contemporary society?

Potential episode to explore: Nosedive

Synopsis:"In a fictional world where social media dominates every aspect of life, this episode explores social media’s effect on society's identity. After each interaction with one another, the people are almost programmed to rate the other person on a scale of 1 to 5. Those with scores 4 and higher are considered to be of a high status in society, while those under 4 are looked down upon, creating a hierarchy. The episode’s star actress, Lacie (Bryce Dallas Howard), starts off as a 4.2 — which is a high number, just not high enough to live the standard of life she wants -dream apartment.The episode follows her journey to raise it to a 4.5 in record time".

Potential episode to explore: Fifteen Million Merits

Synopsis: "Bing is the main character in this world where the working class, spend their days pedalling an exercise bike in front of a television screen in order to earns credits, called “merits”, to buy products or services. In this materialistic society, where technology dominates and corrupts, everyone is constantly being filmed. Reality TV and gaming are the only entertainment, and fame the only ambition."

Potential episode to explore: The Entire History of You

Synopsis: "In a reality set in the near future, the people of this society have a 'grain' implanted behind their ear that records everything they do, see or hear. This allows memories to be played back either in front of the person's eyes or on a screen, a process known as a 're-do'."

Potential episode to explore: Most Hated in the Nation

Synopsis: "This episode is about a lack of democratic control in a society where people are distracted by “news” stories that are contrived to drive a digital outrage economy populated by mind-deprived zombies—zombies that feed on the self-esteem of others. This is a story about what happens when we care more about our toys than we do about our politics, our planet, and our people."

Potential episode to explore: Hang the DJ

Synopsis: "The subliminal horror of this episode comes from flipping that power dynamic: making the people surrender their freedom of choice to an app. Where the episode invites us to imagine an app that not only picks our dates for us but also determines how long each of those relationships will be."

Potential episode to explore: Rachel Jack and Ashley too

Synopsis: "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too examines many technological themes (brain enhancement, artificial intelligence, memory storage, drugs), but the main questions they make us ask are: What images are celebrities allowed to project? And what do their fans receive in return?"

Research Journal - Phase 3

Chosen episodes: Nosedive
Fifteen Million Merits
Hang the DJ

I've chosen these three episodes as they explore different ideas that can be expanded upon. Between the three episodes, the three main ideas are: Technology forming identities, Technology impacting the advertising industry, Technology impacting loneliness and companionship.

Nosedive: Ideas and Theorists

Baudrillard Web 2.0 He argued that the postmodern society is organised around ‘simulation’ which is the play of images and signs. He described Web 2.0 as a world of hyperreality which is proved to be accurate in the advertising industry as it subliminally forces consumers to think and possibly change their stances on ideas.

Dark Horizons: Science Fiction and the Dystopian Imagination - Baccolini He says that "by rejecting the traditional subjugation of the individual at the end of the novel, the critical dystopia opens a space of contestation and opposition for those collective ex-centric subjects who (...) are not empowered by hegemonic rule”.

Fifteen Million Merits: Ideas and Theorists

Herbert Marcuse:“The hypnotic power of the mass media deprives us of the capacity for critical thought, which is essential, if we are to change the world.”

Hypodermic Needle Theory: “The audience is not being able to resist the received message from the media. Therefore, creating a uniform thinking among people where a fixed mindset and perception is created.”

Hang the DJ: Ideas and Theorists

S. Sundhar :“It is now next to impossible for an average Internet user to have a well-defined sense of the credibility of various sources and messages ... because of the multiplicity of sources embedded in the numerous layers of online dissemination of content.”

Marshall McLuhan

Digital Dating and Virtual Relating: Conceptualizing Computer Mediated Romantic Relationships by Erich R. Merkle and Rhonda A. Richardson

Nosedive scene