Why are We Still Fascinated by Dystopian Series Like “Black Mirror”?
"Black Mirror" has just premiered its new season. It is an excellent time to reflect on what attracts us to this kind of content.
Photo: Netflix
LatinAmerican Post | Ariel Cipolla
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Leer en español: ¿Por qué nos siguen fascinando las series distópicas como “Black Mirror”?
The sixth season of "Black Mirror," a critically acclaimed series that captivated audiences worldwide with its dystopian exploration of fears of technology, is now in its sixth season. For a time, the themes it touched on seemed like science fiction. Today, many of its stories are coming true.
As we move into a world where the ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence are under constant discussion and where the pandemic brought us closer to an apocalyptic scenario, the question arises: why do new seasons of "Black Mirror" continue to emerge?, and what keeps these themes capturing our attention?
The Dystopian Reflection of Our Reality
One of the reasons "Black Mirror" is currently relevant is its ability to impactfully reflect the dark and troubling aspects of our society and its relationship with technology. Although we live in a world where technological advances bring us unprecedented conveniences and opportunities, we are also exposed to ethical dilemmas and moral questions arising from its misuse or abuse.
"Black Mirror" is an anthology series that immerses us in futuristic scenarios and shows us how these advances can be distorted, corrupted, or turned into instruments of control and manipulation. Through its self-conclusive chapters, the series invites us to reflect on the implications of our actions and societal decisions.
An undeniable example was seen with the announcement of Apple's new Virtual Reality glasses, which promise to revolutionize the way we interact with content. Immediately, associations with several episodes of "Black Mirror" emerged on social networks, in which very similar technology, in principle good, generated notorious problems in part of society.
This logic of "technology versus humans" shows that there is a fear of uncertainty in many people. For example, to see if machines will replace specific jobs. Also, to evaluate how certain technological advances may impact our way of relating to others. All this makes us rethink whether these developments endanger our humanity.
Exploring Current Fears and Dilemmas
Although we live in a world where ethical dilemmas and technological advances are frequent topics of discussion, "Black Mirror" generates interest due to its ability to take these debates to the extreme and explore possible future scenarios. The series touches on artificial intelligence, virtual reality, online privacy, data manipulation, and many others.
By showing the extremes of these situations, "Black Mirror" challenges us to question what we accept when we welcome technology into our lives. In a world where artificial intelligence and automation rapidly transform different aspects of our lives. These productions help us predict potential risks and address them ethically and responsibly.
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The Dangers of Today
In addition to its thematic relevance, "Black Mirror" engages viewers with its ability to provide a form of escapism. By watching these fictional scenarios, we are forced to confront our anxieties and consider what we want our future to look like. However, "Black Mirror" demonstrated that some stories are not just science fiction but are real dangers that we may be exposed to today.
A self-evident example is seen in "Shut up and Dance," the third episode of the third season. This episode poses a terrifying premise: what happens when our darkest secrets are revealed and used as blackmail tools? While this episode may seem like a fictional dystopia, there are strong arguments to suggest that its plot and themes are perfectly plausible in our current reality. Unfortunately, it is something that many people are exposed to when surfing the internet.
At a time when ethical dilemmas and concerns about artificial intelligence and technology are constantly evolving, "Black Mirror" remains a relevant series that challenges us to consider the future we are creating and to take precautionary measures to avoid new problems. For this reason, we remain so interested in being aware of these futuristic series, as they can alert us to threats already in place today.