I had read very good reviews on a British series that talked about the new technologies in a critical tone. I got very curious to see on the small screen something that has to do with part of my day job, so I decided to give it a try and watch it.
The series in question is Black Mirror. The series consists of two seasons with three chapters each. The plots of each chapter are unrelated, they are unique and each lasts approximately 45 min. Each of the six chapters, linked by an unsettling tone in different shades, tells a story set in a possible disturbing future that seems too close as you can recognize elements that already exist in the present. And the common theme, according to the author Charlie Brooker, is that “technology helps people to ruin their lives”.
The author warns of a possible future, a future which seems distant, yet it could be much closer than what we really think. What’s more, the first chapter of this miniseries invites to reflect on the power of new technologies in society.
Don’t worry, I will not spoil the ending for you, I will just advance that the first episode is a political thriller in which the British Prime Minister Michael Callow faces a huge and surprising dilemma when Princess Susannah, a beloved member of the Royal Family, is kidnapped. Known technologies such as YouTube, Facebook or Twitter which help us nowadays to be more informed and to be more entertained than ever, are called into question from minute 1. And.. I cannot tell you much more ;-)).
One of the likely conclusions of this chapter is that we no longer look at tragedy straight in the face: we retweet or share on Facebook for example and go on to read something else. Do you agree? Are we “accommodating” ourselves behind our screens? Are we losing our objectivity at the expense of what the views of the majority in a social network are?
One of the reasons why I liked the series so much, other than its unquestionable technical quality, is that it makes you think and never leaves you indifferent. The remaining chapters follow the line described above. The dangers of the new technologies are exposed and a debate on the benefits technologies bring against the potential damage they pose is open. Chips embedded in our heads that can record everything we see and that store our lives on a hard drive, the possibility of having a social life after death, future reality shows with common elements from the present or animated politicians with more credibility than human politicians are one a few examples I can share with you.
Another example that has caught my attention is the new technology of 3D printers. Have you read the latest news about this new technological phenomenon? I am sure most of you have heard of the gun created from plans freely distributed over the Internet.
But it would not be fair of me to point out only the “negative” aspects of the matter, so take for example this piece of news: A medical implant created with 3D printer saves the life of a baby.
So, shall we only take the positive side of technology, ignoring the potential dangers, or shall we just stay with the negative side of technology? Should we take advantage of the opportunities technology offer to make our lives easier or do we use them to destroy the life of others?
Obviously, I have my own personal view of the matter, but as we said in our last post, Ask.fm, Are you sure it is just a Q&A website?, we want you to bring forth your own conclusions, so I recommend you to see the entire series (or at least the first chapter), and of course you may write a comment on this article, retweet it, share it on your social networks or simply give it a “Like” from your favorite chair 😉
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Alberto Dominguez is a malware and Consumer products Support technician at Panda Security.
He started working at Panda when he was 19 years old some 12 years ago, always at the Headquarter offices of Panda in Bilbao. He loves practising sports, football in particular, and he is a true Athletic Club Bilbao supporter.
Among his responsabilities, Alberto gives outstanding support to our customers from the Technical Support Forum as well as from Twitter: @PandaTechSup