Ursula K. Le Guin famously said that “the ‘future’ in science fiction is just a metaphor for now.” The dystopian vision is that same projection of now—a dark trajectory of current trends, and our current arc is seemingly leading us into a technology-saturated world in which the human and the enhanced-human vie for ascendancy. If the vivid sci-fi worlds of the TV series Black Mirror feel so realistic, resonant, and especially horrifying, it is probably because they have tapped so strongly into that zeitgeist. Although each episode is unique, Black Mirror often casts “technology” as its main antagonist, a potent catalyst for—or embodiment of—the utopian promise and inevitable dystopian tradeoff. While we can trace this as a familiar theme that emerged in some of our earliest mythic stories and continued to emerge in more than a few literary classics, Black Mirror breathes contemporary life into its old bones, providing fully fleshed out cautionary tales that speak directly to our very human struggle now. In this presentation I will carefully decode the signs and symbols of a particular episode of Black Mirror (specifically season four’s “Arkangel”) that signify dystopia and challenge us to question the ways we have placed our faith in technology, science, and consumerism. “Progress,” Le Guin went on to explain, doesn’t always mean going forward into something “better, higher, nobler, more generous, more free,” though we may make the blind assumption that it does. In fact, she reminded us, “we can progress towards evil just as easy…” With that in mind, this analysis will question “progress” and its appeal as expressed in “Arkangel.” Until we fully appreciate the utopian promises that entice us, we will always be in danger of having them ensnare us.
About the presenterStacy Esch
Stacy Esch is passionate about the value of a liberal arts education that promotes the humanities, particularly the study of writing, culture, and literature as keystones to a well rounded education and lifelong learning. She eagerly embraces new technology to support this mission. She currently lives and works in West Chester, Pennsylvania, teaching courses in composition and popular culture in the First Year Writing Program at West Chester University.