SETUP: Anxiety over technology has become commonplace in modern society, especially in the latter half of the 20th century. Change, growth, innovation, newness, etc. are guiding principles and realities of modern life. This can be freaky. The anxiety folks feel about technology is more than fearing change, or not wanting to learn how to use the newest gadgets. It often reflects cultural anxieties over the socio-cultural ramifications of technology and technological change.
It seems every era/generation channels its anxiousness about technology and modern life towards art (books, poems, music, films, paintings, etc.). If you need additional context about what I’m talking about, check these out:
LudditesLinks to an external site.
RomanticismLinks to an external site. (think Frankenstein by Mary Shelley)
TranscendentalismLinks to an external site. (think Walden by Henry David Thoreau)
DadaismLinks to an external site.
Brave New WorldLinks to an external site. by Aldous Huxley
American Redoubt movementLinks to an external site.
TechnophobiaLinks to an external site.
FORMAT: 3-4 double spaced pages, 12 point Times New Roman font, 1″ margins, APA (or American Sociological Association [ASA] citations)
INSTRUCTIONS: Select a film from the following list: Modern Times, Dr. Strangelove, Matrix, Fight Club, Jurassic Park, Pleasantville, and Terminator [1984]. If you think the list is wack and have an different film in mind hit me up so I can approve it. (Also, please don’t select a movie you’ve already written an analysis on)
After watching your selected movie please use LiogerLinks to an external site. (a reading from this week) to answer the following questions:
1. What technological anxieties and/or critiques are on display in the film? Be specific and use examples.
2. Do the anxieties and/or critiques offered in the film corroborate the primer? Be specific and spell it out for me (see above if you forgot to read it).
3. Can you ascertain a general theory of technology from the film? Why or why not.
4. Is the film making an accurate or over-blown critique of technology & modern society? (while this is opinion based, it should be rooted in evidence and/or course material, not just random ramblings)
MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE TECHNOLOGY THEORIES AND CONCEPTS