Lecture – eXistenZ
The movie eXistenZ by director David Cronenberg touches on several key issues relating to the implementation of technology and differentiation of reality from virtual reality. In general, Cronenberg explores the idea of technologys impact on society and the way in which it shapes and manipulates our reality. In context the movie depicts an extreme view of this idea where humans are no longer able to differentiate between the virtual and real world. Parallels can be drawn between eXistenZ and the Matrix, in that both movies explore the idea of a virtual reality being perceived as actual reality or more accurately a merging (in perception) of both into a single existence. The over riding concept in both films asks the question “what if the lines between reality and virtual reality are blurred?”.
One of the primary aspects seen in the article is the way in which technology and social change is reflected through methods of communications. An interesting point in the article is that entertainment has been used for generations in order to manipulate the social view of war which can be seen in the desensitization of the public through news and other communication mediums. As mentioned in the article, board games are a representation of a battle field, the simulation of war is predominant feature of a our society. Even in the digital realms, the most popular forms of entertainment are all based on some aspect of war whether it be video games like Call of Duty or action movies like Saving Private Ryan. Manipulation of information will always be a key issue in obtaining the truth, this specifically relates to the reporting of news in times of war. By editing and changing the flow of information, people can create completely new perspectives for better or worse. In many cases information is manipulated to achieve specific objectives.
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