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Netflix Original- Black Mirror
Season 1 Episode 3 - " The Entire History of You "
You may or may not be familiar with the television series Black Mirror. If you're not, you soon will be and if you are, then you're already one step ahead of the game. Black Mirror is a Netflix Original television series created by Charlie Brooker. It examines modern society, especially with regard to the unforeseen consequences of new technology. Episodes are standalone and are usually set in an alternative present or the near future. Most episodes possess a dark and satirical tone, but there are some that are more exploratory and light natured. For today's review, we will be talking about Season 1 Episode 3 “The Entire History Of You.” First, we will give you a summary of the episode, then break it down and discuss how accurately it depicts social media and it’s involvement in our lives if any.
Warning: Major spoilers below.
Summary
In the opening scene we watch as the main character, Liam who is played by Toby Kebbell, uncomfortably sits through an appraisal with three members of the law firm where he is employed. He is told that if his appraisal goes well his office would possibly be handling litigation in retrospective parenting cases, where people would sue their parents for a lack of success due to the absence of nurturing. The whole concept seems a bit outlandish at first but as the show progresses things become more clear and begin to make sense. It's not long before we come to realize that in this particular society like the title suggests, the entire history of you is recorded and stored. Citizens have a small device implanted just behind the ear which stores everything you see, basically turning our eyes into cameras. At any given time a person can play back sections of stored memory either privately within the confines of their own eyes or publicly on any television screen. Liam surprises his wife at a small get together he wasn’t expected to attend. As the night goes on, Liam thinks that he sees something between his wife and another guest by the name of Jonas. He brings his suspicions to his wife’s attention, who quickly dismisses it implying that he is just being paranoid. Liam quickly becomes consumed with the thought of his wife cheating on him and obsessively plays back the events of that night over and over again. He finds inconsistencies in what his wife has told him in the past and she eventually admits that Jonas was an old flame and there was nothing more to it than that. Still not satisfied Liam confronts Jonas himself and eventually finds what he’s been looking for. Liam takes this newly found evidence to his wife who ultimately confesses to having an affair. In the last scene, we see Liam alone playing recordings of his wife and child in happier times. As if the memories have become too much to bear we leave off with Liam using a razor blade and pliers to dig the chip out from behind his ear.
Review I loved this episode of Black mirror for numerous reasons but mainly because I believe it gives us a look into the future of social media and where it can lead us as a society. Now I know that were a long ways off from being able to record our every waking moment but that's not to say we aren't trying. According to some global pols the average person has about five social media accounts and spends around 1 hour and 40 minutes on these networks daily. This accounts for 28 percent of total time spent on the net. These numbers drastically jump among teens as they on average spend up to nine hours a day on social media platforms. As you start to crunch the numbers you begin to realize that this fictional society isn't that far from reality. There were a few key instances in this episode that really resonated with me. The first of which is the fact that employers were able to go over your entire history completely destroying any concept of privacy. We have all heard of instances of people losing their jobs due to the content of their social media accounts. With the current trend of the usage of social media not only to socialize but for networking and now seeking employment, I feel as though were traversing a slippery slope. Another instance in the show that really stuck out to me was when one of the characters revealed to everyone that she chose not to have a chip and everyone's reaction to this declaration. She was looked at as an outsider or abnormal. This is not just a fictional scenario on a television show but an actual thing. Today if you are not snapping, tweeting, or Facebooking, you can feel ostracized or left out which can lead to emotional distress and depression. In some cases, people have even committed suicide as a result of feeling left out of social media groups. It makes me wonder if in the future you get discriminated against not because of the color of your skin or sexual preference but instead which social media platform you choose to be a part of. The last instance that I wanna discuss is when Liam and his wife get home from the get-together. You see the wife playing back their babies memories of the time in which they were gone. Now don't get me wrong, the idea that you can play back what your baby sees while they are in the care of a sitter is actually pretty amazing but it poses a question that we struggle with today. How young is too young for social media. As time goes by kids seem to be getting more and more technologically advanced. Before most kids hit high school they already have cell phones, tablets, computers and multiple social media accounts. With social media giants like Facebook actively targeting kids with messaging apps, you have to ask is this a good thing. No matter how careful we are there is always the possibility of children coming in contact with elements that could be potentially dangerous or harmful. Overall I think that this episode does a great job of showing us where our love of social media can lead us. It makes you think and brings up questions that are pertinent to us in the here and now. There were a lot of other talking points in the show that I didn’t bring up and possibly missed altogether and I would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment and let me know what you think. Until Next Review !