Abstract
“Nosedive” and “Smithereens”, two different episodes from the British science fiction television series called Black Mirror, focus on contemporary world’s obsession with social media which takes advantage of humans’ insatiable greed for getting attention from others. In these episodes the borderline between the real and the virtual seems so blurred that people do not seem to differentiate one from another. Nosedive and Smithereens vividly explore and analyze the worst nightmares of contemporary world social media can ultimately bring into being. They examine the consequences of extreme dependence on new media technologies by illustrating with characters immersed into the depths of artificial world these new technologies ensure. Drawing a parallel to what French sociologist Jean Baudrillard asserts in his criticism of postmodern era, “boundaries between science fiction and science fact are fast collapsing” , this study aims to explore and deconstruct the crucial threat posed by social media culture aggravated by latest media technologies that play a fundamental role in shaping and constructing contemporary society, which has been remarkably proved by Black Mirror episodes.
References
- Allard-Huver, F., & Escurignan, J. (2018). Black Mirror’s ‘Nosedive’ as a new panopticon. In A. M. Cirucci & B. Vacker (Eds.), Black Mirror and critical media theory (pp. 113-138). Lexington Books.
- Baudrillard, J. (1978). Critique of the political economy of the sign. Telos Press.
- Baudrillard, J. (1989). America (C. Turner, Trans.). Verso.
- Baudrillard, J. (1990). Cool memories (C. Turner, Trans.). Verso.
- Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simulacra and simulation. University of Michigan Press.
- Baudrillard, J. (2005). The intelligence of evil or the lucidity pact. Berg Publishers.
- Best, S., & Keller, D. (2001). The postmodern adventure: Science, technology, and cultural studies at the third millennium. Guilford Press.
- Foss, S. K., Foss, K. A., & Trapp, R. (2002). Contemporary perspectives on rhetoric (3rd ed.). Waveland Press.
- Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media: A Critical introduction. Sage Publications.
- Giraldo-Luque, S. R., Carniel Bugs, & Tejedor, S. (2021). Nosedive and the ‘like’ dystopia: A reflection on Black Mirror. In G. A. Duarte & J. M. Battin (Eds.), Reading Black Mirror: Insights into technology and the post-media condition (pp. 165-182). Transcript Verlag.
- Han, B.-C. (2015). The Transparency society. Stanford University Press.
- Jameson, F. (1991). Postmodernism or the cultural logic of late capitalism. Verso.
- Jameson, F. (2005). Archaeologies of the future: The desire called utopia and other science fictions. Verso.
- Kellner, D. (1989). Jean Baudrillard: From Marxism to postmodernism and beyond. Stanford University Press.
Abstract
“Nosedive” and “Smithereens”, two different episodes from the British science fiction television series called Black Mirror, focus on contemporary world’s obsession with social media which takes advantage of humans’ insatiable greed for getting attention from others. In these episodes the borderline between the real and the virtual seems so blurred that people do not seem to differentiate one from another. Nosedive and Smithereens vividly explore and analyze the worst nightmares of contemporary world social media can ultimately bring into being. They examine the consequences of extreme dependence on new media technologies by illustrating with characters immersed into the depths of artificial world these new technologies ensure. Drawing a parallel to what French sociologist Jean Baudrillard asserts in his criticism of postmodern era, “boundaries between science fiction and science fact are fast collapsing” , this study aims to explore and deconstruct the crucial threat posed by social media culture aggravated by latest media technologies that play a fundamental role in shaping and constructing contemporary society, which has been remarkably proved by Black Mirror episodes.
References
- Allard-Huver, F., & Escurignan, J. (2018). Black Mirror’s ‘Nosedive’ as a new panopticon. In A. M. Cirucci & B. Vacker (Eds.), Black Mirror and critical media theory (pp. 113-138). Lexington Books.
- Baudrillard, J. (1978). Critique of the political economy of the sign. Telos Press.
- Baudrillard, J. (1989). America (C. Turner, Trans.). Verso.
- Baudrillard, J. (1990). Cool memories (C. Turner, Trans.). Verso.
- Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simulacra and simulation. University of Michigan Press.
- Baudrillard, J. (2005). The intelligence of evil or the lucidity pact. Berg Publishers.
- Best, S., & Keller, D. (2001). The postmodern adventure: Science, technology, and cultural studies at the third millennium. Guilford Press.
- Foss, S. K., Foss, K. A., & Trapp, R. (2002). Contemporary perspectives on rhetoric (3rd ed.). Waveland Press.
- Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media: A Critical introduction. Sage Publications.
- Giraldo-Luque, S. R., Carniel Bugs, & Tejedor, S. (2021). Nosedive and the ‘like’ dystopia: A reflection on Black Mirror. In G. A. Duarte & J. M. Battin (Eds.), Reading Black Mirror: Insights into technology and the post-media condition (pp. 165-182). Transcript Verlag.
- Han, B.-C. (2015). The Transparency society. Stanford University Press.
- Jameson, F. (1991). Postmodernism or the cultural logic of late capitalism. Verso.
- Jameson, F. (2005). Archaeologies of the future: The desire called utopia and other science fictions. Verso.
- Kellner, D. (1989). Jean Baudrillard: From Marxism to postmodernism and beyond. Stanford University Press.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture |
| Journal Section | Western Languages and Literatures |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | December 30, 2024 |
| Submission Date | August 29, 2024 |
| Acceptance Date | December 9, 2024 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2024 Issue: 62 |
