Promotion of Human Values (142)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
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- 10 min
- Kinolab
- 1998
Truman, the result of an unwanted pregnancy, was the first baby to be legally adopted by a corporation. From this adoption, he grew up on the set of a reality TV show in a massive sound stage, completely unaware that he was constantly being filmed and watched by viewers all across the world. As an adult, he begins to suspect that something about his reality is very wrong, and confronts his wife about this perception. Sylvia, a love interest of Truman, affirms her stance that documenting Truman without his consent is an unethical form of entertainment since he has no agency. Ultimately, he is able to reclaim this agency by leaving the show’s set and joining the real world.
- Kinolab
- 1998
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- 10 min
- Kinolab
- 1998
Celebrity Culture, Streaming Life, and Reality Television
Truman, the result of an unwanted pregnancy, was the first baby to be legally adopted by a corporation. From this adoption, he grew up on the set of a reality TV show in a massive sound stage, completely unaware that he was constantly being filmed and watched by viewers all across the world. As an adult, he begins to suspect that something about his reality is very wrong, and confronts his wife about this perception. Sylvia, a love interest of Truman, affirms her stance that documenting Truman without his consent is an unethical form of entertainment since he has no agency. Ultimately, he is able to reclaim this agency by leaving the show’s set and joining the real world.
How is Truman’s situation somewhat mirrored in today’s digital society? How have digital technologies, particularly video streaming, perpetuated a culture of filming and sharing everyday activities? Has society passed a point where it is possible for a person to give consent before they are surveilled or filmed for entertainment purposes? How does data streaming, specifically in areas such as reality TV or influencer cultures, change the perception of reality?
The Truman Show: You're Part of This, Aren't You?-
- 8 min
- Kinolab
- 1984
Rotwang, a reclusive inventor, invents a robot to replace his love Hel whom he lost to Joh Frederson. He claims that it has everything it needs to replace her except for a soul. Joh Frederson takes advantage of the robot’s design as an artificial companion to imitate Maria’s likeness, essentially creating a copy of her. The purpose of this is to infiltrate the working class and use Maria, who the workers admire, as a tool to further Joh Frederson’s agenda to suppress a laborer’s manifestation. The workers have unknowlingly placed so much trust into the robot version of Maria that they refuse to listen to Grot as a fellow worker, destroying the Heart Machine as Joh intended.
- Kinolab
- 1984
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- 8 min
- Kinolab
- 1984
Robotic Impostors
Rotwang, a reclusive inventor, invents a robot to replace his love Hel whom he lost to Joh Frederson. He claims that it has everything it needs to replace her except for a soul. Joh Frederson takes advantage of the robot’s design as an artificial companion to imitate Maria’s likeness, essentially creating a copy of her. The purpose of this is to infiltrate the working class and use Maria, who the workers admire, as a tool to further Joh Frederson’s agenda to suppress a laborer’s manifestation. The workers have unknowlingly placed so much trust into the robot version of Maria that they refuse to listen to Grot as a fellow worker, destroying the Heart Machine as Joh intended.
How can robots, even those without weapons, be used to stifle dissent and rebellion? What are the consequences to making robots in the likeness of loved ones or admirable figures? How can this be used to trick people without their knowledge? Should robots ever be able to imitate real people, especially if it is hard to give them a “soul”? What is a soul?
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 2015
In this Steve Jobs biopic, he is depicted as a man whose ego and pride regarding his work obscures his ability to treat others with respect and kindness. Only after seeing his daughter Lisa make art using MacPaint does Steve Jobs consider providing more financial support to her and Chrisann, his ex-wife. He initially argues that he is not beholden to this financial support, given that his company already donates computers to less privileged schools.
- Kinolab
- 2015
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 2015
Child Computer Use
In this Steve Jobs biopic, he is depicted as a man whose ego and pride regarding his work obscures his ability to treat others with respect and kindness. Only after seeing his daughter Lisa make art using MacPaint does Steve Jobs consider providing more financial support to her and Chrisann, his ex-wife. He initially argues that he is not beholden to this financial support, given that his company already donates computers to less privileged schools.
How can children in particular use digital technologies to express their creativity? Do digital technologies enhance or limit creativity in art? Whose responsibility is it to distribute educational technologies to under-resourced areas? Why is this action essential? How can tech monopolies, and individual tech giants, be more responsible with their massive amounts of wealth?
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- 7 min
- Kinolab
- 2017
Downsizing, the procedure which shrinks people down to only a few inches, is invented to combat environmental harm by producing less waste.
- Kinolab
- 2017
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- 7 min
- Kinolab
- 2017
Thought Experiment in Technological Environmentalism
Downsizing, the procedure which shrinks people down to only a few inches, is invented to combat environmental harm by producing less waste.
Should the technology to edit humans be created and used if it means saving the planet? How would consent factor into this? Are there any other workable technologies for aiding the environment through means such as ameliorating climate change? Should technological innovation be directed toward first identifying problems and then encompassing the most radical solution possible?
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2013
In the world of this film, Robin Wright plays a fictional version of herself who has allowed herself to be digitized by the film company Miramount Studios in order to be entered into many films without having to actually act in them, becoming digitally immortal in a sense. Once she enters a hallucinogenic mixed reality known as Abrahama City, she agrees to renew the contract with Miramount studios under the panic of her declining mental health and sense of autonomy. This renewed contract will not only allow movies starring her digital likeness to be made, but will also allow people to appear as her.
- Kinolab
- 2013
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2013
Dangers of Digital Commodification
In the world of this film, Robin Wright plays a fictional version of herself who has allowed herself to be digitized by the film company Miramount Studios in order to be entered into many films without having to actually act in them, becoming digitally immortal in a sense. Once she enters a hallucinogenic mixed reality known as Abrahama City, she agrees to renew the contract with Miramount studios under the panic of her declining mental health and sense of autonomy. This renewed contract will not only allow movies starring her digital likeness to be made, but will also allow people to appear as her.
When mixed realities make any sort of appearance possible, how do people keep agency over their own likenesses and identities? How can engineers ensure that common human fears, including the fear of aging, do not drive innovations that will ultimately do more harm than good? Should anyone be allowed to give consent for their likeness to be used in any way the new owner sees fit, given how easily people can be coerced, manipulated, or gaslit? How could economic imbalances be further entrenched or established if certain people are allowed to sell their identities or likenesses?
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- 35 min
- Wired
- 2021
In this podcast, interviewees share several narratives which discuss how certain technologies, especially digital photo albums, social media sites, and dating apps, can change the nature of relationships and memories. Once algorithms for certain sites have an idea of what a certain user may want to see, it can be hard for the user to change that idea, as the Pinterest wedding example demonstrates. When it comes to photos, emotional reactions can be hard or nearly impossible for a machine to predict. While dating apps do not necessarily make a profit by mining data, the Match monopoly of creating different types of dating niches through a variety of apps is cause for some concern.
- Wired
- 2021
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- 35 min
- Wired
- 2021
How Tech Transformed How We Hook Up—and Break Up
In this podcast, interviewees share several narratives which discuss how certain technologies, especially digital photo albums, social media sites, and dating apps, can change the nature of relationships and memories. Once algorithms for certain sites have an idea of what a certain user may want to see, it can be hard for the user to change that idea, as the Pinterest wedding example demonstrates. When it comes to photos, emotional reactions can be hard or nearly impossible for a machine to predict. While dating apps do not necessarily make a profit by mining data, the Match monopoly of creating different types of dating niches through a variety of apps is cause for some concern.
How should algorithms determine what photos a specific user may want to see or be reminded of? Should machines be trusted with this task at all? Should users be able to take a more active role in curating their content in certain albums or sites, and would most users even want to do this? Does the existence of dating apps drastically change the nature of dating? How could creating a new application which introduces a new dating “niche” ultimately serve a tech monopoly?