Essay on The Implications of Technology in the Movie Her

About nine years ago I discovered a book called The Age of Spiritual Machines by a man named Ray Kurzweil that demanded my immediate interest. I was captivated by his view of the future of technology - astoundingly positive and bright compared to most peoples’ negative or dystopian outlook when it comes to the dangers of a society increasingly reliant on machines and technology. I recently had the privilege of watching Spike Jonze’s 2013 movie her. While focusing on the personal aspect of a man falling in love with an artificial intelligence in a near-future Los Angeles, I couldn’t help but be surprised and delighted when Ray Kurzweil’s theories and mindset came shining through the backdrop. This is a smart, moving love story at first†¦show more content†¦Spike Jonze’s recent movie her takes place in a future LA, but not one that you would expect, having most popular visions of the future being dark and dystopian. The streets are clean and the people are happy. Everything is basked in a pastel-like glow, feeling nostalgically retro. Technology is used to their advantage for convenience, but has not overtaken their lives and created a society of anti-social recluses. Jonze’s vision of the future is decidedly positive and a refreshing take on what humanity can do if they make the right choices. Enter Theodore, the protagonist who has separated from his wife in the past year. He is a depressed, hopeful romantic clinging onto the thought that his wife will change her mind and come back to him, evident in his reluctance to sign his divorce papers. While walking down the street one day he notices an advertisement for a new operating system named OS1, touted as being the first artificially intelligent operating system. Throughout the rest of the movie, he grows alongside Samantha (which is what the OS decided to name herself). She begins to find herself and develop wants and needs. In addition to helping him in his work and with de-cluttering his personal life, she begins to evolve into her own person with her own idiosyncrasies. Kurzweil talks heavily on the introduction of artificialShow MoreRelatedTechno-Romance in the Film Her Essay859 Words   |  4 PagesHer (2013) is based on a futuristic premise that sets the stage for an unusual love story between a lonely, nebbish, professional letter-writer, Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) and his artificially intelligent computer operating system, Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). In the movie, Spike Jonze, the writer and director, touches upon the larger questions surrounding the human condition and how our desire to be loved and accepted has led us to seek technological substitutes for our mostRead MoreEnvironmental Message in Wall-E Essay877 Words   |  4 Pageshumans are living so that they can determine if it is okay to return to Earth. 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