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GlobalScienceFictionFilmProfessorMatthewTinkcom|YANGYang

DivingintotheReflectionontheMirror— The Society of the Spectacle in Black Mirror

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Abstract

While most of the TV drama aims to reassure people, Black Mirror is obtrusively

unsettling among them. As a science fiction film TV, however,BlackMirror never has a

magnificent narrative like others do. Instead, the technology embedded in it serves to

emphasize the concerns of the creator rather than fulfill the visual gratification of the

spectators.Inmyopinion,thisconcernistowardstheactionofwatching,andthetoolthat

embodies it—the one and only protagonist of the show— the screen. In this light, this

paper focuses ondiscussing the society of the spectacle inBlackMirror Seasonone, and

offering my argument on how it serves as entertaining commodity for the aims of

distraction and reassurance. More importantly, it is to reveal the consequences of this

technology, which is constructed upon flickering screens and enormous views, could

potentiallyleadto.

Key word: Spectacle, Media, Watching, Image, Amusement, Format, Commodity,

Distraction,BlackMirrorSeasonOne

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Introduction

As theprogramcreatorCharlieBrookerexplained inan interview,blackmirror is a

turned-offscreen.Itis“theoneyou'llfindoneverywall,oneverydesk,inthepalmofevery

hand: the cold, shiny screen of a TV, amonitor, a smartphone” (Brooker, 2011). In Guy

Debord’s words, the screen is the vehicle of “the Spectacle”. Yet rather than talk of the

spectacle, we often prefer to use the term ‘media’. By this it means to describe a mere

instrument, a kind of “public service which with impartial ‘professionalism” (Debord,

1998).

Withcharacterschangingineverystory,blackmirror,atoolofmasscommunication,

is the only thing remains constant in the series. This research focuses onuntangling the

puzzles raisedby the firstSeasonofBlackMirror—Whatpreciselyare the sideeffectsof

technologyandtheobsessionwithtechnology?Whatisthenatureoftheblackmirror?And

whatisthedifferencebetweenwatchingandwatchingthroughcameras?

To pursue these questions, let us first have a review on the plot of the three

episodes—

1. TheNationalAnthem

The opening program of the series is a political thriller where a fictional Prime

Minister Michael Callow faces a shocking dilemma when the beloved member in royal

family,PrincessSusannahiskidnapped.Inexchangeforhersafereturn,thePrimeMinister

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must have live sexual intercoursewith a pig on television. The kidnap is discovered on

YoutubewithastatementvideofromPrincessSusannah,andissoonwidelydisseminated

through various channels. As neither the search for the princess, nor the bogus plan to

replace the PrimeMinister with an actor ends up successful, the PrimeMinister finally

compromisesunderthehugepressurefromthepublic,media,colleaguesandtheroyalty,

despite that the princess is released 30 minutes before the deadline of the live, which

gained1.3billionaudience internationally.Ayearafter thebroadcast, the incident,along

with its central figures, are still under the spotlight. The PrimeMinister remains in the

officewith greater public approval due to his sacrifice,while the princess is expecting a

baby.Yetitisimpliedthatthetruthisnotastranquilasitappearstobe—thefirstfamily

hasnotsurvivedtheordealandthemarriageofthePrimeMinisterbecomesapublicshow

forhispoliticalcareer.

2. FifteenMillionMerits

Inthisworld,everyonemustcycleonbicyclesinordertopowerthesystemaswellas

generateacurrencycalledmerits.Obesepeopleareconsideredaslowerclass;theyeither

workascleanersorareshamedontelevisionshows.Theonlywaytogetoutofthisslavery

worldistogainfameonashowcalledHotShot,whichishostbythreejudges.

Alittlegearinthesystem,Bing,hasjustinherited12millionmeritsfromhisdeceased

brotherand loathes thehypocritical society.HeaccidentallyoverhearsAbi singing in the

toiletandisamazedbythat.Feelingthereisnothing“real”worthbuying,hepersuadesAbi

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toattendtheHotShotshowwithaticketthathepurchased.Abitoucheseveryonebyher

performance,howeverthestorymeetsaturningpointasthejudgesonlyofferherajobasa

pornographicactresstobefreeofthebikingsystem,becausehersexualappealshieldsher

“aboveaverage”talent.Abireluctantlyagrees.

Bing,returningtohiscellandgetsirritatedbyAbi’spornographicdebut,isdetermined

tospeakouttheshamfactofthesystem.Hemanagestodothat.Whilethejudges,instead

of taking hiswords into consideration, are impressed by his enthusiastic “performance”

andofferhimthechancetohosthisownshow.Bingacceptsthedealandfinallymovestoa

spaciousapartmentwithapanoramicviewofarealforest.

3. TheEntireHistoryofYou

“Grain”isabody-implantedtechnology,whichrecordseverythingpeopledo,seeand

hear.Inthisalternatereality,mostpeoplehaveitatbirth.Liamisnoexception.Afterajob

interview,hegoestoadinnerhostedbyhiswife’sfriends.Atthedinner,oneoftheguests

Jonasactivelytalksabouthissexual lifeandmasturbatingexperiencetoreplays fromhis

earlierrelationships.Throughoutthemeal,Liamgetssuspiciousaboutoftherelationship

betweenhiswifeFfionandJonas.

Afterwards, it transpires that Ffion has been hiding her history with Jonas, which

intensifiesLiam’sparanoiaupondiscoveringthetruth.Heinsistsonreplayingthefootage

from the evening and demanding explanations of her behavior. With strengthening

conflicts,Liamgoes to Jonas’houseandthreatenshimtodelete thememoryrecordwith

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Ffion. Jonascomplies.By replaying thememoryof Jonasdeleting the records,Liam finds

outtheevidenceofFfion’sinfidelityduringtheveryperiodwhentheirdaughterJoliewas

conceived. Liam coerces Ffion to replay the cheatingmemory toprove that theydiduse

protectionassheclaims,whileitturnsouttobeanotherlie.

In the end, Liam is wondering around at his empty house, replaying the happy

memoriesinthepast,beforegoingtothebathroomandcuttinghisgrainoutoftheskin.

BlackMirror—ANumericalApproachtoReflection

Everyepisodestartswithatwinkleof“BlackMirror”onthedarkscreenandasudden

breakage.Apparently,“blackmirror”firstlyreferstoascreenthatisturnedoff,whichisa

physical agent of communication. The nature of the screen, not only discloses its

materiality, but also its cavity and objectivity—Because it is an empty screen, it seems

capableofbearinganyideologyandconveyanyideas(Zhao,2015).Whenitisturnedon,it

iseasytobemesmerizedbyitsiridescenceandignoresitspossiblelimitations.

Inthisregard,blackmirroristhetelescreenin1984,whichdisseminatesinformation

andindoctrinatesideologytothepublic.Simultaneously,itisasupervisorycamera,which

absorbsinformationfromastereoscopicworldandconvertsitintobinarypresentation.In

otherwords, itcouldbesimplifiedasapieceofdistortedglass, linkingpeople fromboth

sidestothesocietyofthespectacle.

InBlackMirror,peoplearemoreorlessawareofthisfact,thusleadingtoanextremity

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ofperformanceandnarcissismonbothsidesofthemirror,wherepeoplearesoindulgedin

thereflectedimagesthattheyforget,orrefusetobelievethat,theyaremerelyperforming.

Instead, they identify it as reality, and this soon becomes the only form of “reality” that

peoplecouldeverbehold.AsitissaidintheopeningchapterofthenovelADreamofRed

Mansions,“Truthbecomesfictionwhenthefiction'strue;Realbecomesnot-realwherethe

unreal'sreal”(Cao,1978).

As goesMcLuhan’s aphorism, “themedium is themessage”, towhich Neil Postman

proposes a slight amendment because it may lead one to confuse a message with a

metaphor.Eachmedium,likelanguageitself,makespossibleauniquemethodofdiscourse

byprovidinganeworientationforthought,forexpression,forsensibility(Postman,1986).

In this sense, Postman argues, they are rather like metaphors, setting inconspicuous

premisescovertly.Oncesettled,theyaccumulatepowerbyenforcingtheirownregulations

uponeveryone.

Just as the concept of time is neither bestowed by God nor by nature, but the very

clock thathuman invented;blackmirrorasa formofpublicdiscourse, also regulateand

even dictate the very kind of content can issue from such forms (Postman, 1986). The

premise of blackmirror is that everything could be expressed through spectacle, which

leadstoadominationofthesenseofsightoverothersandthedeprivepeople’sabilityto

thinkatthefirstplace.

Toachievethat,thefirstthinginneedisastandard,aformat,tofiteverythingintoits

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dimensionandscope,justastheclockisdividedinto13sectionsandsoistheideaoftime.

InBlack Mirror, conversations are host on themirror. People go after one and another

novel topics on the screen (The National Anthem), build one and another star for

amusement (FifteenMillionMerits), and aspire to re-experience the peak of their life by

replaying recorded videos (The Entire History of you). As the social significance “is

attributed only to what is immediate, and to what will be immediate immediately

afterwards”(Debord,1970),itneedsameasurementwhichisasrapidandefficientasthe

metabolismofthesociety—

Numbers.

Byendowingnumberswithmeaning,wecouldimmediatelyfeeltheintensityofpower

bybriefly comparing themagnitudeof thenumbers. InBlackMirror, Publicopinionsare

formatted into contrasting attitude and digitalized into supporting rate (The National

Anthem); Flesh and blood is programmed into binary duplicate with every motion

augmented on the screen (FifteenMillionMerits). This is not an accidental choice nor a

superficial presentation, but a fundamental necessity. Because under the context of

spectacle, the loss of quality is evident at every level. As it seeks the most immediate

approach to reflect theworld, it isbasedonanatureofaproductionsystem thatavoids

reality. The commodity form reduces everything to quantitative equivalence. “The

quantitativeiswhatitdevelops,anditcandeveloponlywithinthequantitative”(Debord,

1970).

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Therefore, whoever fails to meet the standard that the system demands will be

consideredoflittleworth.ThisisexpressedclearlyintheridiculeatobesepeopleinFifteen

MillionMerits.AspinpointedbyBingwithanger,“Realpain,realviciousness,thatwecan

take”,yettherealistheonlythingunbearable.

BlackMirror—AdistortedReflectionofReality

Asthenatureoftheblackmirrorisabi-directionalscreen,peoplewithinquicklylearn

to perform and pry in order to obtain better command of their appearance and others’.

Watchingthroughablackmirrorisavectorwithdirectionandmagnitude.It isanarmed

power itself. The fact of facing a camera, especially facing a camera which links to the

public, comes along with the acknowledge of facing social norms, restrictions, and

expectation,fromwhichprocesspeoplewhoarewatchinggainthesenseofprestige.“Just

asthecameraisasublimationofthegun,tophotographsomeoneisasubliminalmurder—

asoftmurder,appropriatetoasad,frightenedtime”(Sontag,2011).

Thisdistortionofrealityhappenstothesocietyasacollectivephenomenon,besides,it

alsoinfectsthesocialnetworkinherentlyandindividually.Forthespectacleisnotasimple

collection of images, but a social network among people, mediated and host by images

(Debord,1998).

InTheNationalAnthem,atthestreetinterviewconductedbythepress, interviewees

expresssympathyandgoodreasoningtowardtheissueunderthecamera.Theydespisethe

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threatanddeclarethattheywillnotbewatchingit.Yetwhenthefirstladyisbrowsingthe

websiteswhereonecaneasilyconcealhim/herself inthecrowdwithoutanyexposureto

being watched, she is petrified at the gloat of the public upon the humiliation that her

familyissoontobear.Yet,intervieweesornetcitizens,theyarethesamegroupofpeople

whoactdifferentlytopleasethespectatorsgivendifferentcircumstancesofwatchingand

beingwatched.For“tophotographpeopleistoviolatethem,byseeingthemastheynever

see themselves, by having knowledge of them that they can never have” (Sontag, 2011).

Theyplaytherolesofbothsecretagentsandrevolutionaries,andareskilledinswitching

them freely; therefore, it achieves “the highest ambition of the integrated spectacle”

(Debord,1998).

Astheworldiscomprehendedbyspectacle,ournarcissismismagnifiedviaandwithin

image. “Buyingshit thatdoesn’tevenexist there”becomesthewaywecommunicateand

express ourselves (FifteenMillionMerits); lingering in previous sexual footages becomes

thewaywe arouse ourselves (The Entire History of you). Through the very process, the

reflection on the mirror is confirmed over and over, leading to a dreadful and

comprehensiveshiftfromtherealtothefalse.

Atthismoment,politicsbecomesjeopardyofitself.Foritdoesn’tmatterwhetherthe

actofbestialitydoeshappenornot(TheNationalAnthem),justasitdoesn’tmatterifFfion

cheats on Liam (The Entire History of you), what matters is that people would like to

embrace themore exciting narrative. As the Frenchphilosopher FrancoisDebrix argues,

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Americans do notwant to read or hear that they are underpaid, overworked, bullied at

work, in the home, when serving their country in foreign lands. They want glamorous

stories,scandals,exceptionalevents,newstheycanbuilddreamsonordevelopasenseof

anger from(Debrix). Inshort, theywant tobeentertained.The livebroadcast in theThe

National Anthem only serves to consolidate that belief, as the first lady points out, “it’s

alreadyhappeningintheirheads”.

Thedegradationofbeingintohaving,andhavingintoappearing,istheprocessofthe

economy’sdominationofsociallifeandacerebraldeathofpolitics(Debord,1970).Asthe

word“politics”comes fromthesameGreekword fromwhich the titleofAristotle’sbook

Politicsderives,meaning“affairsof thecities”.Civicparticipationhasbeen longregarded

notonlyasdutybutalsoadistinguishingfeaturethatidentifieshumanfromanimals.Inthe

society of the spectacle asBlackMirror, thismight indicate the perishment of a certain

concept of human being and a transfer to posthuman. The posthuman need not be

recuperatedbackintoliberalhumanism,norneeditbeconstructedasantihuman.Itoffers

resources for “rethinking the articulation of humans with intelligentmachines” (Hayles,

1999).

Despite surrounded by infinite falsehood, there is a greater truth lying with the

lies—inourimage-drivensociety,wedon'twantthetruth.We’dratherchoosetoconsume

aprojectedimageofwhatwedesiredtobetrue(Wisecrack,2016).

In the third episode The Entire History of You, Liam is determined to prove the

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infidelityofhiswifebyrepeatedlyanalyzinghismemoryandhuntingdownothers’records

in‘grain’thedevice.Yetwhatisinthememoryisnotthesamewithwhathappened.Since

thetruecanneverbecapturednorfrozen,theonlythingpeoplehaveisthepresentationof

thememory.Byrecording,memoryissimplifiedandcompressedascollectionsofimages

andsound.Hence,itisnolongersacredorhasambiguity,yetplaysasRoshomon1 ofour

ownmorbidity.

BlackMirror—ACommodityofDistractionandReassurance

A society dominated by images is certain to develop into a society saturated by

commercials/commodities,andcomplementeachother.Thiscertaintyliesinthefactthat

weenjoywhatispresentingmuchmorethanwhatisbeing.Wheretherealworldchanges

into simple images, the simple images become real beings. Consequently, we are all

constantlypreoccupiedwithmanagingandcreatingour images,while the contentof the

imagesisinconsequential—allthatmattersistheshininessofthefalse.

Thethingsoldbestinaspectacledrivenworldisdistraction.AsDebordfamouslysaid,

in a topsy-turvy world captured by spectacle, “the true is a moment of false” (Debord,

1970). This is seen through by the kidnapper who eventually commits suicide (The

NationalAnthem);itisrevealedforasecondinBing’sspeech(FifteenMillionMerits);itis

weavedinthecollectionofmemory(TheEntireHistoryofyou).1 Rashomon(羅生門)isa1950JapanesejidaigekifilmdirectedbyAkiraKurosawa.Thefilmisknownforaplotdevicethatinvolvesvariouscharactersprovidingalternative,self-servingandcontradictoryversionsofthesameincident.

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Amongalltheformsofdistraction,thereisnototherwaysasentertainmentthatcan

produce the most power with the least pain. Yet it is not that the society entertains

everything,butthateverythingcanandonlycanbeexpressedandunderstoodinafashion

ofentertainment.Additionally,entertainmentismorethanawayitcommunicates,butalso

awayofitsownhypnotismandself-justificationfordeeperdistraction.

InFifteenMillionMerits,WhatBingaccusesofthesystemputtheaudienceintosilence,

the judgecomments, “That is,withoutadoubt, themostheartfelt thing I’veeverseenon

thisstage”.Theaudienceburstoutapplaudingimmediately.Consideringthehesitantand

silentspectatorshushedbyBing’sspeech,itisnotsufficienttoassertthatthecommentis

only a matter of distortion. More importantly and terrifyingly, it provides an out and

extinguishesthe lightofdoubt—tothosewhohavethesameconcernsandangerasBing

does. After watching Bing’s personal channel, they would gradually believe that it was

merelyanother reflectionon the surfaceof thewater, anotherperformanceon theblack

mirror, hence, they would remain hypnotic or even sink deeper. In this sense, Bing’s

outspokenspeech isequivalent toWinston’sdiary in1984—Hewasonce “a lonelyghost

utteringatruththatnobodywouldeverhear.Butsolongasheutteredit,insomeobscure

waythecontinuitywasnotbroken.Itwasnotbymakingyourselfheardbutbystayingsane

that you carried on the human heritage” (Orwell, 1961). Yet by adept transfer, Bing

becomes amaintainer of the system from a revolutionist. In themean time, the system

gains more power from assimilating dissidents, while the truth is as though a stone

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droppedintothebottomlessseaasnothingeverhappened,whichmanagestofulfilltheaim

ofusurpers—toconverttracks,toconcealtheprogressofitsconquest,“tomakeusforget

that they have only just arrived”, for “the more important something is, the more it is

hidden”(Debord,1998).

In The National Anthem, it pushes both the consumption of amusement and the

extinctionofpoliticstothemaximum.ThePrimeMinisterendsupbroadcastinghissexual

intercoursewith the pig on the national channel under the pressure of public opinions.

Eventhoughback-upplansarepreparedinthemeantime,therewerenootheralternatives

from the beginning, for people need endless distraction for incentive, and it will be

generated regardless.While1.3billionpeople arewatching the live, the identitiesof the

twocharactersdisplaceeachother—Susannah,asa“nationalsweetheart”andaheavyuser

ofsocialmedia,yieldsherspotlighttothePrimeMinister.Whensheisreleasedbeforethe

deadline,noonenoticesthatastheyarebusyconsumingarevelrycreatedbythemselves.

On topof that, simpleentertainment isnotgoodenough.For it favorsall thosewho

possess both a talent and a format to amuse,whether theybepoliticians, revolutionists,

journalists or entrepreneurs. “In America, the least amusing people are its professional

entertainers” (Postman,1986). Inotherwords,notonlydopeoplewant lies,butalsodo

theydemandliestobedisguised,sothattheycouldmaintaintheirimmunitytoformality

as well as the eternal freshness they experience as they unpack an entertaining kernel

wrappedinavarietyoffashion.

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“It is intheinterestsofthosewhosellnoveltyatanypricetoeradicatethemeansof

measuring it” (Debord, 1998).This is the reasonwhy the exhilarationof the audience is

amplified by the dual identities of Bing—he is an entertainer with a cover of

revolutionist—the discordance and conflict of which is a crucial portion of the

entertainment. In the drama, this ironically and deliberately resonates with Bing’s

emotionlessself-introductiontotheaudience—“Iamanentertainer”.

Admittedly,aninevitableconsequenceoftheabsolutepenetrationofthistechnologyis

theenormousconsumptiononamusement,whichblurstheboundarybetweentherealand

thefalse,anddrawshuman’sreasonoutoftheanimal’sshell.Withthissenseofinsecurity

generatedby ignorance, and the fact that “all formerpossibilities for independencehave

been reduced to nil by the society’s mode of organization”(Debord, 1998), leading a

considerablenumberofdifferentformsofreassurancetobeproducedandconsumed.The

expertisoneofthem.

InTheNationalAnthem,theso-calledexpertontelevisionactivelytalksaboutthenew

form of terrorism brought up by this kidnap, and uses “make love” to refer to the

intercourse between the PrimeMinister and the pig, which of course, receives warning

immediately. Despite of its ridiculousness, in an era where individuals lose their own

capacity to see things on their own, the expert is therewith great necessity to offer an

absolutereassuranceand illusionof theexistenceof intelligencethat is longgone.Hence

thebestexperts,undoubtedly,arethosewhoarecapableofweavinglies.

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Theneedtohaverealityconfirmedthroughbothexternalandinternalreassuranceis

an aesthetic consumerism to which everyone is now addicted. Industrial societies turn

theircitizensintodrugabusersonspectaclecommodities.Itis“themostirresistibleform

ofmentalpollution”(Sontag,2011),asnoBigBrotherisrequiredtodeprivepeopleoftheir

autonomyandmaturity(Postman,1986).AsHuxleysawinBraveNewWorld,peoplewill

cometolovetheiroppression,toadorethetechnologiesthatundotheircapacitiestothink.

BlackMirror—ATyrantRegimeoftheMass

Given the condition of human being defined as programs, not only do we lose the

abilitytobuildabetterlifebutalsotheabilitytoimagineabetterlife.“Ifinone’seconomic

and social life one is administered by a technical labor apparatus and conforms to

dominant social norms, one is losing one’s potentialities of self-determination and

individuality. Alienated from the powers of being-a-self, one-dimensional man thus

becomes an object of administration and conformity” (Marcuse, 1991). In The Entire

HistoryofYou,eventhenewbornisimplantedwiththegrain,andbywatchinghermemory

the parents examine the babysitter. At this point, men, lacking in both intelligence and

imagination,officiallybecome the slavesof technology.Althoughwemaybeable topick

technologiestowhichwedevoteourloyalty,“freeelectionofmastersdoesnotabolishthe

mastersortheslaves”(Marcuse,1991).

InFifteenMillionMerits,Binggoestotheshowwithaglassshardaswellasanempty

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bottleofCuppliancemilkleftbyAbisoastododgethemandatoryrequirementofdrinking

themilk, for he reckons it to be a drugged beverage thatmesmerizes people to comply.

Withoutdrinkingit,however,hestillacceptstheolivebranchtoescapefromridingbicycle.

He fails to realize a cruel truthwhen some spectators ofBlackMirrormight notice, that

there is actually no gimmick there to control people but people themselves in the

system—they simply want to relocate yet don’t really have a destination; they want to

makeachangeyetwanderlikeaheadlesschicken.Forinthereflectedworldofspectacle,

goals arenothingwhiledevelopment is everything. “The spectacle aimsatnothingother

thanitself”(Debord,1970).

Nevertheless, this vicious cycle attributes to no one but ourselves. Blaming the

spectacle/blackmirror for thebestialmanner is justanotherdistractionand justification

we made. By imposing the duty onto the tool, we fulfill the desire to sleep and to be

distracted,sincenoone isable toawakesomeonewhopretends tobesleeping.Through

the intermittentblankscreenreflectingour faces, thecreatorsofBlackMirror constantly

remindthespectatorsthatweareoneoftheaccomplicesoftheevil.

InFifteenMillionMerits,BothAbiandBingdonotgetwhattheywantinitiallyinthe

end.Shewantshersingingtalenttoberecognizedyetendsupasapornographicstar.He

wantstowarnthesystemofitsowndangeryetendsupasanaggressivecomedian.They

encounter thesamepressure fromspectatorsas thePrimeMinisterdoes inTheNational

Anthem.Audienceisnolongersatisfiedwithmerelywatchingasindividuals;instead,under

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the impulseofconsumerism, theyalsopurse thepower todeterminewhat towatchasa

whole.The fact that they“put inanhonestdayonthebike”,while thecandidateson the

stage“standinthelightthey’regeneratinganddither” isoutrageousandintolerable.The

judge here is only a channel and amouthpiece to assert the authority of the spectators

behindhim.BlackMirror representsa societywherepowerdisplays itself in the formof

gaiety, leaving the inflicting pain and humiliation deep hidden. Power here, is in tearing

humanmindstopiecesandputtingthemtogetheragaininthenameofpublichappiness.

As O’Brien says in 1984, “Obedience is not enough” (Orwell, 1961). Unless the one is

suffering, there isnootherwayyoucanbe sure thathe isobeyingyourwill andnothis

own.

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Conclusion

Inmodernsociety,theubiquitousscreenscouldreflecteverythingbutonlyservesthe

consumerism. The technologies in the drama, is designed to be extremely close to our

currentsituation,assomeofthemisalreadyinproductionnowadays.

BlackMirror itself reflects a standpoint of humanism.Yet as the inherent tensionof

dystopianarrativesshows,thisreflectionissophisticatedandmeaningful.Itisarecordand

the resistance towards the vanishing humanist civilization, but also a lamentation upon

humanismthatisdoomedtodecease.

Despite all this, neitherBlackMirror purposes a potential solutionnorunearths the

discussiontoadeeperlevel.Yetitindeedpointstotheconcernstowardsthefutureaftera

societyofthespectacle—wheneverything,everyoneisflattenontothedisplayandcoded

intoasuccessionofnumbers—nowwhat?

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