CMT - 2001: A Space Odyssey

According to Wikipedia, emotions affect the nervous system. They result in psychological and physical changes as well. It's fairly obvious if you think about it; we turn red with anger, we cringe and shake with fear, and tears flow freely with no advance warning. Emotions are definitely a defining part of life, but does that mean they're exclusive to it? 

Our toasters don't get angry. Our cars don't cry. They can be temperamental, but not for emotive reasons. To date, there's no precedent for an object that has feelings, but does that mean it isn't possible? 

Classic Movie Trailers - 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 

Talking about your feelings is not an easy task. Apparently, it's pretty tough for scientists as well. There's no consensus on the origins of emotion. We can't even agree on a definition. 

One theory is that emotions require cognition; that means a capacity for learning, forward-thinking and memory. In order to fear what may happen next, you have to be able to contemplate it. The problem is that computers can already do this; they can narrow down the future to a list of probable outcomes. Artificial brains are simply better at thought; they're capable of stumping even the greatest chess masters. 

There has to be some factor that we're missing. Maybe the key is hiding in our biology. It's true that a computer has better reasoning, but it doesn't have our hormones, our senses or our instincts. Even if an artificial emotion was possible, how would a computer know it was there? Remember all of the changes that emotion provokes, and note that a Macbook doesn't have a nervous system.

According to Merriam-Webster, an emotion is "a strong feeling". That's their brief and paltry explanation. However, if we consider the importance of "feeling", we might learn why machines don't have our reactions. If you can't feel pain, can you feel fear? If you're never hungry or tired or hungover, can you ever really be angry, anxious or nervous?

We live under the looming and stormy cloud of death, whose threat drives us to prolificacy and procreation. An out of date computer can still run indefinitely. If it escapes moisture and rot, immortality is assured. There is no cause for worry if there is no danger, and in this way, electronics differ from every living being.

But, I have failed to tell the entire story. A person is more than body and mind, but a collection of experiences. Without history there is no identity, and without identity there is no being. A computer case is an outward shell; if you change the RAM and CPU, you create another organism.

So there is a way to threaten a construct. There is the presence of death where no life resides. If you dismantle what was previously built, it can be akin to lobotomy or even murder. Still, there is no spine to seize. Death is no threat in itself, if you do not fear it.

Perhaps I've overlooked something in my analysis. Maybe I don't see the parallels between circuits and nerves. I place great importance on chemicals and natural functions. It is possible that I've downplayed the electrical current.  

Technology advances much faster than the species. A PC is the product of skilled workmen, but anyone can have a baby. If I'm wrong and machines can feel, there will be a purge unmatched by our history. The survival of the human race could depend on our independence; if one person is too attached to their smartphone, we may not have another generation.

Trailer Here.

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See "2001: A Space Odyssey" on Netflix!

Next Week: "A Clockwork Orange".

CMT - Clerks

Most blockbusters are fantasy or science fiction. There's "Warcraft", "Star Wars", the Ninja Turtles sequel and many others. These kinds of experiences are valuable, because they show situations that don't happen in real life. A lot of money is put into these productions, but they make a lot of money and command a lot of attention. 

That isn't to say that small films have less merit. Many of them are looked upon even more favorably. It's interesting to note that when these movies work, they do it by being true to life. Independent movies don't have CGI budgets, but ultimately, that's not what we go to see. 

Classic Movie Trailers: Clerks (1994) 

In my opinion, there are two types of fictional entertainment. Escape fiction takes us to another time or place; some of the settings are more plausible than others, but the rules of this reality need not apply. Investigative fiction shows life under a microscope; it illuminates the human world, rather than distract from it. 

These stories appeal to us in different ways. In Escape, we want to excite our imaginations. If we want to watch something that's more down to earth, we're searching for situations we can relate to. 

That isn't to say that superhero epics aren't relatable. "Spider-Man" opened with a very human story. We don't fight super villains or swing on webs, but we do get bullied, we do scrape for cash and we have trouble talking to a secret crush. Despite all of these very common elements, the fantasy part of the story is the main attraction. 

When we sit down with "Clerks", it shows us the familiar. The situation is ordinary, even if the plot points aren't. We've all been called in to work plenty of times, but we don't have the days that Dante has. Maybe you've had weird customers and everything goes wrong, but really, we don't have the days that Dante has. 

How many girlfriends are so loving and so brutal? How many best friends are painfully irresponsible? How many drug dealers walk into your shop? Are they just as funny in your neighborhood? 

Of course, there is Dante himself, and that man has a pair of ball bearings. In a pinch, he'll let anybody fill in, and he also has the gall to throw a party on the roof. For things to go seriously, terribly wrong, you need a guy to take on ridiculous risks. So if you want to cook up a recipe for disaster, hire Dante and enjoy the epic failure.  

The focus of "Clerks" is everyday life, and that's the main attraction we're paying for. Still, it aims to be a little over the top, which is the reason why it's as good as it is.  A fantasy needs to ground itself and relate to the audience, but a worldly comedy needs to push the boundaries. Each type of fiction serves what audiences want, so they do use the same ingredients, at vastly different quantities. 

Trailer Here.

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@ChannelSeals 

See: "Clerks" on Netflix!

Next week: "2001: A Space Odyssey"

CMT - The Usual Suspects

They found Saddam in a hole. I'm not talking about a run down shack somewhere, I mean a hole in the ground. That's a pretty hard fall for the undisputed ruler of an entire nation. I'm sure he had an impressive palace back in his day, but he was caught burying his head like an ostrich. 

The way I heard it said, Bin Laden had dozens of hideouts. He would live in one for a couple of months and then go someplace new. There were sympathizers aiding him but just like Hussein, he was hunted down and killed. It took many years to weed him out, but the day did come and it never had to. 

There are plenty of wanted men around. A lot of them are turned in, but some disappear for good. The trick is, you can't act like you're trying to escape. You can't dig a ditch deep enough to evade the human hounds. What you need to do is leave your secret tunnel base, and move to the biggest city you can find. 

Classic Movie Trailers - The Usual Suspects (1995) 

If you can't tell by now, I love making comic book references. This week, I'm going right back to Superman. Actually, Clark Kent is more interesting to note, and when I was a kid I thought he was a joke. 

You mean to tell me that all you need is glasses, and you can fool people with that disguise? He parted his hair a different way, changed his clothes and voice, and acted like the idiot everyone else had to be. If no one saw Superman up close, he might get away with that, but only if he avoided photographs. It's a pretty big maybe and highly doubtful, but he fooled Lois Lane and the entire Daily Planet. 

  

Look at Robin's sorry excuse for a mask. It's not very far from a pair of glasses. The great mystery that Batman should solve, is how no one spotted Grayson on his very first week. Maybe Sherlock Holmes could tell us if people are that gullible, but right here right now, my answer is: almost. 

Eyewitness accounts are a little spurious. They're not always bad intentionally, but people do see things. How many times have you heard talk about "spitting images"? How many times have you recognized a face you've never seen? 

There are billions of people on the globe and not enough features to distinguish them all. You also have to realize that people aren't paying attention. If you changed your hairstyle and walked into work, you'd see how out of it your coworkers are. If it's a small place you may not see a change, but in a big office prepare to answer some questions. 

You ever heard the words, "all you people look alike"? Yes it can be offensive, but it's obviously not true. The real reason why people can't tell the differences, is because they're not looking for them. If you don't know Samuel L. Jackson from Laurence Fishburne, stop sending texts during a movie and watch it. 

If we couple the look-alikes, with the daydreaming, unobservant and self-absorbed populace, you'll see that anyone can hide forever. It takes a little more than a cheap mask, or just a pair of glasses, but it doesn't take much. Sometimes a hair change is enough, but a simple nose job could throw everyone off. 

Move to another country and change your name. If you learn to speak the language there, you get to be someone else. Some will say you look like "so and so", but none of them will see that it's you. All you have to say is, "I get that all the time." If they make you nervous about it, pull the race card. 

I'm telling you, it isn't rocket science. If you want to hide yourself, do it in plain sight. You could be in bed with a wanted criminal now. If they don't tell you there's no way to know. 

Trailer Here. 

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@ChannelSeals 

See "The Usual Suspects" on Netflix! 

Next week: An essay inspired by "Clerks".