Androids: Focusing on the Little Things

      When we began our film Wednesday morning I couldn't help but be excited because Black Mirror originally caught my attention earlier this year during the summer and I immediately became addicted. The fact that this show displays advancement in technology that is very possible for the future is intriguing and frightening at the same time. On the particular episode that we watched as a class, basically asked the question of whether not our loved ones coming back from the dead in android form would be a good or bad thing. There are a few reasons throughout the episode that show how this could benefit us as humans but I personally believe these so called android replicas of our loved ones would still not be enough to take always one's grief forever.

     The few good things about Ash two were displayed early in the episode. One thing that was seen as positive about the first stage of Ash two was that he distracted Martha from her grief after Ash one's sudden death. Another positive effect during this process was that while Martha was dealing with her pregnancy Ash two was there for her in place of Ash one so that she wouldn't be alone through different things such as the ultrasound. Although the real father, which was clearly Ash one, wasn't able to be with Martha during these big pregnancy moments, it was still very helpful to have pieces of him supporting her through Ash two's Presence.

      When referring to the negative side of Ash two it definitely comes down to details. As soon as Ash two was "activated" in the bathtub he came to Martha and she instantly noticed small details that were off. She felt his hands and already his fingertips were off according to her normal expectations. Not only was this an uncomfortable situation for Martha, but it also brought back memories that in a way may have even made her grief and coping worse. While celebrating Ash two's activation with wine, Martha became somewhat under the influence and she still realized small details that unsatisfied her; such as his birthmarks and moles not appearing until she mentioned it. It wasn't all about the physical things for Martha, she began to notice that Ash two didn't have all the knowledge and wit of Ash one. The reason for this being once again was because he was always a replica and never the real thing.

    With these things being pointed out, I believe it shows how much the little things actually matter in our everyday world. It isn't always the bigger picture, most of the time it's the little things that stand out the absolute most. My personal opinion is that we as humans should enjoy life and the people in our lives while we and they are on this earth. Making replacements for old memories will only make things more difficult on ourselves and others at the end of the day.