The Intimidation of Technology

As geniuses in the human race think of new and creative ideas to benefit society, the technology of the world advances exponentially. Although some of these creations help mankind, these technological devices can be used for nefarious purposes. For instance, cell phones were created to make communication more convenient for those separated by a long distance. However, in Black Mirror's season 2 episode 2, "White Bear," its video capturing capability is used to torment Victoria, who has forgotten all of her memories. How do these phones invoke fear in Victoria? When Victoria wakes up in an unknown house and leaves to find out more about herself, she sees people hiding and recording her with their phones as if she is some sort of exotic animal. If I saw everywhere I looked people recording me and not explaining their actions, I would feel beyond creeped out and be terrified. One of the scariest parts of the mind control signal is the unnatural silence. The affected targets do not communicate, which is contrary to human nature. It's similar to today where so many people are engrossed in their devices that they ignore the people talking around them.

 Later, she meets a pair of normal humans, Jem and Damien, who explain to her that a  mass brain-reprogramming has occurred that causes people to record everything around them. However, some people are not affected by the brainwashing signal and target other humans and relish in the excitement that they have an audience to record their murders. Disgusted and still confused, Victoria screams at the bystanders surrounding her and throws a brick at them, which displays her fear in this twisted situation. I believe if others were put in the same scenario, many of them would break down crying like Victoria. She was in the small minority facing the world, which places a significant amount of pressure on her. In addition, the brainwashed individuals do not offer any help when hunters chase after Victoria to kill her. The observers only display amusement in Victoria's misfortune and agony creating a barrier of forming a natural relationship with them. In the present, technology forms barriers whether it be intentional or not. Often, talking and messaging through cell phones may be convenient, but the relationship created is not as personal as face to face communication.

When they record all the deaths in the episode, the brainwashed people do not move to help the dying people. Instead, they always moved up closer to the body to examine the gruesome details. This sadistic action causes Victoria to realize the observers do not seem like they are humans anymore. Technology makes people act like "robots, " "zombies," or at least not themselves. It creates an uncaring or unemotional atmosphere around the people abusing these devices.

A faint light of hope appears when Jem tells Victoria her plan to destroy the facility emitting the signal. However, all of that hope disappears after the curtain is unveiled, and Baxtor, an employee of the White Bear Justice Park, tells her that she is being punished for her part in the kidnapping and murder of Jemima Skyes, a six-year-old girl. In the end of the episode, Victoria is strapped to a chair and forced to watch the video that she recorded of the brutal murder of Jemima. Videos are usually recorded to remember special moments that one wants to see over and over. In this case, Victoria watches the video she recorded of Jemima being tortured to death. However, she does not want to relive this memory and begs to be put out of her misery. Unfortunately for her, Victoria does not get what she wishes for. Instead, electrodes are placed on her head, which causes intense pain and wipes her memory of the last twenty-four hours. When one is absorbed so much into technology, they do not form any real personal experiences with the world around them. There is no memory of them interacting with others, causing them to feel miserable and empty inside. Although technology brings many benefits to us, we should be careful to balance our time with it and the people in the world.