The Island for me was just an okay movie. In the beginning I was really interested because of the way Lincoln began his day. I liked the idea of the talking screen that interacted with him. I know we mentioned it in class, but it was never answered… a question that I had was “Why is he missing his left shoe?” I don’t think that this was ever even mentioned again throughout the movie nor was there any significance, but it unfortunately stuck with me throughout the entire movie. 

By the way that Lincoln acted I feel like this movie began to get really corny. He seemed like a typical young child who runs off to explore what he is strictly forbidden to do. He is represented as a human, even though the outside world thinks of him as a motionless sack of goop and organs. His ability to search for more, to go against the authority, and to set a plan into action shows he is more human than anyone could have imagined. I particularly like the quote that his ‘original copy’ said. He mentioned something about Lincoln being his insurance policy. However, it really was ironic when Lincoln was the one who out smarted the authorities into believing that he was the real Lincoln and living, while the ‘original copy’ was killed. This also showcases his human qualities. I just likes the idea that he outsmarted the ‘original copy’ when the entire movie before he was shown to be an immature and innocent clone.

I think that the idea of the lottery was awesome. What better way to engage and motivate people to be their best and work hard every day when there is a private island awaiting them? Although I thought this sounded like a cool place to go, I had an idea that it was too good to be true. I felt like this movie was a typical cliché utopian/science fiction movie, liked we had talked about in class. Flying motorcycles that Lincoln can suddenly drive really irritated me. Here was a character that had been so immature and oblivious to any real world situations that was now driving a powered flying vehicle and saving the world. What also really irritated me was the fact that he and Irene fell many stories only to survive miraculously. The use of technology did not irritate me as much. I was intrigued by the idea of the clones because I think that this is something people in our modern world would want to have. People want to stay beautiful. They also want to live as long as they can. With so many people getting cancer and being involved in accidents, I think that this idea of cloning for body parts would be something Americans would promote.

I think the real question when talking about cloning is the stand on moral beliefs. Is this clone a human? Is this clone an individual? It is a line that is unclear for many people, even in the movie. However, in the movie we see that perhaps these clones are more human and individual than first thought. If people did not think of them as such, why would the developers need to make the buyers believe the clones we unconscious and big blobs? People do want to be labeled as murderers. It’s a controversial issue that we may possibly one day see.

I could not stop thinking about the connection to 1984 that this movie had. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength”. All of the clones were told that they were free and safe from the contamination, when in reality they were being held captive underground from a world they were never meant to know. By the clones not knowing anything, they were safe from harm and confrontation with the leaders of the cloning organization. Lincoln chose to ask questions and longed to become knowledgeable. This created problems for him. He was a target then. In order for him to find peace and live the life that he always thought he had, he had to create war. Through the war that he went through, he was able to be free in another sense that he and all the other clones had never known. This was only achieved once they were all out of the utopia that had been created. I think the best part about the movie was that Lincoln lived and was able to fool the officials into believing he was the real Lincoln. He finally was able to find a place in a real world where he was accepted, and where he could think for himself.

 I was happy for all of the clones at the end. However, I already had predicted this would happen. I think that these clones are all going to have a hard time adjusting to this life. I think that the owners of these ‘insurance policies’ will get mad that their clones are running around trying to live normal lives. It would almost be worth seeing a sequel, but I’m not sure I’m ready to see the corny storyline of that either.

A final thought (maybe) from Gattaca

I heard on the radio the other day a commercial that made me think of Gattaca, and I wanted to share it. It was advertising for open enrollment for women to donate their eggs and men to donate sperm. It mentioned that screenings need to be done to show health and physical fitness. It also addressed the need to make a profile, so possible parents can pick the best candidate for their selection. This gives future parents the option of choosing an athletic build, blue eyes, blonde hair, or whatever their preference. I find this amusing since Gattaca is still fresh in my mind. Everyone wants to be able to pick the perfect child. What one person sees as perfect, another may not. But this is not the point. The point is that perfection is what people are longing to get. They want a child who will thrive. We are coming closer and closer to that day of genetically modifying our children. … God help us.

More on Gattaca

After yesterday’s class I thought a little more about the way Gattaca selected their candidates. I think that it is very similar to today’s requirements. Almost all places require a urine sample. This tests for drug use, obviously. I agree that this is probable cause to base a hire decision on. Not many reliable workplaces want an employee who does recreational drugs. I know I wouldn’t. In some cases if you have medically disabilities, such as recurrent seizures, you cannot hold positions in the army. I understand that they do not want someone firing a gun that is prone to seizures. If perhaps one day there would be someone who wants a child who can be a superior in the army, they could take advantage of what Gattaca has to offer and make sure they would have a child who is perfect in medical and physical backgrounds. I think that we have people that feel a lot of pressure to be perfect already, and if we keep putting labels of negativity on people due to their differences, then we are heading down a dark path. I work in a restaurant where the boss is so shallow, that when people come in to get a job as a waitress she first makes sure that they are ‘pretty’ enough and that they are ‘able to fit around all the tables’. Her motto is that if she is going to have a waitress that is out front for all customers to see, then that person will be attractive, with hair that is perfectly set and that they will be thin. She has even told people they cannot get a job out front because they don’t have ‘the look’, so she will offer them a job in the kitchen. It’s ridiculous. Meanwhile she would not be allowed to work as a waitress herself. Yes, these people they are hiring are an extension of someone’s business, but I think that some things should be left alone and ignored. I definitely think that we are living this version of Gattaca to the extent that we can. I know that if technology allowed it, people would jump at the idea to test all parts of a person before hire in any workplace.

Define utopia, Gattaca

Beware: This blog is long…

After watching Gattaca, I do not think that this is anything like I would define as a utopia. I only make my own definition based on what I have seen and read about in this class. When I think of a utopia I think of a world in which a group of people live as a community, which is isolated from another community in itself. I think that these people can either be chosen/forced to be a part of this utopia or they can go to this utopia willingly. It depends on the type of utopia that it is. I also think that these people live in the utopia and stay there, obeying the rules and laws that are enforced by a leader. The people who are living in the utopia are told they have capabilities to live freely, but they are always closely monitored by the authority. In some cases the community sees the authority, and in other cases they do not. The people who are a part of the utopia community work together to produce products that benefit themselves and keep them living in their utopia.

 My personal definition of utopia is much different. I think that anyone can imagine a perfect place where needs are met, comforts are prioritized, and luxuries are abundant. I think that utopia is a place where peace remains constant. There are always endless pits to every indulgence or necessity an individual could ever imagine. I also think that even within this place of satisfaction that there will inevitably become a desire for more. This is a common thread in all of the novels, excerpts, and films we have tried to understand so far. Even when a utopia is created and people are thriving, there will be a natural desire, perhaps even a natural need, to want more. This is something the human race cannot escape. If we look at those who have won the lottery for example, there is so many that win millions of dollars only to lose it a few years later. We think “oh how could they be so greedy?” or “how could they lose track of all the money they were spending?” but the thing is; they just wanted more. At what point can you have enough of anything? At what point do you think to yourself, “I’ve had enough of this life, now I want more of this kind of life?” People in their forties and fifties do it too. We have all heard of a mid-life crisis. These are the people that look at their life and think, “I don’t like where I am at. I like this other lifestyle better. I want more. I want change.” Even looking at the community of Twin Oaks, there were people who left the community. These people could not stay in their utopia forever. Maybe they didn’t agree with the rules or beliefs any longer, or maybe they needed to feel more independent.  So, with that I think that even though I have a definition of what a utopia would be like, I know that my definition of utopia cannot exist. This is because of the natural desire for humans to want more to life, even when they have anything they could want, need, or desire. We are creatures of habit, but we also are creatures that like to develop new ideas and make life easier for ourselves.

Now that I have rambled on about my ideas of utopia, I will get back to Gattaca and why I do not think that this is a utopian film. To me this movie showed a situation that could happen. I do not think a utopia is a possible place to live in and be a part of forever, if at all. This is a place that is advanced from where we are now. They are selecting gender of embryos, and hair color, as well as health conditions. This is not too far from where we are headed. People can already pick what eggs are placed with what sperm, and in some cases, I think they can try to pick gender. People go undercover all the time and pretend to be people they are not. I do not think they go to extremes that Jerome went to, both real Jerome and pretending Jerome. However, I do not know this for a fact. They could rub their skin off and use the blood of the person they are posing as. Anyway, I think that there are workplaces where someone would need a fingerprint identification to go into. People could come and go from Gattaca. There were rules here, but it wasn’t where they lived it was where they worked. There were also rules outside of Gattaca in the community. I think that Gattaca seems like a normal way of life to me. People get up, go to work, work hard every day to succeed at work, try to fulfill their dreams,  go home, go out with friends, sometimes break the rules, and eventually look for better opportunities. I guess I have a firm belief of what utopia means to me. When I think of it all I can think of is a place where people are given limitations and rules under careful surveillance. It is a place where people have no free will and appear to be stupid. In Gattaca, Jerome the pretender as I’ll call him was very smart. He did what he had to do to reach his dream. He was the one who was fooling the rest of society. Even though it appeared that he followed the rules, he did not. He was breaking the rules the moment he went in for the interview as Jerome and continued that way as he launched into space. He was a higher part of society because of who he was pretending to be and the job qualifications he had. The question is… if to some this is considered a utopia, then when will Jerome ever feel the desire that this place is not giving him enough? When he returns to earth after having fulfilled his dream, will he still pretend to be Jerome? I think he will continue to be Jerome because he has become Jerome, he loves Jerome. He has the supplies in order to live as Jerome for a while. What happens when that runs out? This perfect life that he was living will be gone. Then he will have to search for more. If there was such a thing as a utopia then it will be gone.

Gattaca reminded me of one of my favorite new shows, Revenge. This is a story about a girl who trades identities with a friend in order to get revenge on the people who led to her father being killed. When I watch this show, I also do not think it is a utopian setting that I would have used to define utopia. It was just about a person who does everything they can to get their one desire in life accomplished. Just when you think she has gotten revenge, she targets another person. If you were to say this is her utopia, then you could also realize that she constantly finds the desire to want more. This place of utopia is constantly revised, and to me that is not what a utopia is.

Although we have seen in our readings that there is commonly one person who has a desire to want more in a utopia, I think that a true utopian community never has that option. Like I said earlier, my definition of utopia is a place where all needs and wants are met, and there is peace. However, because there is commonly a desire to want more, utopia can never be achieved based on my definition.

Words:1310

My Thoughts About Brave New World

I have to first say that I did enjoy reading this book. Mainly because I like science-fiction type literature...or more likely science-fiction type movies. In any case, this book really wasn't something I took to heart. Yes, Huxley was trying to show his opinion of our future, but it doesn't appall me like some others in our class. To me, it is a piece of literature that someone created in order to make a good read. I do not necessarily take his words literally or feel offended in any way.

 That begin said, I do think that what he imagined happening has begun to happen in our society. The one thing that seemed to be most shocking was the idea of people being created in test tubes. I think that this is unfortunately very possible in our future. We already have people who are conceiving other people’s children and same sex couples having genetic-linked children through surrogates and donors. This is a huge political and ethical debate, which I am not going to get into. However, with technology and 'great' advances come some serious consequences and side effects. To me this is a great idea to help those that need it, but it is not a natural way. Things are bound to go wrong. We also have scientist working hard to clone animals. How long until they begin to clone people? What is going on now was not heard of one-hundred years ago... what will happen to our scientific and medical advances in another one-hundred years?

 The book also is full of characters that constantly run away from their problems and the truth. They use soma to escape the reality in which they live. This has become America to perfection. Everywhere you look people are getting surgeries to look or feel better, without having to do the 'hard work', or they are taking drugs or drinking alcohol to escape from their troubles. This is something I'm sure Huxley saw first-hand at the time he wrote this book, but it continues today and at an even higher rate. There are more pressures in our society to be the best, to be perfect, and to be better than the next person that sometimes people cannot keep up and are consumed with the 'soma' of their choice.

This book also touches on the thought that a government that controls everything is a slippery slope. If you ask me, that is exactly what our government wants here. They want complete control over everything, even though they already have much control. Is there any way to escape this? At times I feel like we are all living in a world that is someone else's utopia. We are all working hard every day, following the rules of the government, and having the privileges to the America life... but at what cost? Don't get me wrong I love living here in America. Lately, though it seems like freedom is a distant piece of our past as the government tightens its reins on us.

I also liked how Huxley brought John into the book. Here was a person who was unlike anything the society had seen before. He was a breath of fresh air, someone who made them think if there was something more than what they had. Many people in today’s society often question this same thing. Is there something more than what I have here? Is there life on another planet? Are there better opportunities for me in other places of the world? There is always that inner nagging question of bettering oneself. I think that it is human nature. Even in a utopia people are bound to search for more.

I think that I am pretty content with the life that I have. Although I do question the government and some of the radical ideas that are being presented with the technological advances, I am willing to hear about it and learn about it.

I think this book was unique and interesting, but I did not take it to heart. It is after all… fiction.

Word count: 680

You are speaking to me, More

I completely could relate to the beginning first few paragraphs. Page 6 he talks about how his whole day is devoted to others and by the end of the day there is nothing left for himself. I feel the constant pull of other things in my life and have no time to devote to myself. Full-time college, two part-time jobs, a child in kindergarten, a puppy, a horse, and keeping up with my own home... you can only imagine. Isn't it so true how time does go by so quickly. We surround ourselves with so many tasks that are required in order to get through the daily routines of life, but doing so we lose on so much.


I can understand how wonderful it must have felt for him to complete Utopia. He had been working on it for so long and interchangeably with so many parts of life that always seem to get in the way. These things aren't "bad" they are just things that keep us from consuming our lives with ourselves. Family is a big part in all of it. For some it is their jobs. That is why the doctor always tells the patient who just had the heart attack, "Go get rest and take time for yourself." It really is an important thing to do. So while I'm sitting here reading our new book, Utopia, I am using this time as "me" time...even though I really consider it homework time.

A World Where People Acknowledged One Another

So many times I have walked down the street or been in a crowded place just to find that everyone I pass is completely immersed into their own lives. Whether they are fixed to their phones, listening to their headphones, playing on their ipad, or are staring down at the ground, no one seems to understand the concept of real social interaction. As technology steadily becomes a bigger part of our normal lives, people are becoming less and less socially exposed to a real person. They rely on the use of technology to keep them connected to the world. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy the technology that is accessible and I think that it can be very beneficial to many people. I also have been guilty of walking down the street texting my friend before class, or checking my email. However, I also think that technology is isolating people in a way that will change the way future generations act in direct human interaction. People are not interacting with one another the way they use to. I think that it has made people seem less friendly and more selfish.
I think it is important for people to keep a face to face connection. You cannot truly know someone until you talk to them personally. I have taken online classes and posted to discussion boards, but it is not the same until you can meet the person face to face. Only then can you put a face to a name. I think that some people would argue that you do not need face to face interaction to stay connected to someone. That may work for some people for a limited time, but for me; I need face to face interaction. I am a people person and enjoy knowing someone based on the natural ways of communication. When you talk to a stranger on the street, even if it is to say hello, it can make that strangers day. Even eye contact and a smile can make all the difference. We are a species that has survived on the influence of others and the role of human interaction, and even in today's modern world we still need that.
I think a simple way to begin this simple act is to do it. Say hello to someone when you pass them on the street. If you are siting on a bus or metro, take time to start a conversation with another person. A lot of times people don't talk to one another because they think they have nothing to say to a complete stranger, but there is always something kind you can say. I think that I may come from a family that is small-town and friendly. So, this might be an easier task for me to understand than others. But it really is not that hard to do. It requires no effort on your part, just say hello. Try to walk down the street without checking your phone. You may make someones day, and it will open your eyes to the world around you. Not only are people missing out on conversations with one another, but they are missing out on the small pieces of life that are happening around them. I recently had a friend that was walking on a road when a severe accident occurred. Unfortunately she could not be a valid witness because she had been texting on her phone during the accident. She saw the aftermath, but not the initial reaction. Had she been enjoying the scenery around her, she may have been able to give helpful information into what occurred.
This would be a hard task to implement. There would have to be some kind of limit to phone, computer, headphone, ect use while walking and riding on the metro, buses, ect. Because these electronics have become such a crutial part of daily life for so many people, it would be equally as difficult to keep people following this limit. It could be issued like the law of tecting while driving. It would be a law, but people would still do it. They would know that doing it could be potentially dangerous, but the reasoning behind it is for the better.