My reflections, questions, and comments on the Black Mirror episode "Nosedive."
- This is awkward.
- They're rating people based off the stars the get on their pictures.
- Even business/employment is determined by your rating.
- One minor mistake or inconvenience could make you lose your rating.
- Breaking up friendships and family members.
- It's not about money anymore.
After watching the episode, we read two articles that relate to what had occurred. Both articles depicted how the "fictional future" is the "actual present." For example, in the Wired article, it talked about China's new experiment in social ranking. The exact application taking place in Nosedive besides the contacts to scan rankings at first glance. When the man wanted to ride a bike, his credit score was on the lower side, so he had to pay a deposit, whereas someone with a higher score would not have. "'The service “will ensure that the bad people in society don't have a place to go.”' It is crazy because, similar into Nosedive the people ranked low may not even be bad people, they just are not as fortunate as others. Wired proved another example in their article that was shown in the episode: “If your friends are all high-score people, it's good for you. If you have some bad-credit people as friends, it's not nice.” Although, China is basing people's ranks off of credit and not their social media photos, this scenario really creates a harmful atmosphere of unnecessary judgement. It will break up long-time friendships and family members and could even prohibit people from creating fulfilling relationships.
In the other article by Daily Mail we learn that China is scoring people off their behavior. Their practice is similar to monitoring consumer behavior, which typically would not be a bad thing. We understand marketing and wanting consumers to by products and be active in the economy, but what they are creating is manipulation. For instance, "Completing community service and buying Chinese products is thought to improve your social standing, which is given as a score out of 800. Those rated 'top citizens' get VIP treatment at airports, discounted loans, waived deposits on hotel and car rentals and fast-tracking to elite universities." Thus, people begin to compete with each other and develop a single-minded mindset. Even though it encourages people to go out, it will cause a shift in equality.
I can see some positive from both of these developments, such as knowing your credit and being productive, but both enable to much harm in the social world and I do not think it is something that should be adapted globally. Everything that took place in the episode made me worry about what is to come in the future. Lacie's addiction to her own ranking caused her to go crazy and it landed her in jail. But, honestly when she was in jail she looked the most at peace.
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