Section 1

Answer to the question No: 4

The Overrated Society

Nowadays people are more concerned about their outward appearance and popularity in

social media. People with popularity in their social Media are introduced as role models not

introducing them by their actual good work. If Contemporary society blames someone it should

be wrong. There is no chance of judging or clarifying the actual truth. Brooker and Jones

introduced the major issues in contemporary society in the episode called “Nosedive” in the

“Black Mirror” series. Judging without consent, quarreling and taunting had been used to satirize

the issues of contemporary society by high and low comedy.

People judged without their consent which is used by Brooker and Jones in their story.

They use it to clarify if something has done mistakenly there is no chance to clarify. In the

“Nosedive” episode the character Lacie mistakenly dropped the coffee that the other lady was

carrying. The lady got angry, rated low Lacie, and didn’t gave her a chance to clarify as she

apologized for not noticing but judged her without consent by saying “that’s great. Just great.’’

Which is used as high comedy.

Sometimes people quarrel when they don’t get what they deserve in return. Brooker and

Jones in their story threw light on the fact of quarreling as low comedy. As an example in

“Nosedive” episode, Lacie was asked for a charger in the bus stand and the person in the counter

didn’t help her and also gave her low rating and said, “Wasn’t a meaning encounter” but Lacie

quarrel because she gave him high rating and in return she had low.

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 In this contemporary society, people like to taunt each other without reason. Most of the

situations it is all about how a person is looking or dressed up. If someone doesn’t like what

others wearing, they start taunting and criticizing the person. As an example in the “Nosedive”

episode a person in the jail saying to Lacie that he doesn’t like her brassiere. In reply, Lacie

countered and said that she thinks the other person is looking like an alcoholic former

weatherman. Body humor is been used as a low comedy to clarify one of the issues of

contemporary society.

People start taunting when they don’t like something, quarrel, and judging without any

reason which are the major issues of contemporary society. We should avoid these to remain

happy and lead a peaceful life in society.

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 Answer to the question No: 3

Blue tiles forever

The sole purpose of our life is to be live a life with peace. Outward appearance can be

more attractive but inner appearance values the most. By creating a falsified image, values

money and wealth the most will not bring inner peace. It is the true self that brings happiness and

full of good memories that we live for. Alastair Reynolds explained, “Zima Blue” is a critique of

memory and choice. This is emphasized by self-enlightenment by creating a swimming pool,

serenity, and Passion through Zima’s action.

Zima finds his meaning after doing so many outstanding works. Finally, he found out that

creating the swimming pool is the thing he was looking for. For a long time, he was working for

people and finally found out the true meaning of his work. Zima said “I prepare myself for my

performance” which indicates that finally, he has found nirvana. Zima found out that who he is

and which part of life the purpose belongs and creating the swimming pool and blue tiles gave

him self-realization. Zima also explained the fact that the blue color meant so much to him and it

is taking over his art.

People create a falsified appearance for money and wealth. Alastair Reynolds explained

in this story “Zima Blue’’ which emphasized serenity through Zima’s action. Zima was working

for money and wealth which gave him popularity but not inner peace. Happiness can never be

calculated through money. Zima’s true calling made him realized that finally, he is having inner

peace. As an example, Zima said that he reminds by the photographic memory that he started as

a project to generation to generation but cleaning the swimming pool was the inner peace that he

founded by the work.

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 As an artist, Zima created many things that can astonish the world. But the passion that

he had for making the swimming pool was meaningful. Alastair Reynolds indicates passion

which emphasized by Zima’s action in “Zima Blue”. Zima said that the swimming pool he loved

to work in is his world and that all he knew and needed to know. In the end, for passion, he

became pure experience and surrender himself to the blue.

Inner appearances create more value. It helps Zima to find his own meaning of life and

follow his passion. It is all about a nostalgic memory and choice of a peaceful life.

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 Section 2
Amoure Propre Trip
People often do whatever they think is right and their egos got hurt. Mutual

understanding is very important in that case of ego and to resolve the problems between peoples.

Sometimes self-importance creates so much focus on individual life that what can be right for

others will be unseen. Ego can make a good thing going worse in terms of a conversation or

anything else. Alex Garland used self-importance in his film “Ex Machina” in every perspective

of the characters which bring up Ego. All three characters of the film having ego which

explained through testing, desire, and freedom.

Testing is one of the key factors of ego Nathan was having in the film. Nathan is an

expert in making AI in the film and he does whatever he thinks is right according to test the AI’s.

In that context, Nathan was testing both Caleb and AI called Ava. Nathan doesn’t care what

Caleb is thinking about the facts of an AI rather than Nathan was telling him to do what he

wanted to do. Nathan used cable’s search engine and matched the things while making Ava

determine the fact that Caleb is good as a candidate to run the Turing test. As an example,

Nathan said to Caleb that Ava doesn’t keep going in isolation as Nathan knows how to handle

things more than Caleb. Nathan used the AI’s and when he is done using or testing, he just

throws away the AI’s which is right according to him. He put all the feelings in Ava but don’t

allow her to go out and the test passed which symbolizes self-importance in the film.

Alex Garland in his film “Ex Machina” explained the fact of desire that when Caleb

meets Ava for the first time, he started falling in love with her. Caleb came to the researcher

center to help Nathan but instead of helping he focused more on Ava’s emotions. Caleb lied to

Nathan when asked what happens when there was a power failure. He hides the conversation

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between him and Ava during power failures. Nathan can’t let that happen that Ava will go

outside but Caleb’s ego got hurt and he did, in the end, release Ava for his desire. At the end of

the film, Nathan got to know that Caleb already hack the system and replaced it with releasing

the gates for Ava. Caleb said “I figured you were probably watching us during the power cuts.

So I already did all those things.” Caleb’s said that with anger as his ego got hurt and no matter

what or no matter what Nathan says he will release Ava.

In the film, the only thing Ava the AI was wanted is freedom and whenever Caleb or

Nathan told her that she cannot go out, her ego got hurt. She said, “What will happen to me if I

fail your test? “. Ava asked this with anger and her ego got hurt. Caleb starting falling love with

Ava and release her in the end but Ava only wanted her freedom and was faking his love for

Caleb. In the end, she did what she wanted and left Caleb alone.

Alex Garland explained in his film “Ex Machina” about testing, freedom and, desire in

terms of ego and forego at the end of death and being caged happened. By mutual understanding,

the situations can be controlled, and not giving ego the priority can make things better.