Simms - Technology vs. Humanity

What makes us human?

The movies we have dealt with so far have shown that technology can sometimes be more harmful than beneficial to the human condition. Sometimes it can lead to an individual feeling uncertain about their own humanity as technology becomes more advanced and it can definitely have an impact on their mental stability. In Akira, for example, we are given a character who has always felt like a victim most of his life, but is finally given the technology that will allow him to defend himself instead of needing saving. Tetsuo does not see the danger of so much power because he sees how he can change his identity to become the person he always wanted to be. Eventually, he loses both the physical appearance and personality that identified him. In the other anime, Perfect Blue, it is shown how sometimes who we are to others can affect how we view our identity. Technology has exposed Mima to a wide audience of people who judge her every move and action. The approval of these people who claim to be her fans threaten how Mima feels about herself because she is constantly changing to try to be who they want her to be. The stress of trying to figure out who she is (a pop star, actress, or just Mima) causes her to have a breakdown. Finally, Ghost in the Shell deals with the concept that our physical, human body is what is the most important part of our identity. I think that identity in Ghost in the Shell brings up the issue of, after so many cyborg enhancements, when does a person stop being human? The Major questioned who she was because one of her main purposes was to use her cybernetic body to serve her job. Section 9 was who created her, so it probably makes her whether she is her own person or who the section created. I think that all films show that everyone will question who they are and the type of person they are becoming at some point in our life. We all worry about losing qualities of ourselves that we believe makes us human. Even those around will impact how we feel regarding these issues.