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MACHINE DREAMS

Alexei Taylor, Author

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The Optional Argument

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A similarly difficult question was posed during our class viewing of ‘The Matrix’ and that is: would we rather be live in the Matrix and be happy but ignorant, or suffer fighting for justice in the real world? Many of us said that we would be happier in the Matrix, even if it is an unnatural and unreal world. Not wanting to dwell for too long on what constitutes reality, it is Morpheus who states; ‘If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain’[9]. The importance of authenticity is challenged in ‘The Matrix’ and it is also something that can be challenged in ‘Black Mirror’, is Brooker’s reasoning for the portrayal of anxiety towards the grain technology is due to its authenticity within the context of the body, why should this matter?

David Hockney, with his book ‘Secret Techniques’ explores the use of the camera obscura in many works or arts and claims that the instrument that aids drawing has been used long before its expected use. However, Hockney does not choose to argue that many artists have been deceitful and have ‘cheated’, he merely resigns himself, and us, to the fact that the camera obscura is merely another tool in any respectable artists arsenal and is not responsible for a loss in ability but a wealth of beautiful artwork. Hockney takes the view that what is lost because of the camera obscura is merely inefficient, unnecessary and memory can be seen in largely the same way.
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