Black Mirror and The History of Science Fiction

How does the Black Mirror look when viewed against yesterday's futures?
All third party clips are used under Fair Use.
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[@thevampirefrog06]

I always get frustrated when people say Frankenstein is anti-science, because it's not. It's anti-irresponsible science. The creature lives, he feels, Dr. Frankenstein's main sin is abandoning him.

[@dylanchouinard6141]

So, the moral of Frankenstein is “don’t be a deadbeat dad”?

[@ChrisMaxfieldActs]

@Liz Lee In fairness to Victor, the process and ethics of Science were in their infancy (at best) in that time. Everybody was winging it to one degree or another.

[@miss1of2]

@@dylanchouinard6141 ya basically!

[@binaryghosts5131]

People faint a lot in Frankenstein. I think the moral of the story is fix your blood pressure issues.

[@thrownstair]

What if science and too much and being a dick to the guy you made.

[@ringkunmori]

This whole time, Black mirror wasn't about "What if phone but too much" but "What if people but too much". That's some deep shit

[@thrownstair]

What if human capacity for cruelty, but with phones?

[@ElVindicto]

Currently hard at work producing Kyle's vapour-wave psycho-apocalyptic spoken word album. I'll keep y'all posted

[@representationmetaphorique]

"Mary Shelley: writer, cooler than Percy"

[@Rikku147]

erin h the titles beneath the author names were so on point.

[@evalore9498]

I, obviously, come here for the analysis, but I have to say I love when Kyle gets his acting on 💜

[@MaxMercuryAnonymous]

I appreciate you mentioning Douglas. It could have been easy to brush him aside as a social satirist, but not you! Because you are a man of thorough quality!

[@aaronbourque5494]

Kyle is a real hoopy frood.

[@mollymcdade4031]

I would disagree with his statement that Hitchhikers is all about a computer glitch. It's more about the failings of beurocracy and the silliness of trying to find meaning, with computers playing into that. But I love anyone who mentions Hitchhikers so I don't really mind.

[@mollymcdade4031]

Hitchhikers Guide: Everyone is silly and secretly no one knows what's going on Black Mirror: Everyone is either bad or naive and no one knows what's going on

[@daelen.cclark]

Even though I see and accept that view, I still prefer Hitchhiker’s view. Call that naive if you wish, but I use that to help keep a will to live.

[@voltairinekropotkin5581]

Long-story short: Technology is always a reflection of the society that creates it. So if we want to create better technologies, we first need to create a better society. A very socialist/anarchist sentiment.

[@NugicusStreetPhotography]

Good luck.

[@Posiman]

As a Czech and a huge fan of Karel Čapek (I've read almost all of his works, and always has a deep interest in his life story) I have to correct you, that he was NOT AN ANARCHIST. He was a deep humanist and a firm believer in representative democracy. He was one of the closest friends, allies and confidantes of T. G. Masaryk, the founding father of Czechoslovakia, our first president and a figure, who is still almost religiously venerated here. His message was not directed against capitalism generally (that's why he's shunned by many contemporary Czech left-wing intellectuals), he supported Masaryk in creating a capitalist society that Czechoslovakia was. His message was about staying human in face of every system that's trying to take your humanity from you. He vigorously fought against the rise of fascism and nazism, because of course he did. But he also despised marxism since he felt it robs workers from their simple everyday enjoyment of life, of their happiness, forcing them to be extremely serious and political about absolutely everything. His greatest work (The Mother) is about all the stupid reasons why men decide to put their lives in stake (and probably die), contrasting it something as simple, unimpressive, but (in his view) extremely important as the motherly love. The main thought is that mother does not care if the son died for the nation or for global socialism, perfecting the medicine, or just exploration. The mother just cares about not losing the son she loves. And you are absolutely right that he saw de-humanizing principles in capitalism as well, that's why he described them so well and described them so well, trying to counteract them as well as possible, but his philosophy (amazing philosophy) is way off anarchism...

[@Posiman]

Well, you can say that the same thought you describe as the main theme of the Black Mirror (and I completely agree with you) is the thought that Karel Čapek applied to great ideas, political systems and utopias of the time. You have to struggle for what you believe in, but you can never forget that you are human. And the people you struggle with are humans as well (with all the human shortcomings) and that the people you struggle against are humans as well (with all their humanly virtues). And ANY system that tries to rob you off this basic idea, is a system you have to tackle and question...

[@Kirkeyressa]

Any work whose reflection on modern technology (post 2010s modern) isn't just "cellphones are bad and A.I. is the devil, hm-kay?" instantly earns points from me.

[@megamage911]

Agreed. It needs to be more nuanced than that.

[@BrorealeK]

Then I guess you don't like Black Mirror.

[@UchayKaykay]

@@BrorealeK did you even watch the video? Why are you here?

[@lizg235]

@@UchayKaykay to be fair, season 5 became just that.

[@UchayKaykay]

@@lizg235 true Weakest season if you ask me. I don't mind that it's 3 episodes, but the show seems to be becoming more tame, and I wish it wouldn't

[@The_Lauren_Fox_Catalogue]

As a fan of HG2G, I can say its commentary on technology goes even further. There's a corporation in the series that made most of the technology, including AI and robots, called Sirius Cybernetics Corporation. But they're crap at it, to the point where their complaints department takes up whole planets. This is Adam's commentary on quantity over quality technological consumer products and maybe even planned obsolescence. It always pissed me off that the movie didn't get this :(

[@superanimenerd13]

How the hell did I not know about where the word robot came from? You'd think it'd be one of the things that's held up as a big deal thing like, "yo this guy came up with the word robot". I haven't read much science fiction but I knew Mary Shelley, Isaac Asimov, Douglas Adams etc. from cultural osmosis. Karel Capek created the word robot and I didn't know his name until watching this video. Why is that?

[@varana]

Not English.

[@Progressunlikely]

Anarchist. Shh!

[@Idran]

It's possible you just missed it? I've heard it brought up fairly regularly, myself; it could be that you just randomly happened to never encounter a reference to that fact and I randomly happened to encounter it often. Just one of those things.

[@broccolitakiween8058]

To make you feel better - Many czech people don't know this word origins from our classical author either. I knew this since I was a child, I come from well-read czech family, but when I came to high school and they told us about Karel Čapek, people were ruined. "Whaaat? Robot is a czech word?" So... yeah. Many people don't know that and that's ok. "Pistol" comes from czech language too as far as I know.

[@broccolitakiween8058]

@Tom Cummings I am pleased to hear Čapek helped you fall in love with science fiction literature. I am so glad to see names like Karel Čapek and Stanisław Lem. I bet you would also enjoy books from Strugatsky brothers. I fell in love with science fiction thanks to them, actually.

[@83croissant]

New Shaun, Contra, AND Kyle!!! Calloo calleigh oh frabjous day

[@blade6321]

And Lindsey Ellis!

[@83croissant]

Yesterday Hbomberguy posted his new soyboy video and I can die now

[@kaxamdays9540]

"Computer technology has brought us together, and for too many of us, we don't know how to be together." I've been trying to explain this concept for years, but could never do it as concisely and eloquently as this. Well done, Kyle. I always love your work.

[@orian57]

Oh metaphor shear. That’s a neat phrase.

[@Rikku147]

You've mentioned essentially every writer I've ever looked up to and through that have renewed my interest in Black Mirror. I think I'm gonna keep watching it. So I gotta say, amazing video. Also, tangentially related, but can I recommend The Girl Who Was Plugged In? Neuromancer is of course the beginning of the cyberpunk genre we know, but learning about proto-cyberpunk gave me such an appreciation for the development of the genre. I think you'd like it.

[@clancydr7211]

Well worth the wait, as always Kyle. Thank you again for your brilliant and creative insights. Hang in there!

[@theradiootaku2043]

This is one of my favorite video essays EVER and I've seen a lot. I love how much literature is incorporated, and the editing and directing is fantastic--especially love the "robot hands". BHH you're quickly one of my fav film video essayist out there! Please continue being you!

[@xingcat]

To me, Black Mirror is cynical in exactly the same way far too many times. The bright stories, or those with some hope tend to break it up, but not enough for me. It's always, "Let's follow the worst path with very little nuance," rather than, "What are the implications of this path from many angles." I guess I'm not as attracted by cynicism as the show is, which is fine. It's very well-produced, but I would like to see a show that follows the humanity of the Twilight Zone style more often than the Animal Farm cynicism of, "Society will always ruin everything."

[@meko98743]

Exactly. That's why San Junipero is my favourite. Because it felt like the only time we, as an audience were allowed to make up our own mind about the implications of the technology.

[@ghelik1890]

For me the problem with Black Mirror is that everyone is horrible. There is not a single redeaming character in the first 3 seasons except for that one guy who was backpacking and needed cash after his everything was stolen. I understand what the series is trying to do, but, with no relatable character, with noone you can say: yeah, this poor guy was screwed through no (that much) fault of his own, I don't really think the point comes across.

[@masonflatt4734]

are we supposed to relate or feel a commonality with these people? I mean don't get me wrong I despise unlikeable characters (its why I hate the new series "end of the f*****g world" just a bunch of awful people who deserve to be punched) but I feel like black mirror is trying to show us just how alien we can all be from one another. repetitive? yes without a doubt but I feel like they're trying to hammer home the same point with multiple examples. random side note, who keeps comparing the twilight zone to black mirror? call me a fanboy if you like but the twilight zone is above most modern television (at least the original series) Rod Serling made stories that could be their own philosophy courses and could be interpreted a hundred different ways. as cool as black mirror is, it always felt like a guided tour down the garden path whereas Twilight zone drops you into this world of starry-eyed wonder and says "figure it out for yourself".

[@xingcat]

Those two are the bright spots I mentioned. I'd like to see more of that type, or things that are a little less thoroughly bleak more often, but I know that's a big selling point of the series, so it's just not for me most of the time.

[@SB-xz5yn]

And I think that is a major misunderstanding of the series theme, as mentioned by Kyle in his video. Black Mirror isn't about technology gone mad, it is about people gone mad in a world that doesn't stop them. Technology is just a tool, it's people committing evil deeds, and that's what I like about Black Mirror. It steps away from "Technology will be the end of us" towards a "Unawareness will be the end of us". All the technology in Black Mirror can be used for good and evil, it's just that humans abuse it far more often. A real world example (on the way of becoming sth like a BM tech) would be Twitter. It's a wonderful tool for communication and connection, but it also harbors a dark side and is abused way too often.

[@NemesisTWarlock]

Dude. Kyle. Y'all just legit made me tear up and get emotional at the end of a TV show analysis. Damn.

[@representationmetaphorique]

San Junipero......my whole ass bisexual heart

[@shadowwwwwwwwwww]

for real tho!!!

[@heathercalun4919]

I've REALLY wanted Kyle to do a video about the Portal video games, but there's no way to send requests through his Patreon. Although after this video, it almost feels like such an essay would be redundant. Pretty much everyone can agree Portal and Portal 2 are instant classics, but I see a poverty of discussion on its strengths as not just a video game, but a work of art. Especially as a masterpiece of science fiction. I've tried several times to write an essay myself about everything in it that resonated with me. But the problem is Portal doesn't exactly have a thesis like these other works of scifi; it's closest to Douglas Adams, being less of a grand statement and more of just a structurally disjointed tour through all of the well-established scifi tropes and themes coated in a thick layer of black humor. By the time you reach the turret opera, it feels like the story has formed some kind of cohesive whole in what it wants to say, but if you try to apply standard literary analysis practices towards defining the content of that cohesive whole, you find you can't. At least I couldn't. The game is kind of about choice and it's kind of about mortality and it's kind of about God and it's kind of about Prometheus and it's kind of about power and it's kind of about capitalism and it's kind of about sexism and it's kind of about objectification and it's kind of about violence and it's kind of about human insignificance and it's kind of about human obsolescence and it's kind of about the quest for enlightenment and it's kind of about a million other things. But it's really about how all of these concepts are interconnected, so it's very hard to write an essay about one theme without diverging off into trying to discuss all the others. The only unifying aspect of the game is that no matter the subject matter of the scifi lens, there's always a joke to be made at its expense.

[@scaper8]

As someone that has had similar feelings in regards to the deeper "message" of the _Portal_ franchise, I think you're closer to having a coherent essay on the topic than you think.

[@heathercalun4919]

Maybe I just need a partner. Going off on a million tangents was always my Achilles heel whenever it came time to write my term papers for Lit class, and as I've explained Portal is especially challenging in this area. But maybe if I worked with someone with a different set of strengths and weaknesses, I'd finally be able to crank it out. Interested? Even if we never wrote a book, it would still be nice to have someone to talk to about this. You can contact me [e-mail]

[@AngelichuXD]

I thought the theme of portal at least about aperture science is how more often then not capitalism funds science more then the idea of science itself. And only things of interest to capitalism remain funded and then become abused and corrupt because the foundation is coming from a bad place in the first place. like the turrets were made for home security but cheaply and haphazardly made . They ultimately were used against humans and the people who created them .

[@heathercalun4919]

That's definitely a part of it, but then that theme is supplanted by the later developments in the story. After GLaDOS takes over, money stops being an object. It's sort of like the momentum of Aperture's trend of dehumanization continues after the capitalism that started it has been erased. Why exactly do you think GLaDOS experiments on and kills people? I always assumed she was programmed to synthesize some sort of insight into the human condition, and the testing was a commentary on how psychology, the study of human nature through a scientific lens, can ironically be dehumanizing. I'd really like to do at least a podcast or something. Anyone interested should email me.

[@Daughter_of_Stories]

I think it's almost less capitalism than "violence and dehumanization beget violence and dehumanization." Aperture seems less about "do science to make money" than "do science to be cool"-- without caring about the consequences. It goes back to Frankenstein, both the hubris -- or, as another work put it, "they were so busy asking if they could, they never stopped to ask if they should" -- and the lack of empathy -- but a cyclical lack of empathy. GLaDOS' body is violated, she responds by killing those who violated her--but then turns around and dehumanizes Chell in turn. Chell responds by attacking GLaDOS' body again, literally tearing her to pieces. In Portal II, Chell tries to protect herself from GLaDOS by giving power over to Wheatley who, as a personality core created specifically to sabotage GLaDOS, represents her mental violation. Wheatley turns against both characters, but this forces Chell and GLaDOS to work together, and GLaDOS then frees Chell. So this empathy breaks the cycle of violence, dehumanization, and abuse--yet this is all set against the backdrop of a world conquered and enslaved by aliens, lending a sense of futility to the entire endeavor.

[@JenCoYT]

Been a big Brooker fan for many years. To me the show, of his, that is the most obvious precursor to "Black Mirror" is "Nathan Barley". It's one of my favourite shows from that time and now looking back the themes and what he was trying to say are so similar. Like the whole 1 season of Nathan Barley is like the first ever episode of Black Mirror

[@TickTockTimeTraveler]

Can you do audiobooks? Loving it lol

[@Felixicity]

This was a super interesting episode. I have a tough time watching black mirror more than one episode at a time spread out far enough--I find it deeply uncomfortable and depressing to watch, but the ideas it has are fascinating as well, so it's nice to hear the SF history that came before it, and what sort of concepts it's building on. I got a bit lost when you introduced metaphor shear--while I got *what* it was, that was mainly because I'm familiar with programming so could quickly grasp onto the concept. But then immediately you started talking about how black mirror plays with that and since it's not a concept that you had just introduced, I kept having to pause and go look at what the definition was again, and then try to keep that in mind every time you used the word. I feel a little more space to absorb the concept could have been useful. Thank you again for making the video!

[@scaper8]

One thing that I thought was genius when I found out about it was the title. The show is about technology, how we change it and how it changes us, how we relate to it and how we relate to each other and ourselves through, via, and because of it. The title relates to that because, well, look at your phone, TV, or computer with the screen off; they're _black mirrors_ . Further, because they are mirrors, but black, they don't reflect back normally, but they reflect darkly back on ourselves. So simple, but so brilliant.

[@what7287]

Damn by far the best black mirror analysis i have seen. Keep it up.

[@disenchanted987]

I feel that you've captured exactly how I feel about Black Mirror but could never articulate. Followed you for years (online anyway) and each new vid reaffirms why you're still one of my favourite essayists. Cheers, Kyle!

[@williamfrederick9670]

One of the best channels out there, please never stop making videos

[@MarioRossiAncora]

You usually show me a lot of new stuff, which is already an amazing thing, but this time was different. I knew all of the authors and most of the points of view presented, but the main thesis of the video completely changed how I judged some episodes... the ones that I labeled as "the obvious ones". Thank you!

[@colonelweird]

Do more videos about Harlan Ellison please. His stories deeply affected my adolescence circa 1980. For instance I stopped watching TV almost completely for about 15 years after reading Strange Wine. And his "Harlequin" story (first read in a comics adaptation gloriously illustrated by Alex Nino) introduced me to resistance, Thoreau, civil disobedience, nonviolence.

[@TheThisIsMe2010]

Just wanted to say your analyses are always a delight to see in my subs. I'd have never considered watching most of the stuff you talk about if you hadn't done videos about it, and your videos themselves are really well done. ✌️

[@ellisrell1704]

this video was amazing and i’m so glad i decided to click and give this channel a try. i definitely first watched black mirror first assuming it was a “oh no technology bad teens don’t know what books are” kinda thing. i still really enjoyed watching it though. now i’m really excited to watch some episodes again, with your thoughts on it in mind. thanks!

[@waspor8208]

Fantastic as always, but I'm surprised that a video on Sci-Fi didn't mention Ghost in the Shell in any way. Hundreds of writers and directors cite it as a major inspiration.

[@Moglidor]

Jacob Bumpus To be fair, Ghost in the Shell did take some inspiration from Neuromancer, and maybe Kyle wanted to talk more about the progenitor of the idea rather than the newer version.

[@lettuceprime4922]

Ghost in the Shell is itself a derivative of some pretty obvious inspiration - Neurmancer & Bladerunner, themselves inspired by Kubrick and Metropolis and Asimov and Ellison and K. LeGuin. The rabbit hole goes ever down. I can only thing of the Matrix as a story that really borrows from GitS. Would Akira be another or was that more a contemporary? I'm completely unfamiliar with that one.

[@Fhaolan]

Akira predates Ghost in the Shell by seven or so years, going by their original manga publish dates. *Technically* Akira predates Neuromancer by two years, but given the need for translations and the like, any similarity in themes is more a symptom of culture than any deliberate act.

[@geneirai]

ok kyle I am absolutely ADORING the performance of your readings, much better then dry readings!

[@varana]

I really appreciate any analysis of SF that cares more about the human side of it instead of technology. Also, congratulations on the editing and production of this video. This was an impressive step.

[@jeremyadler9620]

Great video, Kyle! While I don't watch Black Mirror, I do appreciate the stories it tells us. There's always an important message in the episodes that we should take away from it. That's GREAT science fiction. On a different note, I've been wondering about this years Shakespeare Month and wanted to give a few possible suggestions for videos. Maybe the theme this year is how Shakespeare is portrayed in TV shows. One is maybe looking at how Shakespeare is portrayed in Doctor Who, like The Shakespeare Code. Another is Blackadder, like you were wondering about last year. Lastly, and the one I've been thinking about the most, is Horrible Histories/the movie Bill. For those unfamiliar with the show, it's a British family comedy show, based on books by Terry Deary, that's about history and how it really happened, but it's told in a HILARIOUS way! The Shakespeare parts are really interesting and funny to watch and I'd be very interested in hearing Kyle's view on it. If there's any other suggestions out there, I'd be very curious as to what they are. The movie Bill is apparently about William Shakespeare in his "lost years" and is done by the same people who did Horrible Histories. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm really eager to at some stage. Sorry if this came out of nowhere. It's just something I've been thinking about for a while and wanted to ask you if you'd give it a thought. If you have other options already planned, just ignore mine and go with yours. Keep up the great videos :)

[@WillSchwartzz]

This might be my favorite video essay on KZbin. Subscribed.

[@MetaSynForYourSoul]

Kyle is so awesome the way he can comprehensively talk about a show without spoiling it. I feel like I know everything about Black Mirror and yet nothing about Black Mirror all the same time. Great job Kyle. I will be adding this show to the list of things to watch now. Thank you.

[@KotteKun]

I really thank KZbin's algorithm for recommending me this video. I really liked your analysis, it was a joy; specially since I'm dedicating my summer's vacation to reading science fiction for the very first time. Great work, you've earned a new subscription :)

[@aadityabhattacharya]

OK this is Kyle's best video in a long time 💗💓 Love ur work keep it up my friend

[@MarkFilipAnthony]

Sick, that Mike drop at the end of the video. I love this! THIS is the most important message for anyone who feel lost and disconected

[@ameliawyeth]

Beautifully put together probably my favorite black mirror video essay in an long time!!

[@Titleknown]

A good ep, tho I wonder also about how this squares FilmCritHulk's article on the series, on how the key mistake of the series is how Brooker himself makes those failures of empathy you speak of, IE how a lot of its critique comes from a very priveleged place. Tho, I will say, another friend of mine hates this series because it's all pessimism all the time, and I personally don't think we need pessimism in our sci-fi, but rather hope. If only to inspire us to both societally and scientifically tackle the shit like global warning and a post-work future. Here's hoping Peele's apparently-announced Twilight Zone revival at least brings some of the tenatively-hopeful humanism of Serling back...

[@animeotaku307]

Agreed; both optimisim and pessimism is important. But I feel that too much pessimism is one of the problems with Black Mirror (and why I stopped watching). If you keep going down the dark and bleak path, people stop caring.

[@Titleknown]

Indeed! And Legalassassin, if you want good epssimistic sci-fi; check out The Protomen if you haven't already! It's amazing sci-fi and amazing music!

[@VTPPGLVR]

THANK YOU!!!! Oh my gosh, Phelous uses a recurring joke “he has no *part* and he must *action which necessitates that part*,” and I was wondering where he had to have gotten that from! Thank you so much for answering this nagging question with the mention of “I Have no Mouth and I Must Scream”!

[@Lucholosabe]

Lindsay and Kyle again uploading videos the same day! Thanks for grace us with this joy and wisdom :)

[@TolkienOtaku]

For some reason, this reminds me of the opening to Anna Karenina, of all things. I think it was your "a new way to be cruel" line that sparked the connection for me. All kind people are all alike; every cruel person is cruel in their own way.

[@iamtheemceeusee]

Kyle... wonderful job once again. freaking beautiful and finding so many lovely resources I can't wait to explore! well done!

[@MegaFatcat101]

Wow, just a fantastically put together video Kyle, well done!

[@Inlelendri]

I am always left, after watching a Kyle Kallgren video essay, feeling like I've gotten wiser and gained a better understanding of things I knew already and things I didn't know about at all, which is wonderful, but at the same time, I have the feeling that I know so very little, which is saddening and yet...drives me on, in a way.

[@zed1991el]

"...and because Capek was an anarchist, the robots revolt" seems a questionable choice of words in that it could feed into a common misconception regarding anarchists(that being that anarchists just want chaos). This was, in all likelihood, not the intent, but I think it is an important distinction to be made.

[@jakubegermajer9841]

... and Čapek was never an anarchist. Politically he combined social liberalism with democratic socialism, but he was above all a humanist. That's why the inhuman humans of R.U.R. are punished by the robot revolt

[@RedMageUltra]

Great video! Love the analysis and the acting bits are always a plus (would be cool to hear Kyle recite AM’s hate speech, among others lol)

[@DontLeaveTheGardenerWithTheDog]

Thanks for the Kyle. Your perspective on black mirror and exploration of sci-fi is eye opening. Keep it up, proud of you.

[@SonofMrPeanut]

Anyone who enjoys Hitchiker's Guide: I recommend you check out Venus On The Half-Shell, written by Phillip Jose Farmer under the name Kilgore Trout. It was published in 1975 and has a similar spirit to HGttG, though it's a bit more pulp-y about it. FYI, it has the greatest Chapter 1 I've ever read in my life. One page, but that's all it needs.

[@brendanrouth3807]

“Brooker’s tech isn’t broken. His people are.” Literal. Fucking. Goosebumps.

[@larzarusgrand5830]

Great video and analysis! I loved the use of Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand) during the ending. Is it me, or has that song become the unofficial Black Mirror theme song?

[@lizawithazed]

I know the captions on all the Sci-fi writers are jokes but I'm now fearful a bunch of people are going to start confusing Heinlein with Hubbard.

[@sockmarionette4698]

Harlan Ellison will sue and it'll all come out in court.

[@ConvincingPeople]

It's a reference to the bet Heinlein made with Hubbard that led to the creation of Dianetics, if you're not familiar. It's a good story. Harlan Ellison has talked about it, seeing as he was friendly with them at the time.

[@ELLIOTTA]

this was brilliant from start to finish

[@slashandbones13]

While certain details get altered and adjusted for their times, core messages remain about war, fear of the other, both our better angels or the devil on our shoulder, etc.

[@snowcherryleopard]

As a sci-fi admirer I absolutely love the format of this video even if I haven't gotten around to properly watching black mirror yet

[@ANIpJs]

An absolutely fantastic video and the point at the end got me really think about the harm that can be done when a man is rendered into nothing more than some text on a screen (I may have been going though some issues recently taht relate to that topic)

[@DeconTheed92]

First of all, bless you for paying a quick nod to Brooker’s non-Black Mirror work. I grew up watching his various Wipe series’ (and I still contend that How TV Ruined Your Life is at times darker then Black Mirror, fight me nerds), so even a brief mention in a wider context is nice. Secondly; “Writer, Nerd, PM Pig Prophet” Heh. Nice.

[@JosephPage]

New video from Kyle, from Lindsay, from Shaun, from Contrapoints, another from Hbomb in the works, WHEN WILL IT STOP

[@VertigoDefinitivo]

I'm not a big fan of Black Mirror (I think its message tends to be too cynical and simplistic), but the video is great nonetheless. It makes me wanna read some good ol' science fiction classics and that's always a good thing.

[@ThePrimevalVoid]

What an amazing video. This probably sounds cliched, but you deserve more views, subscribers, etc.

[@buckleygeneration]

I really love your voice acting in this.

[@oddtail_tiger]

Oh my God, THANK you so much for the video. It's so tiring for people to sum up Black Mirror (jokingly, as the case may be, but still) as "what if technology, but BAD?" or a variation thereof. Most episodes of Black Mirror are so obviously about how we use technology and how we can use it against one another. The villain in most episodes is either a mob of some sort, or slightly less often - people in charge who abuse their power. There are episodes where technology "does" bad things to people, but for the most part, it does exactly what we told it to do. There is no machine error or glitch or malice of an AI. The horrifying part - I would argue, just like in real life - is not seeing something unimaginable happen, but seeing something we've imagined and kinda wanted to happen, done with terrifying efficiency. Which is fitting, seeing as doing things easier and on a larger scale has been the POINT of technology since the first moment our distant ancestors poked something with a stick tailor-made for the task.

[@biblegirl]

Finally did a binge of blackmirror so I let myself finally watch this video. Great analysis

[@Supermunch2000]

Someone also watches Extra Credit's new show.

[@KyleKallgrenBHH]

Guilty! They're doing some great work.

[@slashandbones13]

I just watched "The Shape of Water" and Kyle saying " the orinigal science fiction tragedy" went through my head.

[@bradsavvy3744]

Your writing is the best kind of poetry to my ears.

[@MrMorphine482]

Re: Snow Crash, still holding out hope for Altered Carbon, but yes. I'm working out how to grasp the concept of metaphor shear, but I think it's something I've been trying to put words to for years. The Black Mirror episode seems to frame it as the realization of cruelty towards other human beings, or the realization of a mistake where you recognize that you are the only one to possibly blame without outright lying to yourself? I'm curious if you see this as more of a reaction of shame, or the realization of a flawed system? I suppose it could also be both?

[@seonaidhkennedy6784]

Gotta acknowledge Percy Shelley's revisions to Frankenstein in the later edition; you can compare the original 1818 version with the update in some printed editions.

[@grkpektis]

You should read the book Daemon by Daniel Suarez, it feels like a great Black Mirror episode and it even predicted Gamergate in a way. It shows what would happen if real life was like a video game (specifically RPGs) and it's a nightmare world. There's an AI but it just gives people the tools to do horrible things the AI itself is not evil it is trying to help people.

[@spiderlime]

this presentation, which is very well done, illustrates that in the history of fiction, writers adapt ideas that appeared earlier. however, that in itself isn't a bad thing, since each variation is valid, depending on it's own specific components.

[@Shadowguy456234]

5:50 It's funny how I already made the connection to that word... girl I'm dating is Slovak and I went to visit her family back home, and I heard her dad mention "roboty" - of course when I said "you have robots?" she had to explain what it actually meant :) (Czech and Slovak are almost the same language, for those keeping track)

[@phantomfan6966]

This is exactly why it always drives me crazy when people say that Black Mirror is a fear mongering show that boils down to “computer bad”. It’s not the technology that’s portrayed as inherently evil; it’s the people that use it.

[@DavidMacDowellBlue]

We dwell bound with chains of fear and desire, yet in compassion entwined in loyalty we walk, we run, we dance, and sometimes we fly.

[@mildetryth]

You and Lindsay at the same day! I thought Christmas had already passed? Thank you for your insightful look.

[@catbot158]

Oh and I liked the video! Looking back at the history of sci-fi is always fascinating!

[@rftt6y7tr]

Not how technology hurts people but how people hurt people

[@eringoblah]

This nearly brought me to tears. Thank you.

[@noticias6111]

0:30-1:03 What I would not like to happen to my mental health, when I move out.

[@fafofafin]

I loved this video, but I thoroughly dislike Black Mirror. You're absolutely right about what it does, but to me it is indulging rather than condemning, or perhaps enjoying the condemnation a little too much. I hate when shows paint people in general as horrible. It's unrealistically cynical, and therefore lazy.

[@Tine_of_Nice_Dreams]

I really liked this take. I've heard people simplify Black Mirror down to "Hurrdurrr computers bad" and that didn't jive at all with what I saw in the first three episodes. I haven't watched more yet since it's always a heavy dose and I'm not always in the mood. But I do like having that powered-off screen, the black mirror held up to see often ugly and difficult qualities of myself and be made to think.

[@brigs4092]

This was wonderful. Thank you! Can you add lists of the books you reference? I only have read half of them and want to add the rest to my reading list.

[@4dultw1thj0b]

Ahhhh that end got me in the heart.

[@OmegaSoypreme]

I actually had no idea Charlie Brooker made black mirror! I’ve heard of it but never seen it! Looks like I have something new to watch!

[@TheSugarRay]

I bang on about empathy a lot on my KZbin channel and to my friends and they think it is a limiting subject because they don't understand it. I had dismissed Black mirror because I did think it was just blaming the cell phone or tv.

[@VTimmoni]

This is another powerful video. Well done again.

[@LostInEchoesFin]

Brilliant, best analysis of Black Mirror I've seen yet.

[@DaviASRocha]

Your work is marvelous! Keep up! Greetings since Brazil!

[@extblues]

"Better at 'Shadowrun' than you." Certainly one of the more *challenging* RPG's available (for both players and GM's, on quite a few levels) out there for sure...

[@QuetzalOvejasElectricas]

Fantastic! And Mary is sure cooler than Percy.

[@acecat2798]

If anyone is interested in more romps from input to output, I recommend "The Sirens of Titan" by Kurt Vonnegut, which has a hilarious yet devastating occurrence of it.

[@ariellakahan-harth8831]

Fascinating video, Kyle!

[@sykoelf]

This was a very well done video and analysis. Good stuff, thanks.

[@CourtneyCoulson]

I love this so much, also how the hell did you fit all this into 20 minutes?

[@goose7723]

Ayyy, I would buy an audiobook if Kyle read it. He's gooooooood at it

[@Crysta11ize]

“Technology had brought us together and for too many of us, we don’t know how to be together” GODDAMN, kyle, goddamn