Ground Control Major Tom - Dead Man Review

 

Review

Congratulations, if you are reading this, we have made it to the end of the semester! Dead Man has much to explore regarding our identities and the forces at play that continue to shape how we occupy space. The film is conveniently set in the backdrop of the American West at the peak of its territorialization. With fur trappers and white men abundant, the film explores not only the reterritorialization of the West but also William Blake’s identity. 

The protagonist, William Blake, undergoes quite a transformation throughout the film. Initially, we meet him as a timid accountant, but as he journeys through the American West, he takes on a new identity as an outlaw. This shift in identity parallels the process of reterritorialization, where existing roles and identities are broken down (deterritorialized), and new ones are formed (reterritorialized). The scene that signifies the crux of this transformation is when Blake is involved in a gunfight where he kills a man and is wounded. He becomes a fugitive on the run from a formidable crew of bounty hunters. This moment marks the beginning of Blake's transformation. His accidental killing of a man and subsequent flight from the law symbolizes a forced deterritorialization from his previous life and identity. His subsequent journey with ‘Nobody’ becomes the space where his reterritorialization occurs, reshaping his entire personhood. 

In addition, Nobody’s introduction is a pivotal scene in the film. Leaning over William to cut out the bullet lodged in his chest, we immediately are met with Nobody’s disdain towards his colonizers with the line ‘stupid fucking white man’. Nobody is the primary driver of Blake’s shifting identity by providing Blake with a new cultural and spiritual framework. The frontier, away from the structured society of Machine, allows for an overhaul of Blake's identity, guided by Nobody's beliefs and teachings.

Reaction

Honestly, I still don’t know how I feel about the movie. Dead Man was a strange and slow film that has me still thinking. It almost felt as if it got more pleasure from thinking about itself than providing a clear arc. Maybe that is the whole point? Yet, it provided an interesting jumping-off point for thinking about identity and the many ways ours are shifting. 

During the lectures, the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was mentioned, which provided a helpful reframe for me. Considering that I like it much more than Dead Man, it was a useful guidepost for thinking about identity and territorialization. Mitty parallels Dead Man in its exploration of territorialization through the transformation of its protagonist. Both films depict journeys that take their characters from controlled, limiting environments into expansive, transformative spaces, leading to profound personal reinvention. Walter's journey led him to become more confident, adventurous, and connected to the world around him. His transformation was evident in his newfound courage and willingness to take risks, all to the tune of David Bowe’s Space Oddity. 

All this is to say, both films made me think about the ‘midlife crisis’ that has come to haunt middle-aged men everywhere. Joking aside, both films feel like crisis movies to me and the identities we tool in their aftermath. A midlife crisis often involves re-evaluating one's life choices, achievements, and identity. This re-evaluation can be seen as deterritorialization, where previously stable territories (such as career, relationships, and personal values) are questioned and disrupted. “As Deleuze and Guattari write, "we are always afraid of losing ... the great molar organizations that [sustain] us, the arborescences we cling to, the binary machines that give us a well defined status ... the system of overcoding that dominates us” (Wallin, 2010). When you lose that, what do you have but a red Corvette and a young girlfriend? 

Analysis

It is no coincidence that the film takes place in the American West as the frontier was being settled and industrialization was taking form. Vast swaths of wilderness were being transformed into towns, railroads, and industrial sites, all representing the process of territorialization. What better way to explore identity than in the backdrop of the territorialization of the American West?

The process of territorialization in Dead Man involves establishing boundaries between the wild and the civilized. The town of Machine, for instance, represents a space where rules, roles, and hierarchies are enforced. Which is telling, considering we meet a town in disarray in the first scene; however, when compared to the lawlessness we are introduced to in the frontier, the occasional sex work feels rather banal. The frontier operates on its own set of rules, where Blake is forced to adapt to a new role as he transitions from a passive character to an active one. 

In addition, the film explores the clash between cultures, namely Native Americans and European settlers. Dead Man uses ‘Nobody’ to explore territorial boundaries and cultural practices, in contrast to the white settlers, often leading to conflict and resistance. The interactions reflect the dynamic nature of territorialization, where different groups contest and negotiate their spaces and identities. At its core, the film rests on “the compulsion to secure land or the ‘territorial temptation’ is grounded in the fact that territory remains a zero-sum scenario. Following the division of the entire world's land area into sovereign states, any territorial gain by one state logically means a territorial loss for some other state” (Diener &Hagen, 2009). Following this logic, the settlers' attempts to impose their norms and control over the land are met with resistance from the Native Americans, who are fighting to maintain their own ways of life. This dynamic illustrates the dual processes of deterritorialization (displacement of native peoples/practices) and reterritorialization (imposition of settler norms).

In summary, Dead Man uses its setting and characters to explore themes of territorialization, showing how spaces and identities are constantly shaped, contested, and transformed in the context of the American frontier. 

References 

Diener, A. C., & Hagen, J. (2009). Theorizing borders in a ‘borderless world’: Globalization, territory and identity. Geography Compass, 3(3), 1196-1216.

Wallin, J. J. (2010). Deleuzian approach to curriculum : essays on a pedagogical life. Palgrave Macmillan.

Identity Thief Review

 

Review

Identity Thief made me think a lot about the artifacts that represent who we are. From Social Security numbers to credit cards and driver's licenses, plastic carries much weight. The scene that jumps out at me is the intro, where this power dynamic is fully displayed. Right out of the gate, we meet Diana, or more like it, the many versions of Diana and her copious number of ids and credit cards in tow. Licenses from Florida to Colorado litter her room with fake names to match. Gazing at the dozens of fake driver’s licenses she has hung up on the wall reminded me of the one common denominator: Diana’s face. While names, states, and addresses were all up for grabs, the only constant was her face. 

Faciality, as described by Deleuze and Guattari, plays a significant role in how authority and surveillance operate in modern society. The face becomes a key identifier, a surface on which power dynamics are projected and maintained. “ Faciality also produces the world he or she moves in and through. It produces modes of being through certain assemblages of power” (Austin & Rouse, 2022). 

Identity Thief smartly uses this concept by showcasing the fluidity of identity. Diana's ability to assume multiple identities by changing her appearance and using forged documents underscores how faces can be manipulated to fit different social roles and expectations. Her face, when combined with the appropriate social signals (name, age, address), allows her to navigate various social systems without detection. 

Diana's various disguises and manipulations illustrate the fluidity of identity. While her face is initially a tool for deception, it also reveals vulnerability and a backstory that humanizes her. This aligns with Deleuze and Guattari's idea that the face can both conceal and reveal deeper truths about an individual.

Reaction 

In the name of honesty, this movie is very forgettable. I didn't love it when it came out and have come to the same conclusion this time. Putting my grievances aside, watching it using the lens of theory as an anchor has been interesting. It also has me paranoid. Identity theft is a lot easier to get away with in a post-globalized society. “As of 2021, about 1 in 5 persons (22%) had experienced identity theft in their lifetime” (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2023). Hello - that is a lot of people. I would imagine that the reporting is missing the mark for the actual numbers. Fraudsters are given an edge because victims are less likely to report due to the shame and embarrassment that can accompany fraud. “Older adults are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are too ashamed at having been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed. Elderly victims may not report crimes, for example, because they are concerned that relatives may think the victims no longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs” (MyCreditUnion.gov). All of this makes me think back to societies of control and the mechanisms that can be used to silence people. Shame is an excellent secret keeper.

In addition, Identity Thief reminds me of the concept of ‘dividuals.’ In a sense, we are all recognized as vehicles for data. I am my social security number, my W2, and my driver’s license, as well as the many artifacts that signify my identity. These artifacts are the difference between signing for a mortgage, applying for a job, and even the ability to get a fishing license. They all come together to form a sense of who we are (where we live, how much money we make, where we are employed). 

Interpretation 

While there is much to unpack, I will focus on the film's commentary on power structures and how they are mediated through facial recognition and identity.The use of driver's licenses, credit cards, and other forms of identification in the film underscores how power structures rely on facial recognition to enforce control and order. Diana's ability to subvert these systems by changing her appearance and using Sandy's name challenges the rigidity of these power structures.

The heavy reliance on visual forms of identification underscores a society that values appearance as a primary identity marker, which can lead to both positive and negative consequences. On the one hand, it simplifies processes like travel and banking. On the other, it can lead to issues like profiling. For example, Madison Square Garden has made the news for putting “lawyers who represent people suing it on an exclusion list to keep them out of concerts and sporting events” via facial ID technology (Hill & Kilgannon, 2022). While facial recognition systems are tools that authorities use to enforce laws and regulations and have been used for over a decade, private companies are setting a dangerous precedent. These systems rely on the assumption that a face is a stable and reliable marker of identity. By controlling and monitoring faces, private companies can exert power over individuals, ensuring compliance within their defined set of norms. 

Extending beyond a legal framework, surveillance technology is as pervasive as the phone in your pocket. We are increasingly surrounded by these technologies, from face ID to ring cameras. However, as the film helps point out, it can also uphold inequitable power structures. Diana’s character is at the peak of invisibility within American society (aka a middle-aged white woman), so she subverts the idea of a singular, stable identity tied to a face. Her actions suggest that identity is not inherent or fixed but can be constructed and deconstructed based on social contexts and needs. Taking on the identity of a middle-aged white man certainly has its perks that aren’t handed over to women. The white man’s face is the ultimate signifier of power. Beyond gender, “faciality becomes a basis for racism where race is topographically categorized in relation to the White-Man’s face” (Austin & Rouse, 2022). 

The film raises ethical questions about using facial recognition and surveillance technologies. Central concerns are the potential for upholding inequitable power structures and abusing individual freedoms. Diana's subversion of these systems critiques systems' overreliance on visual markers and the potential for exploitation.

References 

Austin, E. K., & Rouse, R. (2022). Faciality and the Assembly of Organizational Subjectivity: Considering the Possibilities of Emancipation in Management Theory. Tamara Journal of Critical Organisation Inquiry, 20(1), 24–43. https://doi.org/10.7206/tamara.1532-5555.11

Hill, K., & Kilgannon, C. (2022, December 22). Madison Square Garden Uses Facial Recognition to Ban Its Owner’s Enemies. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/nyregion/madison-square-garden-facial-recognition.html

China Syndrome

Review 

 The China Syndrome cleverly uses the thriller genre to explore questions about government accountability, the role of media, and the ethics of whistleblowing. Subverting the typical thriller, the film provides a blistering critique of the relationship between regulatory bodies and agencies and the potential for corruption and cover-up, with the public being none the wiser. 

Behind the veneer of bellbottoms and disco, the 70s marked a period of transformative social upheaval. Defined by the discourse of the hysteric, the decade remains a tribute to the outright distrust of government and institutions. Social, technological, and political changes rocked the foundation of a romanticized America founded on Apple Pie and ‘liberty and justice for all.’ 

The struggle for civil rights continued into the 1970s. African Americans, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized groups fought for equality and justice. Key legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, was already in place, but the push for genuine social and economic equality persisted.

The Vietnam War was a significant catalyst for a new wave of activism. Widespread opposition to the war led to massive protests, particularly among the youth and student populations. The war’s unpopularity, combined with the draft and media coverage of its brutality, fueled dissent and grassroots organizing.

The Watergate scandal, which led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974, eroded public trust in government. The revelations of corruption and abuse of power deepened cynicism and led to calls for greater transparency and accountability in government.

China Syndrome cleverly capitalized on the national mood by playing out collective fears on screen and grounding itself in a broader social context. With some context fleshed out, I want to focus on the protest scenes littered throughout the film. Considering the film was released in the post-Watergate era, the protest scenes reflected the growing public anxiety about nuclear energy and, more broadly, fears about government accountability. 

The scenes highlight the power of grassroots activism in effecting change. In a compelling scene, mothers held up pictures of their children to remind influential players of who is inheriting these systems, emphasizing the moral imperative to ensure public safety over corporate profit. Additionally, the protest scenes parallel the character arcs of the main characters. As Kimberly covers the protests, they deepen her understanding of the stakes involved and catalyze her to pursue the story more aggressively. Likewise, Jack realizes that the public’s anxiety reveals an undeniable truth about the plant’s safety shortfalls. 

Reaction 

The movie has left me with a pang of anxiety and frustration. Given that I spend a lot of time thinking about the ‘public good,’ watching the prioritization of financial gains over the safety and well-being of the community highlights a gross disregard for ethical responsibility. While the socially irresponsible behavior displayed on the screen is disturbing, it has me reflecting on public administrators’ role in bridging the gap between corporate operations and public safety. 

In particular, the film made me reflect on the protections in place for whistleblowers. Whistleblowers play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and accountability of organizations, especially within organizations that rely heavily on technological innovation as their driving force. By bringing wrongdoing to light, whistleblowers ensure that organizations and their leaders are held accountable for their actions, promoting ethical behavior and preserving the public good. However, it is paramount that whistleblowers can report wrongdoing without fear. The film painted a grim picture of the apparent obstacles for whistleblowers in many organizations that rely on threats of intimidation and violence. While The Chinese Syndrome took creative license, it gave viewers a sense of the steep barriers for whistleblowers to overcome in the name of transparency. 

Interpretation 

By examining "The China Syndrome" through the lens of socio-technical theory, one can better understand the overlapping nature of human and technical systems. The film underscores the significance of balancing these elements to ensure safety, reliability, and ethical integrity in the face of unchecked innovation. 

The China Syndrome centers around a near-meltdown at the fictional Ventana nuclear power plant. The film underscores how technical systems and human interactions are deeply intertwined. While social and technical factors have laid out the blueprint for innovation, their integration can come at a cost. 

The nuclear power plant is depicted as a highly complex technical system with inherent risks. The film demonstrates how the plant’s sophisticated machinery and control systems require management and precise operation to prevent catastrophic failures. This complexity necessitates robust technical protocols and highly skilled operators.

The incident at the Ventana plant was initially triggered by a minor technical malfunction that escalated due to human error and inadequate response. Jack Godell, the plant's shift supervisor, discovers that critical safety checks and maintenance must be addressed. The film highlights how even minor lapses in technical and human procedures can lead to significant dangers in complex systems. “Environmental factors will influence the way the system behaves, and therefore, to resolve complex issues, the dynamics between psychological, economic, technical, cultural, and political aspects need to be understood” (Abbas & Michael, 2023). Given how technical these systems are, it is difficult to account for all of the external factors that can have unforeseen consequences. 

The socio-technical perspective emphasizes the role of organizational culture in shaping how technical systems are managed and how information flows within an organization. In particular, organizaitons must support and encourage knowledge sharing practices. “Specifically, creating an organizational climate characterized by top management support, open communication, stimulus to develop new ideas, and respond rapidly to new opportunities is likely to encourage both management and employees to socialize and interact frequently with each other thus driving knowledge sharing intentions” (Lin & Lee, 2005). 

In The China Syndrome, the plant’s organizational culture is characterized by secrecy, profit-driven motives, and a disregard for safety, which directly impact the technical operations. The plant’s executives are shown prioritizing financial concerns over safety. This culture of profit over safety leads to the suppression of critical information and the intimidation of employees who raise concerns. Socio-technical theory suggests that such a toxic organizational culture can exacerbate technical vulnerabilities and increase the likelihood of catastrophic failures.

Jack Godell’s decision to become a whistleblower reflects the socio-technical principle that human agency and ethical considerations are crucial in managing technical systems. “We can locate the distribution of morally significant agency in a given socio-technical arrangement in such a way as to affect appropriate change” (Introna, 2007). His moral courage in exposing the plant’s safety violations underscores the importance of fostering an organizational culture that values transparency and accountability.

References 

Abbas, R. & Michael, K. (2023) Socio-Technical Theory: A review. In S. Papagiannidis (Ed), TheoryHub Book. Available at https://open.ncl.ac.uk / ISBN:9781739604400

Introna, L. D. (2007, May). Towards a post-human intra-actional account of socio-technical agency (and morality). In Proceedings of the Moral agency and technical artefacts scientific workshop (NIAS, Hague, 10-12 May 2007, 2007),[insert City of Publication],[insert 2007 of Publication].

Lin, H. F., & Lee, G. G. (2006). Effects of socio‐technical factors on organizational intention to encourage knowledge sharing. Management decision, 44(1), 74-88.

The Lorax - A very Serious Film Review

 Intro 

Under the guise of a singing fish and trees that resemble cotton balls, the Lorax is an environmental story. Or rather, it is a cautionary tale about overconsumption and industry. A classic in Suesse’s canon, the Lorax explores the damages that can ensue when the environment is used to turn a profit. Additionally, Suess gives readers a mirror to reflect on their wasteful practices and the fallout that can happen downstream. While the Lorax feels as relevant as ever, it also ties nicely in systems theory and can be used to explore its limits. This review examines how the Lorax can be used to explore aspects of systems theory and what lessons can be learned. 

Review

The Lorax remains a classic for many reasons. With wildfires already underway in Canada, mass bleaching events devastating coral populations, and inescapable heat, it feels like we live in our own personal Thneedville. The Lorax may have been a siren call for unchecked consumption, but 53 years later, the consequences of our collective inaction are stark. While Suess outlines an allegory about industry, the film is littered with moments that make his message clear. I want to highlight the film's imagery to underscore the devastation of environmental destruction. The film cleverly creates a dichotomy between the landscape across time as human greed takes root. The barren landscape is awash in a dark color palette, while a sea of dead trees is the only reminder that it once was a harbor for life. The destroyed forest dominates the screen after the Once-ler's devastating run. 

In contrast, the imagined world of the Lorax is vivid, bright, and teeming with life. Truffula trees more closely resemble tufts of cotton candy, and the animals are plentiful. The forest stands alone outside human interference, representing the ideal state of nature untouched by exploitation and industrialization. The imagery used to contrast landscapes serves as a powerful visual reminder of what is at stake in the fight against environmental degradation and the importance of protecting and restoring natural ecosystems for the well-being of all living things.

Reaction

The Lorax is a powerful film that is a great tool to teach children about environmental stewardship, collaboration, and empathy. For me, the film brought up feelings of sadness as its teachings feel it has fallen on deaf ears. Growing up in the Bozeman area, the calls for conservation and intentional stewardship of the natural world have always been top of mind. Given Yellowstone is practically in our backyard, it is not lost on locals the importance of stewarding natural spaces for generations to come. However, it is increasingly hard to ignore the surefire signs of a changing climate that threaten to upend entire ecosystems. Threats from wildfires, droughts, and the rapid loss of habitat for wildlife have become as consistent as the calls for rain. 

Given the book was written in 1971, it is hard to square that calls for climate action have not protected our landscapes from all of the impacts of climate change. While the needle is shifting, the American obsession with consumption remains steadfast. Even as the climate emergency gains new heights, this film portrays what is at stake if we continue on a path of destruction.

Interpretation 

The Lorax is rife with parallels to systems theory that makes for an interesting lens to unpack its moving parts. Open systems rely on feedback to maintain equilibrium and adapt to changes; feedback is crucial for identifying problems early and taking corrective actions. “Negative feedback is deviation-reducing feedback, which can be found in a thermostat. A decrease in temperature below a certain threshold kicks in the heating, so that a relatively stable temperature is maintained. Positive feedback occurs in so-called ‘self-exciting’ or ‘runaway’ systems when, for example, one person’s rude behavior leads another person to respond even more rudely and the whole thing escalates until the arrival of the police acts as a negative feedback” (Montuori, 2011).  

The Lorax explores the dangers of climate catastrophes that ride on the back of positive feedback systems, illustrating how specific actions can create self-reinforcing cycles that lead to significant environmental and social consequences. A line of dialogue that highlights this exact cycle stuck out like a sore thumb. “The more smog in the sky the more peole will buy”. O’Hare explains that as air pollution worsens, more people are willing to pay for bottled air. As demand increases, production follows, causing more pollution and pushing demand. O’Hare primarily focuses on maximizing short-term profits without considering the long-term environmental impact.

Additionally, the initial action of cutting trees became a positive feedback cycle that ran away with itself quickly. The Once-ler cut down Truffula Trees to produce Thneeds, which increased Demand for Thneeds: As Thneeds became popular, demand increased. The Once-ler responded by expanding his operations and cutting down more Truffula Trees to meet the growing demand. To keep up with production, the Once-ler built more factories and hired more workers. This expansion led to an even faster rate of deforestation. The more trees the Once-ler cut down, the more the forest experienced severe fallout. This degradation, however, did not initially slow down production; instead, it led to an ever-increasing rate of resource extraction until all of the trees were cut. 

Climate feedback loops are all around us; look no further than the water vapor feedback loop, “As heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide are added to the atmosphere, earth’s surface and atmosphere warm up. Warmer air holds more water vapor. But water vapor also traps heat, so the extra water vapor in the air amplifies the initial warming” (Lashoff, 2018). Feedback loops have become a dangerous measuring stick for the impacts of climate change. 

Concerningly,  people often don't fully grasp the concept of nonlinearity or how feedback loops change over time. This lack of understanding is problematic, as it can lead to inadvertently crossing tipping points, even when they are aware of the thresholds. For instance, in simulated fisheries, participants often expand their fleets beyond sustainable levels, pushing the system past its tipping point. This reduces fish stocks, further lowering recruitment and eventually causing the fishery to collapse. This overshooting of the tipping point occurs in experiments, even when the Tragedy of the Commons issue is resolved by assigning perfect property rights (Sterman, 2011). 

Given that many people fail to grasp the gravity of the dangers of feedback loops, the  ‘Lorax’ points out why they are worth paying attention to. Given the Once-Ler and the townspeople alike were heavily focused on the short-term gains and economic benefits of buying and selling thneeds, the long-term consequences of their lack of foresight were overshadowed. In addition, the environment is a complex system with many interacting and nested parts. The complexity can make it challenging for individuals to foresee how their actions might lead to significant and irreversible changes. All of this made the townspeople ignore their cumulative impact on the forest until the entire system had reached a tipping point. 

AI-generated graph exploring positive feedback systems and resulting degradation 

Conclusion

The Lorax is a testament to the imperative of environmental stewardship in the face of unchecked consumerism. Its messaging is as timely and poignant as ever. Using system theory as a lens of analysis has given more profound insight into the complex interactions between human activity and the natural world. System theory is a valuable tool that highlights the dynamic feedback loops that help drive the narrative of the ‘Lorax.’ Viewing the film through this lens reminds us of our collective responsibility to act as better caretakers of the environment and to strive for a balance that supports both human prosperity and ecological integrity.

References

                            Lashof, D. (2018). Why Positive Climate Feedbacks Are So Bad. Www.wri.org. https://www.wri.org/insights/why-positive-climate-feedbacks-are-so-bad

Montuori, A. (2011). Systems approach. Encyclopedia of creativity, 2, 414-21.

                            Sterman, J. D. (2011). Communicating climate change risks in a skeptical world. Climatic Change, 108, 811-826.