Month: October 2024

To Be Or Not To Be

Ranaya B.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Both Blade Runner and Neuromancer are works that explore the nature of humanity by examining the boundaries between humans and artificial life. Blade Runner does this through its depiction of replicants, while Neuromancer explores similar themes through characters’ interactions with artificial intelligences (AIs) and cyberspace. Both works raise essential questions about what it means to be human.

In Blade Runner, replicants are artificial beings that are almost indistinguishable from humans, created to perform dangerous or undesirable tasks. The film asks an important question: if replicants can experience emotions, exercise free will, and question their own existence, how different are they from humans? This is shown clearly in the character of Roy Batty, a Nexus-6 replicant. His desire for a longer life leads to one of the film’s most famous moments, where he reflects on his experiences, saying, “All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.” This scene emphasizes his humanity, showing his ability to reflect, feel empathy, and possess emotional depth—traits usually associated with being human. Through this, Blade Runner forces the audience to reconsider what it really means to be human.

Similarly, William Gibson’s Neuromancer explores human identity through its characters’ interactions with AIs and cyberspace. The main character, Case, is a former hacker who navigates cyberspace—referred to as “the matrix” as if it were an extension of his own mind. His detachment from his physical body and dependence on the digital world challenge the traditional idea of self. Additionally, the novel’s AI, Wintermute, complicates the boundaries between humans and machines. Although Wintermute is a machine, it displays desires and manipulates humans to merge with another AI, Neuromancer, in order to surpass its programmed limits. The AIs in Neuromancer blur the line between humans and machines, especially since their motivations and intelligence correspond to those of human characters.

Both Blade Runner and Neuromancer ask deep questions about humanity in a world where the line between human and artificial life is increasingly unclear. Blade Runner focuses on replicants’ emotional struggles, while Neuromancer explores how cyberspace and AI challenge the concept of identity. Both works push the audience to rethink what defines humanity: is it just biological, or does it come down to consciousness, self-awareness, and the ability to evolve? Through these themes, Blade Runner and Neuromancer provide thought-provoking explorations of human identity in an age shaped by artificial life.

Tech Gone Wrong!

Jesslyn J.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In both Blade Runner andNeuromancer, we see the dark consequences of technology-driven corporations that prioritize advancement at the expense of humanity. These works explore a dystopian future where powerful tech corporations negatively impact the public, showing little regard for individual freedom or moral responsibility. In Neuromancer, the protagonist, Case, is manipulated by large tech entities that treat him as a mere tool in their quest for control and innovation. Stripped of his agency and connection to the real world, Case becomes a pawn in a high-tech game where corporate interests dominate. His reality is shaped by these powerful forces, who show no concern for his well-being or personal identity. This mirrors a broader theme of corporate dehumanization, where technological progress is prioritized over individual lives.

Similarly, in Blade Runner, the Tyrell Corporation creates replicants, which are advanced robots designed to serve society. However, their creation of these near-human beings results in unintended consequences, as some replicants turn violent. The corporation then manipulates a retired cop, Rick Deckard, forcing him back into service to “retire” the rogue replicants. Deckard is thrust into danger, tasked with cleaning up the corporation’s mess while risking his own life. The film illustrates how corporate interests exploit individuals to fix the problems they’ve created, highlighting the dangerous consequences of unchecked technological advancement.

Both works explore the rise of powerful, amoral corporations and the development of artificial intelligence, often at the expense of individual freedom and identity. Corporations like Google, Amazon, and Meta (formerly Facebook) wield immense power over daily life, from the data they collect to the algorithms they control. While technological advancements have brought about convenience and innovation, they’ve also raised concerns about privacy, job displacement, and the erosion of personal autonomy. Just as Case in Neuromancer is treated as a tool for corporate gain, modern-day users of technology often become products themselves—our data sold, our behaviors tracked, and our online experiences manipulated to serve corporate interests. The ethical dilemmas raised by AI, automation, and big data continue to blur the line between progress and exploitation, much like the dystopian futures depicted in these classic works of science fiction.

The Accepted Self

Jennifer V.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Has anyone seen the show Teen Titans before? Amazing show by the way. But Victor Stone was just an ordinary human boy who excelled at football, and has a pretty neglectful father. Always hell bent on research, his father was never really there to support Victor in his achievements. Then one day Victor got into a fatal accident and his father tried to save the remnants of his body by fusing his remaining parts with machines. Simply put, after the augmentations Victor began to live strictly in the shadows with huge hoodies on because he was embarrassed of what he was or how people would react to him until the Teen Titans found him. (I really tried to find a good video on the backstory of Cyborg, but I could not find anything so instead please enjoy this clip from Iron Man) https://youtu.be/-zya4vJ-kQE?si=FU99o8O7etvV8Soa

But are Cyborgs really that scary? Haraway would say that augmentations are on a spectrum and the boundary lines between human and machines are already blurry. So in a way, Haraway would be calling you a hypocrite if you oppressed someone just on the basis that they are cybernetic. With our rapidly growing medical technology what is the difference between cyborgs and humans? Humans get teeth implants, pacemaker implants, and even arm/leg implants, and yet we still envision cyborgs as the danger to society. I think that this is perfectly shown in The ArchAndroid’s Many Moons because the song is about self realization and identities. Cindy Mayweather, an android, is able to have multiple personalities and on a spectrum just like humans. Nothing is ever white or black and I think that Haraway’s stance on her Cyborg Manifesto can also be put into practice on how we treat others. If nothing is every white or black, then that means every aspect of our lives in on a wavelike spectrum; so who are we to belittle or ostracize someone just because they present themselves in a different wavelength than ourselves.

In the album, Cindy Mayweather is a beacon of hope for people who are still fighting the battle of injustice today. To the “other” groups who have been put down and abused just because society cannot handle such brilliance. Haraway also rejects rigid views of gender and sex identities as well, so the album can help to uplift anybody from any group no matter what race, gender, class, or sex.

Relation between Monae and Haraway

Kaydra R.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The ideas of haraway discussed in her manifesto are being explored in Monae’s album by relation to themes of identity, resistance to repressive structures, and the dismantling of fixed boundaries like race, gender, and sexuality. In the worlds depicted in these works, distinctions between human and machine, masculine and female, and natural and fake/man made are destroyed, and people who create these divisions are changed by society. Also to the possibility of emancipation by accepting hybrid identities. According to Haraway’s vision in Cyborg Manifesto, the cyborg represents a future in which identity is not limited by established categories like gender, race, or class. Similar to this, Monáe utilizes the character of the “dirty computer” in Dirty Computer to stand in for those who don’t conform to conventional stereotypes about gender, sexual orientation, or race. Similar to the cyborg, Monáe’s “dirty computers” face marginalization and persecution, but they also provide hope for freedom by embracing their diversity. In contrast to Cyborg Manifesto, which emphasizes the theoretical possibility of identity fluidity and boundary breaking, Monáe’s Dirty Computer presents a picture of society, portraying those who defy conventional standards as targets of persecution. The storyline of the album, which depicts “dirty computers” being sought out by a society, alludes to the negative effects of residing in a culture that discourages and penalizes deviation from the norm. While racism is discussed as fundamental forms of identity in Monáe’s manifesto, Haraway’s manifesto largely concentrates on gender. In Dirty Computer, Monáe addresses the oppressions experienced by Black, queer, and non-binary people by explaining the ways in which technology, control, and race and sexuality all interact with each other. Monáe’s album expands on Haraway’s idea of the cyborg as a symbol for all oppressed identities by addressing the actual realities of people who are ignored due to their sexual preference, race, and gender in addition to their gender.

Breaking Boundaries: Cybernetic Bodies in The ArchAndroid and “A Cyborg Manifesto”

Chloe' T.
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Janelle Monae’s songs in the album explore many of Haraway’s ideas from Cyborg Manifesto. One topic that connects with Haraway’s essay is cyborg as a metaphor. Monae also uses her character, an android,  Cindi Mayweather as a metaphor. These two think similarly by using cyborgs and characters to represent the boundaries of human and machine-changing human identity. ArchAndroid critiques societal structures of race, gender, and identity, challenging the structures by advocating for more inclusivity. Haraway has the idea from Cyborg Manifesto critiquing traditional feminism encouraging the pluralistic view of gender and identity creating a difference in society. This relates to Monae’s album because she explores intersectionality highlighting various identities and how the factors contribute to being viewed as an other.  When it comes to Haraway’s idea of blurring of boundaries the difference I see there is Donna mentions 3 key boundaries human and animal, organism and machine, physical and non-physical, while Janelle mentions the character of human and machine. A question to think about is how can Janelle introduce the two other key boundaries in her narrative of her albums. Social and Political commentary from ArchAndroid represents racism and gender oppression expanding that technology is a tool of corporate control, but racial power structure, while on the other hand, Haraway’s essay mentions the disruption of power structures because of new identities that constraints the traditional political categories.  Lastly, I wanted to cover how Monae expressed throughout her album the duality of technology with oppression and liberation. She does this by combining liberation and oppression with her character, Cindi Mayweather breaking free from societal chains, but using technology to support marginalized voices. Donna Haraway expresses how technology is beneficial for liberation and oppression because of the improvement of technology creating new identities and narratives to overturn traditional power structures. 

Janelle Monáe’s ‘Dirty Computer – an emotion picture’

Blog Post #3: More Human Than Human

Simone H.
Reading Time: < 1 minute

In Donna Harays 1985 Manifesto, she envisions a post-gender world, where identity embraces fluidity and hybrid, it also crosses traditional boundaries. There concepts are explored in Janelle Monae 2018 album, Dirty Computer, which explores themes of identity, oppression, and emancipation in a dystopian setting.

Janelle reflects Haraways concept of fluid identity through her multi-faced personas. She embraces diversity and self expression in her songs, as well as in her album covers. Diversity, self-expression, and fluidity all surface in her music Django Jane and Pynk both defies strict identification boundaries. Aligning with Haraways vision of moving beyond fixed gender roles and embracing a more complex sense of themselves.

Technology is portrayed in Dirty Computer as a source of monitoring and empowerment. This supports Haraways idea that integrating technology could undermine repressive societal systems, by saying that adopting it can strengthen individuals and communities. Dirty Computer also tackles the persecution of nonconforming people, echoing Haraways criticism of conventional wisdom. In Janelles album the song Take a Byte criticizes the monitoring on disadvantaged identities, it shows a world in which people who do not fit in, are oppressed.

The album highlights the value of intersectionality and community. By highlighting the struggles of race, gender, sexuality Janelle promotes a sense of solidarity. Even knowing the artist outside of just this album she has always been an advocate for sexuality, gender, and more. She advocates for a free world from persecution for fluid identities by exploring and embodying Haraways concepts.

#BP03

The Evolving Understanding of Gender Beyond the Binary

Kennedi G.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

One established boundary that has significantly shifted in recent years is the boundary surrounding traditional gender norms and identities. Over the past five years, there has been a noticeable and accelerating change in how society understands and accepts gender beyond the binary framework of male and female. This shift is evident in various aspects of life, including media representation, workplace policies, educational curriculums, and legal rights, where the recognition of non-binary, genderqueer, and transgender identities has become more mainstream.

Historically, gender has been viewed through a binary lens: male or female. This binary framework was reinforced by cultural, religious, and legal norms, which dictated specific roles, behaviors, and appearances for men and women. However, in recent years, this boundary has begun to shift dramatically. Many people now understand gender as a spectrum, rather than a binary choice, allowing for a more fluid and diverse range of identities. Terms like “non-binary,” “genderqueer,” “genderfluid,” and “agender” have become more widely recognized and accepted in both social and legal contexts.

Several factors have contributed to the shift in how society understands and accepts gender. One major driver is the growing body of research from social sciences, psychology, and gender studies that challenges the traditional binary view of gender. This research has provided evidence that gender identity is complex and multifaceted, often shaped by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. This understanding has helped to promote a more nuanced view of gender that goes beyond the binary framework.

Another factor is the influence of social media and digital platforms, which have played a crucial role in amplifying the voices of non-binary and transgender individuals. These platforms have provided a space for people to share their stories, build communities, and advocate for their rights. Movements like #TransRightsAreHumanRights and #NonBinaryVisibility have gained traction on social media, raising awareness and sparking conversations about gender inclusivity and equality.

Furthermore, the push for greater inclusivity and diversity in all aspects of society has driven this change. As more institutions, such as schools, workplaces, and governments, adopt policies and practices that recognize and respect diverse gender identities, societal norms are gradually shifting. This change is also being fueled by a broader cultural movement towards social justice and equality, which has brought issues of gender identity and expression to the forefront.

In conclusion, the boundary surrounding traditional gender norms is shifting significantly, driven by greater visibility, evolving societal attitudes, legal changes, and a growing body of research. This shift reflects a broader trend towards recognizing and respecting the diversity of human experiences and identities. As we continue to explore the themes of boundary collapse in the cyberpunk genre, this evolving understanding of gender provides a rich context for examining how societal norms are being redefined in our rapidly changing world.

Blurring Gender Boundaries: The Rise of Non-Binary Recognition

Anthony J.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In recent years, one of the most prominent shifts we’ve seen is in the boundaries surrounding gender identity. What was once a rigid binary—male or female—has increasingly evolved into a spectrum, with growing recognition of non-binary identities. Over the past five years, many countries, organizations, and social platforms have begun acknowledging and validating identities that don’t fit within traditional gender norms. This shift is evident in policy changes, such as the introduction of “X” markers on passports in the U.S. and the increasing use of gender-neutral pronouns like “they/them” across workplaces and social media platforms.

This change reflects a broader societal movement toward inclusivity, driven by activists, influencers, and everyday people who have pushed for the recognition of diverse gender identities. The expansion of our understanding of gender is supported by ongoing conversations about personal identity and the limitations of the binary system that many found restrictive. The internet and social media have also played significant roles, creating spaces for people to share their experiences, educate others, and build communities around gender inclusivity.

The shift in gender boundaries has been prompted by a combination of factors. One is the rising visibility of non-binary individuals in popular culture, such as celebrities and public figures like Sam Smith and Demi Lovato, who openly discuss their experiences with gender fluidity. These conversations have made it more accessible for people to understand and engage with the concept of non-binary identity. At the same time, the rise of gender-neutral language and inclusivity training in workplaces and schools is part of a larger push to dismantle traditional systems of oppression tied to gender roles and expectations.

While there is still much work to be done, the blurring of the male-female boundary in recent years reflects a more nuanced understanding of gender that goes beyond biological or societal categories. As more people embrace the idea that identity is personal and fluid, we are witnessing the collapse of yet another boundary that once seemed absolute.

Embracing all of humanity

Taylor W.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Donna Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” and Janelle Monae’s album “Dirty Computer” both deal with themes of identity and resistance to a marginalized system. Presenting themselves as “the other” or those who do not conform to societies standard instead making their own path, by finding strength in their differences. These standards being classified by human vs. machine, gender, and race. To them these are held in place to oppress the marginalized groups. Haraways cyborg symbolizes the resistance and Monae’s “Dirty computer” reflects on the struggle of those who resist societal expectations. These works offer empowerment to those who believe embracing ones own self identity rather than uniformity. 

 In Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” she portrays the cyborg as a hybrid human/machine that blurs the line between societal norms. The cyborg being part human and part machine is transcending human capabilities and not limiting . Her cyborg challenges the idea that technology is dehumanizing people but rather expand our human abilities. She also challenges the idea that Ai is negative/corrupting/impure. She aligns with the idea that technology is good/helpful because only propels the human race further. For example advancements in technology has led humans to making scientific breakthroughs so that we can live long lives . In Monae’s song Dirty computer it is a metaphor for someone who is impure based on societies standards. By rejecting the idea of purity she exemplifies that people shouldn’t have to fit into categories for identity. This song celebrates the uniqueness and power people hold when the diverge from these standards set by society. Throughout the album is like a journey of acceptance, by embracing the “dirty” she explains this is what make being a human so beautiful. We are able to be multifaceted so many different forms like technology. In Monae’s song “Django Jane” she is celebrating her Afrofuturistic nature and how far she’s come against the system of oppression  because of her resilience. 

UNCONFORMED

Damon S.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Donna Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” (1985) and Janelle Monáe’s “Dirty Computer” (2018) share similar themes that explore identity, fluidity, and resistance, offering equivalent visions of empowerment. Haraway’s essay imagines a post-gender world where human, machine, and animal boundaries blur, challenging rigid definitions of identity. Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer reflects this by depicting a world where people who do not conform to societal norms in terms of gender, race, and sexuality, are labeled as “dirty”. They both present hybrid identities as a form of rebellion against oppressive systems. In Cyborg Manifesto, Haraway rejects binary thinking, presenting the cyborg as a metaphor for dismissing clear distinctions between categories like human and machine, or male and female. Monáe embodies this cyborg identity by incorporating different musical genres and playing with her own persona throughout Dirty Computer. Her songs like “Pynk” discusses the fluidity of gender and sexuality, embracing multiplicity rather than fixed labels. In “I Like That,” Monáe challenges societal pressures to conform, taking pride in her “crazy, sexy, cool, Black and nerdy” self, embodying Haraway’s belief that embracing different identities is a journey toward freedom.

Monáe’s android alter ego, present throughout her work but especially highlighted in Dirty Computer, functions as a cyborg-like figure, embodying hybridity. Songs like “Make Me Feel” challenge norms of sexuality in a way that resonates with Haraway’s vision of post-gender identity. Through her lyrics and visual storytelling, Monáe disembodies binary constructs and celebrates difference. Her album is an anthem for those including people of color and others whose identities do not conform to societal expectations. Monáe’s use of technology as a theme and a tool parallels Haraway’s use of the cyborg metaphor. In Dirty Computer, technology becomes both the mechanism of control and a means of resistance. Technology also gives these characters a way to fight back, to reclaim their “dirty” identities and refuse to be forgotten. This reflects Haraway’s idea that technology, rather than being inherently oppressive, can be a space for liberation when wielded. Haraway and Monáe emphasize that the fluidity of identity whether cyborg or human, threatens oppressive structures like patriarchy, racism, and homophobia. In Dirty Computer, Monáe’s android persona fights against a system that dehumanizes those who do not fit a certain standard, much like Haraway’s cyborg disrupts traditional boundaries.