I think that corporations may be heading in that direction but not to the extent that was shown in Blade Runner. I think companies will start invading consumer’s privacy even more than they do now. With the way technology is advancing, companies are already tracking more about us than we realize. They collect our data from every click, search, and purchase we make, using it to build profiles on us to figure out how to sell us more things. As technology continues to evolve, I believe they will push these boundaries even further, finding new ways to monitor what we do and use that information to their advantage. I also believe that they will start taking advantage of people and their finances because they know they can monopolize their efforts. Some companies are already making it harder for consumers to shop around or break free from their services. They create ecosystems that make it difficult for people to stop using their products once they’ve bought into them. By owning the devices we use, the apps we rely on, and even the ways we pay for things, these companies gain more control over our choices. They know that once we become dependent on their products, we’re less likely to look for alternatives, even if they raise prices or make things harder for us. The corporation in the movie Blade Runner uses human identity as a way to commodify people’s inner insecurities. They create replicants, beings designed to serve humans, but with short lifespans, making them more easily controlled. This idea isn’t too far off from how companies today use our fears and insecurities to sell us things. Whether it’s ads telling us we need to look or feel a certain way, or products that promise to solve all our problems, companies are already tapping into these emotional triggers to make money. It’s a dangerous path, and if profit continues to be the only focus, companies will keep pushing the limits of how much they can control.
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