Author: Jayla R.

The Future of Human Augmentation

Jayla R.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In a world where technology constantly pushes the boundaries of human abilities, the question isn’t whether or not we can enhance ourselves but how far we are willing to go. The future of human augmentation is extremely bright if you ask me. Altering yourself using technology or other means is advancing at a rapid pace. Fifty years ago, genetic engineering, virtual reality, and 3D bioprinting were merely things of science fiction. Considering what I’ve learned and contemplated in this class, I believe that human augmentation will evolve significantly in my lifetime to the point where it will become difficult to differentiate between the biological and technological.

I envision human augmentation being particularly beneficial for individuals dealing with health and physical challenges. For example, devices could be developed to improve overall health and alert medical professionals if a serious issue arises. Personally, I would value a device designed to help manage anxiety, especially since it can be debilitating at times. Something wearable that alleviates feelings of inadequacy or discomfort would make a profound difference in my life. Additionally, I would appreciate advanced technologies to address vision and hearing impairments. If something like that became available, I’d be the first to embrace them.

However, I believe clear ethical boundaries must be upheld. Through my research on designer babies, I’ve learned how certain augmentations can cross ethical lines, especially when they promote inequality or create unfair advantages. Any form of augmentation that undermines equality or fairness would be unacceptable in my view. Also, any augmentation that involves an extremely invasive process to be used. Painful surgical implants and things of that nature are absolutely unacceptable to me and aren’t conducive to human progress.

Human augmentation will progress throughout my lifetime and as it does, it will not only alter how we traditionally view humanity and technology, but it will also make us consider our physical and mental limits and how far we can go until technology exceeds those limits. Some augmentations might allow humans to overcome our natural constraints, others risk undermining the fundamental essence of what makes us human. To make sure that these advances won’t do more harm than good, we will need to be extremely careful in remaining ethical and don’t abuse whatever technological innovation we have.

Are We Living in a Sci-Fi Nightmare? Lessons From Neuromancer and Blade Runner

Jayla R.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The portrayal of corporations in sci-fi media compels us to rethink the ways in which we imagine corporate power. Novels like Neuromancer and movies like Blade Runner examine futures in which these sinister corporations have an almost dystopian level of control over both the citizens and technology. With this media analysis, it seems only appropriate to ask if this is something we should be worried about. Are we heading in this direction? Is this representation realistic, or simply an exaggerated criticism?

Corporate Dominance in Neuromancer & Blade Runner

“Neuromancer” by William Gibson describes a dystopian vision of corporate control. Set in a dystopian world run by these amoral corporations and technology used to serve them. Our protagonist, Case, is forced to serve as a chess piece in these corporate schemes. Gibson employs this character to explore the consequences of giving corporations total control over technology and morals. This strategy is reflective of the trepidation we have in modern day about big business, specifically regarding technology. In largely unregulated arenas like artificial intelligence and genetic modification, decisions made by corporations may well have disastrous societal consequences.

Similarly, in “Blade Runner” the Tyrell Corporation is the very embodiment of corporate dominance. In this society, they are not only building impressive AI and replicants, they have also infiltrated every aspect of society. This dystopian world emphasizes the dangers of unchecked corporate power, which puts the autonomy of citizens in jeopardy. Dr. Eldon Tyrell is the archetype of corporate ambition at any cost, ethics be damned, living in a world where artificial beings have constant questions about their existence. The dominance of Tyrell suggests a vaguely dystopian future in which technological progress trumps ethical imperatives. And this theme reverberates in our world, where companies like Meta and Google decide how we interact with ourselves, receive information, and move through life.

Hyperbole or Cautionary Tale?

Sounding in many ways absurd, both Blade Runner and Neuromancer show us their own corporate worlds as a kind of warning. These two stories underscore the dangers of unrestrained corporate power and need for ethical guidelines and government oversight. Elite corporate power — the kind of human baggage carried by mega-companies such as Tyrell or those in Gibson’s world — is slightly outrageous, sure, but it encourages us to get up a bit on our high horses and contemplate how Big Corporate had us scurrying about today and why we may need systems that preserve individual freedom and contribute to the public good.

In conclusion, even if Blade Runner and Neuromancer give hyperbolic, nightmarish visions of corporate dominance, they are playing to real fears about the contemporary business world. These are not merely critiques; they represent calls to action, exposing some of the more important ethical limits that should be imposed on technology and corporate power, along with by implication warning us about the need for government protective measures defending the public interest.

From Human to Hybrid: My Reasons for Merging with a Vampire Bat

Jayla R.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

This image was generated by ChatGPT on October 26, 2024

Imagine if humans gained the ability to transfer characteristics from one animal to another, allowing the seamless merging of humans and animals.  If given this opportunity, I would choose to be hybridized with a vampire bat. The bat has always fascinated me despite the creepy reputation they have. I won’t lie and say that this decision has nothing to do with my “Vampire Diaries” and “Interview with a Vampire” obsession, but these creatures also have incredible capabilities that I would love to possess. Integrating with a vampire bat would open me up to an entirely new world and would improve my overall quality of life. 

Besides their killer looks, vampire bats have qualities that are far beyond human ability. A notable example is echolocation which allows them to “see” in the dark, in a way. They emit sounds of a certain frequency that return as echoes, allowing them to discern their surroundings with phenomenal precision. If I had this trait, it would allow me to detect what’s happening around me even when my vision is limited. As a woman who enjoys being out at night, this would add on a layer of protection that could help save my life or someone else’s. Another vampire bat trait worth mentioning is their heat sensing ability.  These creatures can literally sense the warmth of blood vessels in their prey. In addition to this, they also have pain-relieving saliva to keep victims from being aware they’re getting fed on. I would embrace all of these traits to help me navigate the world in a more superior way.

To what extent would I want this hybridization to go? I’d want to mostly keep my human form but with some changes like the fangs and the bat wings, of course. Im more interested in the mental improvements that the hybridization would give me. These animals form close bonds with their groups and I would want to gain that same sense of community and mutual support. That is why I’m not willing to give up all of my humanity because I still want my human emotions and empathy along with the intelligence and intuition of the vampire bat. 

Overall, blending with a bat wouldn’t involve me losing myself—it would turn me into a better version of who I am today and I would love to have this opportunity.

Beyond Flesh and Blood: Blade Runner and Neuromancer’s Provocative Take on Humanity

Jayla R.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Cyberpunk classics Blade Runner (1982) and Neuromancer (1984) explore the nuanced interaction between technology and people, eliciting important points on what it means to be human. These stories investigate the nature of mankind from different angles: Blade Runner examines the creation and existential crises of replicants, while Neuromancer analyzes the relationships between people and artificial intelligence in cyberspace. When taken as a whole, they offer a thorough examination of identity, self-awareness, and human nature in a world characterized by technology. 

In Neuromancer, Gibson’s utilization of cyberspace and AI as reflections of humanity helps to challenge how the reader understands what it means to be human. The cyberspace is basically the internet if there was a way to enter the internet. Gibson specifically mentions that the cyberspace is a “consensual hallucination that felt and looked like a physical space but actually was a computer-generated construct representing abstract data.” So it is essentially a place where human identities are both created and destroyed. Concerning AI, Case, the novel’s protagonist, gets involved with two central AI’s named Wintermute and Neuromancer. These AI’s signify how complex the explorations of artificial awareness are. They have the ability to manipulate humans and influence their behavior and decisions just like an actual human being, but they are restricted when it comes to functioning, so this challenges what the reader defines as identity.

Blade Runner’s entire plot surrounds replicants and the quest to kill those that remain on Earth. These replicants are humanoids who are capable of facing identity struggles similar to those of a human being. Roy Batty, a combat model replicant, encapsulates these struggles. His dying words detail how he has experiences and thoughts that will be gone once he’s dead. He says, “All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain,” displaying his heartbreaking awareness that gives him a longing to leave something behind to be remembered for.  The replicant Rachel as well is also key to this point because she also has an identity crisis when it is revealed that her memories aren’t real. 

Blade Runner and Neuromancer both provide insightful analyses of human nature while offering an engrossing investigation of what it means to be human in a time when technology is constantly redefining the limits of existence. While Neuromancer addresses similar topics through its depiction of artificial intelligence and the virtual world, Blade Runner uses the struggle of replicants to challenge fundamental aspects of human identity. Because these worlds can evoke profound philosophical issues about our place in a technologically advanced society and the nature of our own identities, they will always be relevant.

The Cyborg Revolution: How Janelle Monaè’s Dirty Computer Reflects Donna Haraway’s Vision

Jayla R.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In her essay, “A Cyborg Manifesto,” Donna Haraway uses imagery of a posthuman society to challenge traditional beliefs of identity. In this society, identity is fluid and the line between humans and machines and animals are blurred. Haraway uses the cyborg as a metaphor for those fluid identities that defy binary ideals. In this same manner, Janelle Monae’s 2018 album Dirty Computer reimagines these concepts in a dystopian society where people who refuse to fit into predefined categories are “dirty computers” and persecuted as such.

Dirty Computer follows Jane 57821, a woman that is considered a dirty computer because she doesn’t conform to the social norms of purity and control. Similiar to Haraway’s cyborg, these dirty computers are symbols of defiance against an oppressive system that punishes those who are different. The song, “PYNK” and other songs from the album combat these oppressive practices by celebrating being queer, sexually free, and expressing yourself. MonĂĄe’s depiction of her characters rejects the need for society to classify people according to their gender, race, or sexual orientation and instead embraces Donna Haraway’s vision of a world in which identity is not fixed but rather always changing.

MonaĂŠ utilizes the cyborg imagery promoted by Haraway to criticize the dominant nature of technology. The album’s storyline depicts technology as a weapon of oppression, wielded to control and destroy those who deviate from the standard. This is comparable to how Haraway’s cyborg opposes a patriarchal, militarized application of technology. Monae also tackles the same power dynamics that Haraway criticizes in her song “Screwed.” On a surface level, the song is basically saying we’re all screwed, so we might as well just have a good time. But a deeper dive reveals ideas about how oppression can be achieved through controlling bodies that deviate from societal norms. The lyrics, “You fed the world up now, we’ll f it all back down” frame pleasure as a means to rebel against these oppressive regimes. The song reflects Haraway’s depiction of rebellion against capitalist and patriarchal systems.

Overall, Monae’s Dirty Computer refuses to isolate the “other” and describes the bravery and resilience it takes to break the rules. MonĂĄe embodies Haraway’s desire for a future free from the shackles of the past by allowing listeners to use her music to picture a world in which being different is not only accepted but celebrated.

From Binary to Spectrum: A Look at how Gen Z Pushed Gender Boundaries

Jayla R.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The past decade has elicited monumental changes in gender and how it is perceived. Progressive attitudes towards gender and sexuality are more prevalent now than ever before. As the title of this post suggests, it was widely believed that gender was only a binary construct as opposed to the spectrum we use today. In addition to cisgender, there is transgender, nonbinary, agender, genderfluid, and even more ways for nonconforming individuals to identify with. The TIME Magazine article linked below explains how large the gap is between generations regarding views towards gender. In just 2021, Gen Z was the only generation in which a majority believed there are more than two genders and Gen Z is much more likely to identify as nonbinary or trans.

What I feel has prompted this massive shift in ideals is the maturation of the “most progressive generation” – Gen Z. Gen Z has proven that we won’t take everything we’ve been taught at face value, especially Gen Z women. Offensive rhetoric in the media that was formerly accepted is now called out and the people responsible are being held accountable. We have LGBTQ+ peers and family members, so seeing attempts by politicians to make them illegal and outlaw gay marriage leads to a greater drive towards social justice. We also have more access to technology and resources that reveal how much needs to be fixed in our government and we have the means to go out and speak against it.

While people who identify outside of the gender binary have always existed, it has only recently become common to identify as such. Queer kids are now less likely to be forced to conform to one gender or another and can choose to identify as whoever they please. While there is certainly much more progress to be made regarding this matter, the impact Gen Z has had on widespread acceptance of those who are different is something to be marveled at.

TIME Magazine article: https://time.com/6275663/generation-z-gender-identity