Author: Kaydra R.

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.

Both the “ Blade Runner “ and  “Neuromancer “ explore cyberpunk by depicting the dystopian cities’ neon lights and the high tech look known to the genre. Both the novel and the movie show viewers scenarios in which huge social and environmental problems both exist with technology breakthroughs. They represent a world with advances in technology that constantly make dishonesty worse. Both show a high level of technology compared to some social situations that show the vibe of cyberpunk as  new technology and social atmosphere. The movie titled “ Blade Runner “ is well known for its showing of a futuristic world with neon lights and lots of screens.Huge skyscrapers, shadowy lanes, and tons of upgraded airplanes highlight the city’s atmosphere of high technology. The movie uses futuristic environments with characteristics like huge shows of technology. In the novel “ Neuromancer “, another futuristic technology based spreading cityscape. Similar to the movie, the writer sets lights and a big scenery. The universe of the novel is one of digital interfaces, neon lights, and a blend of wealthy and run-down neighborhoods. While on one hand Neuromancer shows the effects of technology on human experience and the nature of reality, Blade Runner mainly focuses on the visual efforts between news technology and their effects on society. The novel as well as the movie address particular concepts pertaining to technology, identity, and society through their own ideas of dystopian cities.