Author: Lavell A.

The Future of Human Augmentation

Lavell A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

For decades the idea of human augmentation has been a large part of the science fiction genre, but over these last couple of years, we’ve begun closing in on the idea becoming reality. There have been plenty of advances in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology which are the keys we once saw as fictional to achieving augmentation.  These developments are reshaping our understanding of what it means to be human, adding questions to how we will end up in the future.  Some of those include how we will evolve with the enhancements, what would we even enhance, and what adaptations would we deem acceptable or not.

In the future, we may see very profound developments in human enhancement.  Just as of recently the innovations of neural interfaces, advanced prosthetics, and genetic engineering have started making headlines.  These ideas were something we only saw in fiction and now it’s becoming a natural part of our society with plenty of room subject for growth.  One recent example that has a lot of growing traction is Elon Musk’s Neuralink.  This device grants the user the ability to control devices with the mind, enhance brain functionality, and even connect minds themselves.

Within my lifetime, I can see human augmentation getting to the point where cognitive, sensory, physical, and life lengthening enhancements.  I feel that we are already so focused on these specific ideas that it’s only a matter of time before they become reality, especially given an additional 5+ decades.

Now with that being said the type of enhancements that I would be open to would be health improving and sensory improving only.  I don’t really like the idea of my mind being implanted with a chip even though being able to control tech with my mind sounds cool.   What I’d be looking for are things designed to keep my body healthy and most specifically something to enhance my eyesight, but beyond that, I can’t see me letting anything else slide unless deemed needed to save my life or something.  I’d 100% draw the line at bodily modifications that change the human experience for me or as we talk about in cyberpunk, blur the lines between human and machine.

As we are entering a new era full of augmentation, I do believe that humanity has a bright future ahead of it.  We will have to be aware of how far we go with it though as we would not want to lose our humanity in the process.

Rise of Cyberpunk Corporate Power? A Possible Reality or Completely Fictional?

Lavell A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The cyberpunk genre presents to us a number of unsavory future societies ruled by corporate dominance such as the Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner or the Tessier-Ashpool family in Neuromancer. These fictional megacorporations are as powerful as they come.  They are unchecked forces capable of making anything they want to happen, no matter how corrupt it may be.  When you compare these companies to the corporate giants in reality, you start to wonder how close, if possible, at all, are we to these stories?

Cyberpunk Stories of Unmanaged Power

In Blade Runner, the Tyrell Corporation truly defines a corporate entity with unregulated power.  The corporation designs, creates, and engineers replicants (genetically bioengineered humanoids) all for the money with no regard for the consequences or the ethics that come with it.  These replicants are sent off to perform dangerous jobs with no types of rights or protections.  On the other hand (or should I say the same hand), Neuromancer introduces the Tessier-Ashpools.  This group is a very powerful and wealthy family putting in near-immortal status due to their access to society’s technological advancements.  In the wake of wanting to reach true immortality the family does whatever they must regardless of the expense of others. As you can see, these examples are far from favorable for the rest of society, but as technology today is continuously improving with time, eventually will we be living in a world mimicking these fictional corporate-controlled societies?

Are Todays Corporations Becoming Megacorporations?

These days our examples of big corporate companies would be Amazon or Google as both basically are monopolies in their respective markets.  They are able to control the competition as they see fit and also capable of shaping consumer behavior.  This monopolistic power very closely resembles the dominance shown by the above-described fictional corporate entities.  Not to mention, these companies have countless information on its millions or billions of consumers.

I feel that even with the size of megacorporations and increasing levels of technology, we will never get to a point where they rule over society as described in the cyberpunk genre.  This is because of the way governments and countries work.  We have plenty of laws put in place to never allow a company to be the sole player in any market.  Even though they have monopolistic levels of power, it didn’t just start that way and if ever they get out of hand or say too big, I feel the government will be quick to put an end to that power.  All in all, this means that our futures are safe!

Becoming One with the Cheetah

Lavell A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

To be completely honest, I probably would not engage in DNA splicing with animals if given the option, but if the technology did exist to merge human traits with those of an animal, I would choose to become one with a cheetah. Cheetahs are already very well-known for being super fast (the fastest land animal on the planet), but they have even more going for them than that.  They are extremely athletic and agile, while also having some of the fastest reflexes in the animal kingdom.  

If I was given the abilities of a cheetah, I would be able to do so much.  Most notably, being able to travel long distances effortlessly in such a short amount of time would be heavily beneficial.  Most likely, I wouldn’t have to use a car to get around ever because they can move to speeds of 65 mph (leads to not having to pay for gas a lot and there are no limitations of speed for humans traveling on foot so no tickets).  Also, if given the cheetah’s ability of extreme focus it would really help me out in my daily life as I have a supreme case of ADHD which tends to hinder me a lot.  Anyways, these abilities would be monumental to daily life and that’s not even talking about the potential to use your powers in professional athletic settings.

While adding on these cheetah-like traits, I would want only one limitation.  I wouldn’t want my physical appearance to render that of a cheetah upon the merge.  I don’t like the idea of sticking out so much that everyone could take a gander at why I’ve become so superhuman-like, and I feel cheetah prints, a tail, and a change in eye shape and color would be a dead giveaway.  Also, while thinking about this, I would like to keep the actual human mind part of me.  By that I mean I don’t want to exactly think like a cheetah, I am only looking for physical upgrades (don’t need my mind altered (maybe an adjustment to mentality though)). With this balance I feel I would have the best of both worlds, while being what could only be described as superhuman.  If there was any level of humanity that I would give up it would have to be my personality though.

The Question of Humanity

Lavell A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

            The movie Blade Runner (1982) and book Neuromancer (1984) are highly renowned for their foundational impact on the cyberpunk genre.  Both of them tackle the idea of what it means to be human and question the boundaries between humans and technology.  Blade Runner focuses on what it means to be human through its depiction of replicants, while Neuromancer explores similar themes through its characters’ interactions with artificial intelligences and cyberspace.

            Starting with Bladerunner, there are these man-made beings called replicants that are indistinguishable from humans but are treated as nothing more than tools.  The whole idea of the film is to answer whether or not the replicants could be considered human based off of their actions.  For example, Roy Batty (the film’s ‘antagonist’), shows that he has emotions, real, deep human ones at that, when he was in the face of death.  With his dying breath he said, “All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.”  This statement was used to reflect that the replicants’ struggle to be recognized as sentient beings will continue on.  This moment makes the viewer question what makes a being truly human.

            Neuromancer basically tackles these same questions, but instead of what resembles an android, is replaced by cyberspace and artificial intelligences.  The main character, Case, is a washed-up hacker who was hired to monitor and navigate the digital world.  In his journey, he came across an AI named Wintermute who is one half of its counterpart Neuromancer.  Wintermute’s goal is to merge with Neuromancer to become unified with the counterpart to achieve “wholeness”.  This desire is resemblant to that of humanity as Wintermute shows signs of wanting to achieve a greater form of consciousness.  This in turn, makes both the reader and Case question if an entity born of code can reach the status of humanity.

What do an Author and Music Artist Have in Common
 Societal Revolution!

Lavell A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Both Donna Haraway’s essay “Cyborg Manifesto” and Janelle Monae’s album “Dirty Computer” share a similar tone in their message.  They challenge the societal norms regarding what really defines human identity.  Through their pieces, they blend aspects between humans and technology producing numerous additional possibilities on how one would view themselves.  In turn here, the goal both creators seek to achieve is to inspire people to feel comfortable with showing their true selves even if there are others that may oppose you.  Be who you really are.

            To start us off, Haraway’s cyborg is designed to blur the societal boundaries placed on human and machine and the binary gender roles of male and female.  The idea of being found in between any of these roles are uplifted instead of shot down which takes us to Monae’s album where that is the whole central idea.  Those who are termed “Dirty Computers” are the same people that defy the societal norms.  The cyborg identity is designed to be adaptable and limber (easily shaped or changed).

            The difference between the two pieces is that Monae’s album depicts the side that sees this freedom as unlawful much more than Haraway.  Haraway mainly focuses on the relationship of the cyborg resembling that of liberation.  Monae adds more worldbuilding to her story to signify that even though personal change is good and should be celebrated, everyone doesn’t think the same way.  Her character is being fully persecuted against by the authorities of her world, because she wanted to be more than what society would allow.

            Both ladies all together hope to share a hopeful tale in which no matter whomever it concerns should truly become one with themselves.  Your identity shouldn’t be restricted by other people or governmental identities and if they are in any way, you should stand up for yourself and what you believe in.  Embrace your fluidity. Celebrate it.  And live beyond the limitations set before you.

The Developing Link Between Man and Machine

Lavell A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

            To stay in the lines of the cyberpunk genre for this class, I wanted to talk about the ever-changing boundaries between humanity and technology.  Everyday technology is becoming more and more advanced as seen by the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) in society.  For example, nowadays people are using AI technologies such as ChatGPT, OpenAI, and DALL-E for anything from helping out with research, creating full-on noncopyrighted images, giving people life advice and basically information for anything that the mind can think of.  AI’s primary focus used to be for solving mathematical calculations or processing data, but as one can see, it has since shifted into a far more creative tool, performing tasks that were thought of to be only capable of by humans.  Another example is that there is even AI music out here.  There is AI out here winning actual awards for creating songs and that were even capable of mimicking the voices of popular artists (some who are even deceased).  The problem today is that with AI being able to make all of these different forms of media, lots of laws are being put in place and/or adjusted to answer the discontent of artists’ worry of copyright of their work.  In all I think that this level of change of how technology is implemented by society was bound to occur sooner or later.  Humanity is always looking forward and are never at rest especially when it comes to tech.  We’ve had these ideas of AI, robots, and cyborgs for decades now.  The only reason that I would say that they don’t already purely exist yet is because we just haven’t fully figured it out yet (not including all of the views of whether these inventions would be considered wrong or right). If you were to ask what I thought about these changing times with AI, I would say that it is indeed interesting and I am excited to see what the future has in store for society.