Category: Media Critique

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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

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.