Netflix's BLACK MIRROR

Spoiler:

It's a beautiful love story, I concur, but, ultimately, it just took me to a dark place thinking about the nature of identity and consciousness and whether or not they even existed in the sense that they were still the same, or just shadows; self-aware simulations of something that no longer exists. That's the brilliant part of the show, though, is that I feel like it wants you to think about these things. When Kelly talks about Robert, and how she wants to believe that he's with her daughter, but she believes that they're both just gone, it just hits you. What is all this? What makes us who we are? Are we the sum total of our memories and experiences, able to be transplanted in any ashcan for all eternity? Or, perhaps, did the real Kelly and Yorkie, in fact, join Robert and Kelly's daughter in nothingness, only to leave behind a happy and content pair of digital avatars imprinted with the belief that they are Kelly and Yorkie? Of course, the alternative, depending on how you view things, is that there is something more than a man-made digital paradise called San Junipero, and that, perhaps, Kelly got the best of both worlds, in the sense that the digital simulation that fell in love with Yorkie was able to spend eternity with her, while Kelly passed on with Robert and her daughter.

batfan08 said:

I had trouble with San Junipero, because I don't think I had the right mindset for it. At the time, anyway.

Spoiler:

It's a beautiful love story, I concur, but, ultimately, it just took me to a dark place thinking about the nature of identity and consciousness and whether or not they even existed in the sense that they were still the same, or just shadows; self-aware simulations of something that no longer exists. That's the brilliant part of the show, though, is that I feel like it wants you to think about these things. When Kelly talks about Robert, and how she wants to believe that he's with her daughter, but she believes that they're both just gone, it just hits you. What is all this? What makes us who we are? Are we the sum total of our memories and experiences, able to be transplanted in any ashcan for all eternity? Or, perhaps, did the real Kelly and Yorkie, in fact, join Robert and Kelly's daughter in nothingness, only to leave behind a happy and content pair of digital avatars imprinted with the belief that they are Kelly and Yorkie? Of course, the alternative, depending on how you view things, is that there is something more than a man-made digital paradise called San Junipero, and that, perhaps, Kelly got the best of both worlds, in the sense that the digital simulation that fell in love with Yorkie was able to spend eternity with her, while Kelly passed on with Robert and her daughter.

I do agree that it's an incredible episode. I'm super happy to see Black Mirror getting some love here, because I've been sitting on those thoughts for days, since watching it. It really is an amazing show and San Junipero is it at its best.

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Spoiler:

the real consciousness of both Yorkie and Kelly are living in San Junipero. The upbeat happy ending to the episode suggests that unlike most BM tales this one actually worked out. The notion that Yorkie's life was put on hold at 21 so she's just beginning to live now within the simulation is heartbreaking. I felt such joy for her [and cried my ass off lol]

Johnny Utah said:

Playtest scared the ****ing **** out of me. I loved San Junipero mainly because I love Mackenzie Davis. Halt and Catch Fire doesn't get enough attention.

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Spoiler:

It really makes you stop to think about ourselves and our true meaning. What makes us, "us"? Can it be considered life if its my mind being uploaded to a simulation? How would one cope with immortality in a simulation where you are confined to same place forever. I wonder if that some point, you would suffer from an existential crises. I mean, people suffer from existential crises in the real world, I can only image having to face the consequence of being dead and living in a simulation. I sure some people would eventually suffer from psychological side effects. In fact, they even mention something along those lines with the Quagmire and how people would go there because things got boring and they need to experience new extremes. Even thought I always thought I would jump on the opportunity to live forever in a machine I must say, after having watched the episode, I now feel a bit trapped just thinking about it.

DFanatic said:

Man, 4 great episodes so far. All 4 really made me stop and think about life. Right now, I'm here thinking about San Junipero and the implications that would have in the real world.

Spoiler:

It really makes you stop to think about ourselves and our true meaning. What makes us, "us"? Can it be considered life if its my mind being uploaded to a simulation? How would one cope with immortality in a simulation where you are confined to same place forever. I wonder if that some point, you would suffer from an existential crises. I mean, people suffer from existential crises in the real world, I can only image having to face the consequence of being dead and living in a simulation. I sure some people would eventually suffer from psychological side effects. In fact, they even mention something along those lines with the Quagmire and how people would go there because things got boring and they need to experience new extremes. Even thought I always thought I would jump on the opportunity to live forever in a machine I must say, after having watched the episode, I now feel a bit trapped just thinking about it.

Really great writing and wonderfully acted.

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Spoiler:

How long before the simulation gets boring? What if you don't wanna hit up the Quagmire?

Yorkie did mention that if you ever wanted out that you simply "checked out" which probably means the server deletes your consciousness.

All in all such a tough predicament for both the living and the dead. In Yorkie's case it was a no-brainer given that the simulation will allow her to live the life she never had.

Thainitty said:

Do you have to watch the previous seasons for season 3 to make sense?

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SNIKT1950 said:

Nope.

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Thainitty said:

Cool! Thank you

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ink said:

I finished season 1

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