Black Mirror IRI

Thirteen years since its creation, how much of the anthology series has evolved to be

- TAN SU FEN

Remember when Black Mirror first came on Netflix? From memory-recording devices to virtual reality versions of people, it captivated the world with its mind-bending take on the potential dangers of technology and commentary on contemporary social issues in a speculative fictional manner — or so we thought then. While some of its more extreme scenarios may still be far-fetched, quite a few of the technologies explored in the series have already found parallels or partial implementations in real life.

Here, we nosedive (IYKYK) into some of the technological advancements from the show that are already finding one foot in reality, along with the ethical dilemmas they bring:

“FIFTEEN MILLION MERITS” (Season 1, Episode 2)
GAMIFIED WORK AND SOCIAL CURRENCY

In the Episode: People earn “merits” by performing mundane tasks in a gamified society. Real-Life Parallel: Gamification is prevalent in apps, fitness programs and even workplaces, encouraging behaviours through point systems, badges or rewards. Social platforms that monetise content and use engagement metrics are similar to the merit-based system in the episode. Gig Economy: The rise of the gig economy, where work can be sporadic and reward-based, mirrors the constant hustle for “merits” in the episode. While it provides flexibility, a primary concern within the gig economy that is not easily resolved is the inherent job insecurity and absence of traditional employment benefits.

“THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF YOU” (Season 1, Episode 3)
MEMORY IMPLANTS