Fear

There are two things in life which are certain, death and taxes. But what if I told you this aphorism was partially false? Would you believe me? What if I told you that taxes don’t have to be certain? Would that tickle your imagination a bit? So many instances could lead to the demise of tax collection as a national collective. Obviously, the sheer number of individual tax evaders is already prevalent and it’s a phenomenon I can’t possibly quantify. But as a collective, it’s absolutely not set in stone. A government coup or the refabricating of our national economic model are two of many scenarios where taxes can pivot from certainty to history.

The same can’t be said for death. Death is without a doubt inevitable. I sometimes fantasize about the idea of being a principal scientist in search of discovering a revolutionary solution to the shortening of our telomeres, hoping that one day we could extend the process of aging. After basking in fantasy for a quick minute, I always immediately crash back to earth pondering at the realization that death is sadly certain for all species on earth. But you see how the fragile mind works. Fearful of death, my mind is constantly ready to formulate any absurd scenario where the one thing it fears more becomes non existent.

Which brings me to my main point: The death of all social constructs as we once knew it.

Depending on your beliefs, the world has been around 4.5 billion years. Out of those 4.5 billions years, sentient life has been around for 6 million years while the modern form of human life evolved and thrived for as much as 200,000 years. Now, if you are a Christian and do not believe in evolution, the modern form of human life evolved and thrived approximately 6000 years ago. Now, whether you believe in 200,000 or 6000 years doesn’t really effect this piece because, both are tangible evidence to make my case. For 200,000 years or 6000 years, humans have formed societies to add meaning and structure to an unforgiving world desperately trying to axe them off the face of existence. Within said structure were roles created to ensure the survival and advancement of said society. Individuals had a purpose (innately discovered or implanted by societal hierarchy) to strive toward. Through those remarkable years, we discovered incredible technologies through the dedicated work of scientists and engineers. Incredible technologies with which we continue to reap the benefits in the year 2021. To name a few: energy sources, vehicles of transportation, modern agriculture, modern medicine, computers, Web1, Web2, Web3 and film….ect. Those years also gave rise to spectacular artists, poets, writers, filmmakers and historians. Within the same degree of discovery also rose horrific discoveries and vile leaders who alone destroyed or almost succeeded at destroying established societies.

Societies within every culture, whether we accept it or not, play a vital role in the life of all species roaming the earth. From the day we are born to the day we die. Human interaction, conversations, debates, intimacy, war and a plethora of other things molds us into the person we stare in the mirror daily, good or bad. And within those interactions are the technologies which facilitate our lives through efficiency. With efficiency, technological advancements have increased exponentially giving way to a new society, one drastically and far removed from those of our predecessors. In this new society, we are granted the biggest gift of all – time. More time to spend with family, friends and loved ones, right? Well, not quite right. Study shows that as a collective, we spend about 59 hours a week of our free time on the internet. 80% of internet users are mobile users which signals the beginning of the “cyborg” lifestyle Tesla CEO, Elon Musk dubbed a year ago. In the United States, the average time spent on social media is clocked at 2 hours and 41 minutes with projections eyeing an increase. Surpassing the U.S is the Philippines with a whopping 4 hours.

Through the revolutionary technology of social media, we were given the avenue to transport our real world experiences and sense of belonging, pride and dignity to a world dictated by algorithms which we knew very little of and their impact on the human psyche until recently. CEO’s of these mega tech corporations have gone on record to admit the unforeseen impact of their creation and have swayed the public to indulge wisely. But, how can one indulge wisely when one’s needs of love, belonging and affirmation have been hijacked by this technology and are served back to them on an artificially bloated platter. The one thing one fears most in real life can suddenly go away for a brief moment once on social media at the touch of a digital button.

And if that wasn’t enough for the fickle minded brain of the consumer , who former Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg errogantly described as “dumb fucks”, recently introduced to market was a mind shattering technology called the Metaverse. A place where you can live out your wildest dreams and fantasies. A place where business meetings, shopping, dating, learning can be done through the usage of 3 dimensional avatars in 3 dimensional space. Providing even more efficiency, you may never have to leave the comfort of your home except for emergencies. Why would you when you can just put on Virtual Reality Headsets, gloves and become your true self digitally. Your biggest fears become a thing of the past and your worries, well possibly non-existent. As of this moment, virtual lands and roads are being sold for millions of dollars. Conglomerates such as Nike who are aware of the shift in the air are buying in early to secure their seat at the big table in the Metaverse.

As you read this piece, you’re without a doubt convincing yourself that this 3 dimensional society will never come to fruition like they want it to. And to that, I say think again. Prior to consumer culture, we had a culture of producers. How did they get us onboard? Prior to social media culture, we all had tangible social lives? How did they get us onboard? What we have to ask ourselves is, what are we afraid of so much that we are willing to forsake our real selves for something uber artificial? What are we afraid of that makes us so vulnerable and susceptible to these drastic changes? What are we afraid of that we are willing to destroy the very fabric of what’s decently left of our current society for the Metaverse?

As you ponder over these questions, I’ll leave you with two excerpts. I can’t quite remember the species they used for the first excerpt since a large chunk of time as elapsed since I last read about these experiments, so I’m going to try my best to summarize:

A group of scientists once conducted an experiment in the hopes of understanding the importance of a society. They ran two tests. One had a colony of larvae in close proximity and the other had a colony of isolated larvae. The species which hatched from close proximity over time grew to build a strong society. A society of unity which benefited all surviving members of that species. The species which hatched from the isolated colony over time grew and demonstrated an astounding number of members who sadly became cannibals.
A brilliant scientist intrigued with studying the fabric of society built a utopian world for a large group of mice. This experiment stretched out for years. They had unlimited food, unlimited water and more. Things begin smoothly take shape for the colony of mice. Unfortunately, as the years went on, the brilliant scientist was met with grave disappointment. War broke out within the colony. The mice had stopped mating, some even stopped taking care of themselves. Instead, a handful turned to cannibalism. Others just refused to eat and simply died of starvation even with the excess of food at their disposal. Soon enough, the colony self-destructed.

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Side note: Why did I write this article?

Never have I been one to shy away from appreciating and admiring technological advances. Heck, I even go as far as trying to convince others to adopt those innovative ideas in their day to day lives. Innovations such as Peer to Peer trading like crypto, transparent ledgers facilitated by the blockchain, NFT’s, EV’s, Neuralink and many more all have potential. When I analyze them, I tend to weigh more positives on the scale of utility. Yet, after researching and reading about the topic of the Metaverse, I got a sense that there’s an outcry from a small community. An outcry possibly stemming from the foreseeable loss of freedom of speech, freedom of privacy, freedom of choice…ect. I for once see the validity in their outcry no matter how much I admire the technological advances aforementioned.

With Insta’s 2bil+ active users and TikToks 2bil+ active users who combine spend about 6+ hours a day on these apps, it can be a scary thought to think what the Metaverse will provide to these users if it delivers on all its promises.

For so long, I’ve deeply pondered over the differences between a rebel and an anarchist. Without the aid of literature or wiki, I wanted to come to my own conclusion by just analyzing the events unfolding in today’s society. Foolish you might say. What you might not realize is, sometimes, it pays to be calm in the mind and let it figure things without the influence of another. Only then can you claim that your conclusion was the product of your own understanding. Unfortunately, I never got to that conclusion and was compelled to search through google for the differences after recently watching the controversial and critically acclaimed film – Joker.

This is going to be a lengthy piece, so strap yourselves in and enjoy the read.

Prior to my trip to watch one of DC’s most iconic villain in his debut origin film, I constantly browsed the internet for articles pertaining to the Joker. After endless clicks, a few articles caught my attention. Why? Because they all shared the same exact theme – “Joker the movie should not be screened to the public due to the fear that it might entice violence and anarchy.” To combat this fear, it was reported in multiple articles that selected movie theaters would be provided with adequate to robust security detail if deemed necessary. As I read those articles, I just had to raise my eyebrows. Then, the lightbulb in my mind quickly illuminated and I instantly recalled the violent incident which occurred during a showing of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012 at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. The assailant set off tear gas grenades and shot into the audience killing twelve civilians in the process. A tragic moment.

And yet, 7 years later, the release of Joker not only brought back those horrific memories but also planted a dose of fear in the minds of many. But why Joker? A plethora of violent films have been released to the public in the past 7 years and I can’t think of one who forced cities to mobilize police officers to monitor selected movie theaters screening Joker. What is it about this character that has so many people frightened? After all, he’s just a comic book character, right?

Well, before we get to answer the questions above, here’s my abbreviated experience going to and returning from seeing Joker.

It’s noon on a Friday. I pull into the parking lot of the movie where I reside. Sorry, can’t say the name. (Now that would be foolish). However; I won’t leave you hanging and will sprinkle in a very important detail. I live in one of the safest cities on the eastern coast. It’s so safe you could leave your car open at night and wake up the next morning to find your belongings still intact. Now back to the story. I pull into the lot and the first thing I see is a police vehicle. Mind you, I’m a frequent movie goer to that specific theater and I’ve never seen a police vehicle outside of that theater. I walk into the movie theater and there she is pacing back and forth in full uniform. “Man, this is serious!” – I said to myself going into the theater. I get my ticket, walk into the showing room and noticed no more than 15 people. I sit and voila, the movie begins. Truthfully speaking, from the beginning of the movie to the end, I felt quite uncomfortable. So much so it gave me a slight headache. But, oddly enough, the uncomfortable feeling was not negative. On the contrary, it was a positive experience. A positive experience which propelled me to think. (Maybe a little too much) The narrative set forth and displayed to the audience that Friday afternoon was a brilliant masterpiece. A time piece depicting the rapid degeneration of a man who was once abused a child. A man who’s mentally unstable and desperately looked to find comfort in the happiness of others. Instead, he was ridiculed and tormented to the brink of no return. In the process, this man commits a string of murders and realizes that his happiness and tranquility lies solely within that morbid lifestyle. Coincidentally, he unintentionally births a movement. A movement not bred by rebellion but of pure anarchy, hence becoming the prince of crime and Batman’s greatest foe.

So, what is it about this character that has so many people frightened? – I previously asked. After all, he’s just a comic book character, right?

In my opinion, I wholeheartedly believe this fear comes from the fact that this could indeed play out in today’s society. “Are you saying someone could become the joker in real life? What are you smoking? I’m out!” – You say. Before you storm out, look closely at the gem and analyze the fragment within. Mental illness has plagued our society for so long. In the past it was brush off as nothing but a phase. In modern society, after countless of violent incidences, strides are being made to better understand the intricacies of the human brain. Yet, as the movie narrated, for those who do not have access to decent health care, they can’t and may never receive the proper treatment or medication to cure them or soothe their mental afflictions. And when left uncheck, awful repercussions soon follow.

A man or a woman with similar mental afflictions as the Joker may not start a rebellion or an uprising based solely on anarchy as shown in the movie (doubt anyone would even have the courage or energy to leave their homes nowadays if something of the sort did occur) but he or she may be pushed to the brink of committing horrific acts similar to the Aurora theater or the Sandy Hook shooting.

When Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson and Bob Kane created Joker, I have no idea if their intentions were to spread the awareness of mental illness in our society. 68 years later, the character not only withstood the test of time, it served as a well needed reboot for the failing DCEU and a wakeup call for all of us to take mental illness very seriously.

Now with that said, will I be watching Joker a second time? No. I loved it the first time. I will be listening to the epic score repeatedly on my way to work. But, I will not be watching it a second time. In my eyes, it is a truly tragic story meant for one viewing only. That’s just my opinion however; don’t let me rain on your parade. “After all, life is nothing but a comedy.” – Joker.

On a side note: It would be such a bold move and frankly quite amazing for Warner Bros to set their new Batman film in this universe. A time piece story for Batman would be epic.

Tag: Fear

The unforeseen and continuous rippling effect of a character molded in 1951