The series Black Mirror is an alternative look at the world today, as well as a future toward which society is headed. The series contains political themes that vary from episode to episode. However there are a few reoccurring themes that remain the show’s focal point; the participation of the populace in government and society at large via mass behaviors; the use of technology; and the control it exercises in the lives of the characters. The overarching theme demonstrates how quickly citizens are able to disconnect from interpersonal, social, reality by the use of technology. These themes are depicted in each episode. Black Mirror is a prediction of what human society may become. Its dark themes address the rapid changes and cultural lag that rapid technological change often brings. Using Bandura’s social learning theory, this paper will examine Black Mirror and the major social themes of media distraction, materialism, and the cultural definitions of what it means to be human on socio-political life. It will also address the extrapolation of the effects of omnipresent technology on social interaction.
About the presenterKelsey Broadright
I attend Edinboro University. I’m an anthropology major with a minor in history and political science. When I’m not working, I volunteer at a local animal shelter.