User:Victoriajane1/sandbox/The Future (concept in media)
In film
1950's
Main article: List of science fiction films of the 1950s
1951, Unknown World: The film concerns a scientific expedition seeking livable space deep beneath the Earth's surface in the event a nuclear war makes living above ground impossible. The way in which technology and society are presented within this film follows the dystopic change in which our world can potentially become unlivable.
1958, Escapement: Patients who want to escape the stresses of life are hypnotized, then laid out in morgue-like drawers, and left to dream for several weeks. It turns out that Dr. Zakon, the clinic's ex-Nazi owner, is using a "dream machine" to alter the sleepers' dreams and to impose his will on theirs. The way in which this film correlates with the imposition and exploitation of our bodies for technology. The way in which the doctor alters their dreams to impose his will on theirs introduces the question of how technology will overtake our bodies without our consent. The lists of what is possible now in conjunction with their affects of ease, make it seem positive and advocatory, but “automation renders us unemployed and stagnant wages devastate the middle class, while corporate profits surge to new heights."[1]
1960's
Main article: List of science fiction films of the 1960s
1960, Last Woman on Earth: This film tells the story of three survivors of a mysterious apocalypse, which appears to have wiped out all human life on earth. It explores three people who go diving, and when they emerge from the sea, they are unable to breathe without using their scuba tanks. Without the use of technology, the future is imagined to be impossible to live within. Technology is essential for survival, and this film explores how survivors within a new world are driven to insanity.
1964, The Earth Dies Screaming: Human bodies are scattered around an English village, apparently dead in a sudden cataclysm. A small group of survivors gather in the local hotel bar, led by an American jet test pilot, Jeff Nolan. It appears a mysterious gas attack has killed off most of the Earth's population. Figures in space suits appear in the streets; Vi Courtland thinks they have come to rescue them but they turn and kill her with their touch. Several of these bulletproof killers stalk the streets. The future envisioned as an alien invasion that takes over the world in a way that hasn’t been imagined. This, much like the theoretically alien evolution of technology, will be the demise of our humanity in one way or another. Being driven to death by the touch of technology, “state of permanent illumination.”[2]
1970's
Main article: List of science fiction films of the 1970s
1971, A Clockwork Orange: The film chronicles the horrific crime spree of his gang, his capture, and attempted rehabilitation via an experimental psychological conditioning technique (the "Ludovico Technique"). The technique itself explores the attempt to reduce the complexity of a living and organic “orange” into a mindless and mechanical object, reduced to “clockwork”. This film follows the psychological rearrangement of behavior through conditioning. Conditioning behavior in a forceful way, in addition to the operant technique argued within the film, the systematic reward-and-punishment is another way to inspect how tethered we are as a society to technology. The symptomological implication of removing technology as a form of behavior modification would fundamentally change the way in which we live, think, interact with one another, as well as view ourselves.
1974, The Terminal Man: The story centers on the immediate dangers of mind control and the power of computers. Harry Benson, an intelligent (IQ 144) computer scientist in his 30s, suffers from epilepsy. He often has seizures that induce blackouts, after each of which he awakens to unfamiliar surroundings with indications of violent behavior on his part. He also suffers from delusions that computers will rise up against humans. Benson will suffer further psychosis as a result of his person merging with that of a computer, something he has come to distrust and disdain. Two days after an operation, it becomes apparent that his brain is now addicted to the electrical impulses. The addition to the computer impulses is a direct symptom, we become a bundle of forms of activity, reflexes, and capacities - we are “always-on”.[3]
1980's
Main article: List of science fiction films of the 1980s
1982, Blade Runner: The film is set in a dystopian future Los Angeles of 2019, in which synthetic humans known as replicants are bio-engineered by the powerful Tyrell Corporation to work at space colonies. Synthetic humans and the bond between technology and humans symbolizes the ever-growing evolution and bond with the mediated future. The symptoms in which we blend and mix with technology include not being aware of our mediated involvement.
1982, Tron: A software programmer, is dragged into the virtual world where he is pitted against a malevolent software. He’s transported inside the software world of a mainframe computer where he interacts with programs in his attempt to escape. He takes the help of Tron, a security program that helps him defeat the villain. The surveillance of the communication between the Master Control Program and the real world, in addition to surveillance and the monitoring of human/technology interaction, can be justified for the advancement of technological evolution. Society’s bond with technology in the future will just grow stronger, and as imagined in this futuristic film, will mediate our bodies in a way that we haven’t witnessed yet.
1990's
Main article: List of science fiction films of the 1990s
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Back_To_the_Future_Part_III_DeLorean_-_5959689611_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Back_To_the_Future_Part_III_DeLorean_-_5959689611_%28cropped%29.jpg)
1990, Back to the Future III: Back to the Future Part III is a 1990 American science fiction Western film and the third and final installment of the Back to the Future trilogy. Stranded in 1955, Marty McFly learns about the death of Doc Brown in 1885 and must travel back in time to save him. With no fuel readily available for the DeLorean, the two must figure how to escape the Old West before Emmett is murdered. Time travel and the relationship between technology and the constant “return to work as normal: exhausted, anxious, stressed and frustrated.”[1] The way in which Doc and Marty fix their lives through a form of mediated change, and by doing so, they’re forced to work tirelessly to fix things. This is directly related to how we view the mediation of certain aspects of our lives today. The constant need to be “on” [3] and complete things in a way that is productive is never-ending. Much like Doc and Marty, we are unable to just simply live and be in the moment. We must, as society tells us, always be accomplishing something.
1999, The Matrix: Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer, is led to fight an underground war against powerful computers who have constructed his entire reality with a system called the Matrix. It depicts a dystopian future in which humanity is unknowingly trapped inside a simulated reality, the Matrix, which intelligent machines have created to distract humans while using their bodies as an energy source. One way in which this dark diagnosis is explored in is After the Future[4] is the concept of viewing the fragmentation in the future of technology. Consequences of not being able to come together as a collective within the Matrix, as explored in the film trilogy, is that we get sick, and we are more routinely in need of drugs or self-help methodologies, “digital capitalism induces” panic and depression. Neo doesn’t believe what happens outside of the Matrix until Morpheus brings him into their digital rendition and explains it to him, and the audience.
2000's
Main article: List of science fiction films of the 2000s
2007, I am Legend: Will Smith plays Neville, a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and man-made in this post-apocalyptic action thriller. Immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and perhaps the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. How humanity has a constant desire for success and advancement for technology has created a narrative loop for Will Smith’s character. This narrative is directly related to the sleeplessness of culture within the digital space. Will Smith’s character embodies the symptomatic loneliness created by the technology that created us. In the film, he emphasizes that “we did this”, and “global corporations did not slow the exploitation of labor or the massive destruction of the planet's environment”[4]. Throughout the film, he grapples with the loneliness and the grief from being the sole survivor of the future’s collapse.
2007: Resident Evil: Extinction: In the third installment of the franchise, the film follows the heroine Alice, along with a group of survivors from Raccoon City, as they attempt to travel across the Mojave desert wilderness to Alaska and escape a zombie apocalypse. The political involvement as well as the possibilities of new technology, seen through the use of Alice’s clones created to manufacture the “perfect” clone of Alice herself, automation is described much like in Inventing the Future[1] as something that has fizzled away and phased out. Through the film, Alice’s abilities are turned on and off by The Umbrella Corporation’s satellites. Her ability to survive depends on the technology created to control her; her autonomous life was far from hers, to begin with. The temporary compromises within the film exemplify what encompasses politics now.
2010's
Main article: List of science fiction films of the 2010s
2010: Tron: Legacy: The sequel to the 1982 film Tron follows Flynn's adult son Sam, who responds to a message from his long-lost father and is transported into a virtual reality called "the Grid," where Sam, his father, and the algorithm Quorra must stop the malevolent program Clu from invading the real world. It’s said that the film’s overarching theme was “finding a human connection in a digital world” according to screenwriter Adam Horowitz. Most sequences of the film were shot in 3D. This film follows entering a virtual space that has become far more hostile than intended and entails a life-and-death narrative. The conceptualization that as a society we become intrinsically entangled within technology that it threatens our livelihood is a theme also explored by De Ruiter, R. in ‘24/7’[5]. The idea explored within the short film directly related to Tron follows the idea that social media, and in the case of this film the virtual reality space, is individual immersion in technological systems made in order to connect with one another. The result of which ends in the user of the mediated immersive experience being implicated in ways more than just psychologically. Our bodies, affective responses, and emotions in physical realms are threatened at the aspect of total and complete immersion.
2015: Equals: This film stars Nicholas Hoult and Kristen Stewart as two people living in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world where all the people are robotic, emotionless workers, and any sign of emotions is treated as a disease. In a futuristic dystopian utopia, citizens, known as "members", live under the Collective, the legislative body which monitors and controls the people's actions. Citizens are mentally stabilized and all emotions and most illnesses are eradicated, with emotion and sexual activity contrary to the society's rules, and conception is through artificial insemination via a conception summons. The way in which the relationship between human and technology and the affect of the interconnected relationship is seen as an alternate critique and exploration in this film. Emotions are seen as the thing that is wrong, and suppressing any emotional expression is the correct way in which this futuristic society lives. Created in 2015, but set in a dystopic future, the commonalities with Normal[6] and 24/7[5] are echoed within this film. “Do it long enough and the abyss will look back into you” the abyss-gaze is overtly explored in this dystopic film. As civilians develop “SOS” Switched-On-Syndrome that restores human emotions, they experience severe depression that drives them to insanity. Some characters within the film ask those with SOS robotically and emotionlessly if they’ve thought of killing themselves yet, as this is a common symptom to experiencing emotions in an emotionless world. This futuristic look at our technological advancement poses a new question of how far technology will go to replace us and our emotions.
2011, Limitless: The film follows Edward Morra, a struggling writer who is introduced to a nootropic drug called NZT-48, which gives him the ability to fully use his brain and vastly improve his lifestyle. The way in which the drug reacts with his body increases productivity and success within his career and personal life, and directly correlates with the concepts explored in 24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep, Crary, J.[3] The sleeplessness that Eddie experiences is due to the technologically created drug, and increases his personal “state of permanent illumination”.[3] The way that contemporary society has transformed within the evolution into the information society, we’re expected to always be completing and creating data; new productivity is within the terms of information, and the way we’re expected to function within daily life. Eddie’s symptomatic experience with the drug is positive but has negative implications on his motor functions, processing of information of his activities, as well as memory. The way that society places expectations of always being “on” drives us to insanity; if Eddie didn’t have the aid of this drug, he wouldn’t be able to function at the rate he is. He is rewarded for his achievements. The notion of being rewarded for non-stop work that drives us to work ourselves ill is echoed within the world outside digital media. The capitalistic drive that pushes people to work themselves into their graves is suggested throughout this film.
2020's and up next
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/The_Matrix_Resurrections_Logo.jpg/320px-The_Matrix_Resurrections_Logo.jpg)
Main article: List of science fiction films of the 2020s
2021, The Matrix Resurrections: Plagued by strange memories, Neo's life takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself back inside the Matrix. This resurrection of the trilogy, in the trailer, keeps the plot mostly hidden. As audiences, we know it’s not a remake or a reboot, but resurrection and continuation of the story of life inside and outside of the Matrix. This future film will most likely, like the others within the story, explore the involvement, entanglement, and ruling of technology in our lives; awake and unconscious.
In music
Main article: [1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Portrait_of_Tom_Lehrer_in_c._1957.jpg/220px-Portrait_of_Tom_Lehrer_in_c._1957.jpg)
1950's
Entering the 1950's we see an increase in post world war narratives and music that illustrates love and optimism for life. Additionally there are songs that criticize war and the future of humanity. During this age music can be seen as a tool that some used to look at the future critically. In the song, Atomic Baby by Amos Milburn (1950), there is the ever popular narrative of love with a twist towards scientific attributes that are present in the Atomic Bomb. Amos Milburn sings "She's my atomic baby, and I have to handle her with care," looking at this decade with the understanding of the tensions that were rising across the globe about the cold war this song can be seen as a commentary on being with loved ones while you can because the future is volatile. [1] A few years later, The Cuff Links release the 1956 song Guided Missiles, another example of war-centric themes being turned into love songs or ballads. These songs are examples of the symptomology of post world war and cold war fears of the future, the idea that there might not be a future and society's response to a fear of atomic fallout. In 1957, Billy Riley released Flying Saucers Rock N' Roll, this song uses humor to illustrate a perspective of the future when Martians would come to Earth. Additionally, there is Tom Lehrer's 1959 song "We Will All Go Together When We Go", the song utilizes satire to criticize the government and the potential future if nuclear war were to happen. The song is an example of using humor as a response mechanism to the overwhelming fear and chaos when looking at the future; Lehrer is also known to have songs that work as commentary on other aspects of the future like pollution, which is noted by Srnicek and Williams as items that continue to be a problem even today.[1]
1960's
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Apollo_11_Lunar_Lander_-_5927_NASA.jpg/118px-Apollo_11_Lunar_Lander_-_5927_NASA.jpg)
The 1960's was full of both political and social events of momentous value, not only did these events shape the decade, they shaped the future and continue to be a topic of conversation even today. The 1969 #1 hit song "In the Year 2525" by Zager and Evans marked a time right before and during the Apollo 11 moon landing. The song boast lyrics that question humanity's choices and decisions while also posing the idea that the future for the human species might not exist.[1][7] The song goes on to say "you ain't gonna need your teeth, won't need your eyes, you won't find a thing to chew," illustrating a mindlessness future where there is nothing but consistent work in an endless cycle.[2] In the same year, David Bowie released Space Oddity. The song looks at the specific fears associated with going into space at the time, losing contact with the astronauts and ground control. Bad Moon Rising written by John Fogerty and performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival is an upbeat tune that features lyrics that comment on symptoms of climate change; hurricanes, earthquakes, tides rising, and "nasty weather," these characteristics of climate change reflects a dystopic vision on an apocalyptic future where these events are common.[4] With the ongoing Cold and Vietnam Wars, Country Joe and the Fish released Feel like I'm Fixin' to Die; a criticism on the U.S. Government and the draft, along with the idea that men would go from working on wall street straight into the endless cycle of war in the jungles of Vietnam.[2]
1970's
Starting off the 1970's we have the 1971 release called Silver Machine by HAWKWIND (In Search Of Space), the lyrics of the song create a picture which transports the listener into space, the silver machine being a title for what can be understood as a space ship or alien craft. This song is an example which illustrates time travel and the possibility of going forward into the future, the concept of traveling into the future here reflects wonder and excitement rather than fear.[1] The following year, Elton John released Rocket man, which is still a beloved tune and even inspiration for the film Rocketman which was released in 2019. The song has multiple references to hot topic of the time, space and travel; according to the songs writer Bernie Taupin the song was inspired by The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.[8] A few years later in 1979, Joy Division released their album Still, featuring the song "Ice Age." The song poses a narrative that embodies the fears and anxieties about a future where the world is plunged into another Ice Age, while today we are experience climate change on the opposite scale of temperature, the words bring to life the ever present tension we feel when looking at the future and how humans will cling to technology in a way to continue surviving.[1] This year also gave society, Six Six Sixties by Throbbing Gristle, the song is more spoken than instrumental featuring a monologue with background music, throughout the song there is a feeling of dread, defeat, and acceptance of the status quo. "This is the world now," stands strong in a descriptor for how the future is perceived; that while workers continue to work for the sake of the company the are actually hurting themselves, but that it what everyone does so it is the way.[2]
1980's
When we look at the 1980's we must look at Laurie Anderson's Big Science album released in 1982. Known for her contributions to the postmodern movement Laurie Anderson created many incredible art experiences including the song "Oh Superman," whether watching the video or listening to the song on its own, the viewer/listener experiences an overwhelming and uncomfortable commentary on American capitalism, criticism on the ever going war culture in the United States and the disconnect between individuals and the family. The song "Oh Superman," is listened to almost as a procession of emotions throughout a familial experience, of losing someone to "the hand that takes" which can be seen as the government of the USA or companies.[4] In the same year as Big Science, Cabaret Voltaire released "War of Nerves", the song takes a more experimental approach to the mashup of vocals, instruments, and vocal alterations. The song makes the listener feel like they are hearing something they shouldn't be listening to and presents a funky and futuristic sound. The audio of talking is almost muffled to make it hard to understand what is actually being said; listen to this song long enough and you feel as though there is more to understand about technology and the future than you might have thought before hand.[6] This decade also gave us Mark Stewart's "Hell is empty," released in 1987 the song creates an eerie environment reflection the relationship with technology and decent into hell, however it is then articulated that there isn't anything in hell and that is punishment in itself. The song hosts fragmentation and disjointed audio that feels dystopic in nature, almost like when you try and remember something and only remember pieces.[3]
1990's
“Escape From the Prison Planet” by Clutch takes a unique approach to looking at the future, in this songs narrative humanity has outgrown planet Earth and are confined to its boundaries with no where to really go or expand to. The song touches on topics ranging from capitalism, MTV, Men in Black, Alaska, Bob Lazar, Mars, Obelisk, the Pyramids, Planet of the Apes, Atlantis, and more. The concept the song focuses on most is the lost future on Earth and that Humanity doesn't stand a chance if it stays on this planet.[4] A more obscure song, the 1996 X-files theme by Mark Snow for the TV-show The X-Files does not have any words however could likely be recognized by at least one person in any room. The song embodies an excited and yet eerie approach to science fiction and fears of the future, the show looks at different fears from the time like aliens and the paranormal. Moby's "If Things Were Perfect," starts off as a fragmented repetition followed by a spoken word. The song accentuates working long hard hours and the need for a break from the ongoing and consistent routine of work that is so continuous that you lose track of yourself, the sun, and the human relationship with nature. The lack of sleep impacting the need to stay in the dark and not be in the sunlight is just another example of the 20th century fears of capitalist motives driving the societal value rather than human need.[3]
2000's -
The Disintegration Loop is a series of four albums by American avant-garde composer William Basinski released in 2002 and 2003. The albums themselves are associated with the 9/11 attacks, and the artwork for the albums features the New York City skyline. The piece of music features repetitive loops, that are low in musical tone but elicit a feeling of melancholy. This composition of music looped follows an expression and diagnosis for the bleak reality that followed 9/11. The future embedded within this medium of audio, looped, emphasizes the importance of the loop itself. The temporal phenomenon is linked to areas of being stagnant; the lack of progression stuck in a loop. This piece of music is operational and speaks volumes in which we ponder the mediations of the question of the future itself. The “normal” in which we live daily certainly will not be the “normal” in the future, and this piece particularly urges listeners in a subtle way to “embrace the paralyzing death-spiral of austerity” that we find our lives plagued with.[1] This piece of music correlates directly with themes explored in Inventing the Future that is reminiscent of something that could be used to describe as hopeful for the future, emphasizing that things would get better - yet equally stressing the most disturbing and disgusting parts of our “normal” such as being exhausted, anxious, stressed, and frustrated. Similarly, Resident Evil Main Title Theme (Corp. Umbrella) (SX Long) by Marilyn Manson relies heavily on the repetition of musical elements to elicit its desired affective response. Symptomatically, this piece composed by Marilyn Manson, creates the allure of technological intrigue, fear of the unknown, and pure intrigue. The loop of the electronically engineered musical effects gradually becoming more and more built and in tune with each other, creates an electro-industrial piece. Manson wrote the score for the first Resident Evil movie from the franchise and paired with the scenes from the film, only emphasizes the intentional eerie tone and atmosphere for the track and the film. The involvement of technological elements within this particular piece of instrumental music only exemplifies the involvement we had with technology in 2002 at the time this was released, as well as predictions for the future, hinted at by the futuristic tone. The “fracticalisation” as a result and symptom of experiencing this musical piece draws deeper than the fragmentation of musical elements, and to the core of what makes us human in our fragmented identity with and without technology.[4]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Muse_2009_001.jpg/319px-Muse_2009_001.jpg)
Belbury Poly's New Mobility sound world is branded as upbeat with electronic elements supported by “unusual instrumentation”. The New Mobility is a piece of music that harks back to the past – it is supposed to be reminiscent of music from the 1970s involved in public health announcements that were seen as hopeful and jaunty. As a piece released in 2006 reminiscent of the 70s, looking back on the hopeful and upbeat sound of it seems haunting, especially with its ironic title. The form in which this takes is musical, but the symptomatic imposition is far more melancholic than the buoyant tone. Taking the opposite tone, “Exogenesis: Symphony", commonly known as simply "Exogenesis", is a song by English alternative rock band Muse. The song is presented as a symphony in three movements entitled "Overture", "Cross-Pollination" and "Redemption", respectively, each occupying a separate track at the end of the album and spanning nearly 13 minutes in total. This beautifully composed collection of musical tracks with vocals, it follows a story of humanity’s end; leaving a destructive Earth behind to populate elsewhere. Part one of the symphony begins more relaxed and mellowed, part two continues as a desperate plea of sorts. It emphasizes the need for a new place to call “home”. A new Earth. Part 3 follows the realization that it’s in fact one big cycle of destruction, searching and new beginnings. Echoing themes outlined in After the Future involving the fear in which the information era has triggered. The concept of the future has always been embedded within capitalism, and the way this is suggested throughout this symphony is clear and suggests a dark future for politics after the future.
2010's -
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Aldi_Rockhampton3.jpg/220px-Aldi_Rockhampton3.jpg)
Breaking Into Aldi by Fat White Family is a pure riot of sound. The rock and roll theme of the piece and the screamed lyrics “breaking into Aldi” is a commentary on wreaking havoc upon capitalistic industries. Received as an anthem of the youth, the chaotic musical structure is reminiscent of the overwhelming and debilitating traditionally laid out future. The future envisioned of working 40 hours a week at a desk job, the mentality of living to work, not working to live. Berardi suggests in After the Future that as a society we have lost the radical visions and there’s no way we can collectively come together because we have lost that imaginative capacity to be enthusiastic and confident in work.[4] The way in which this ideology has shattered, as depicted in this song, is destroying the things that we consume. Aldi is a metaphor for the structures in which limit us daily, this song is an anthem for evolution, destruction, and revolution in technological spaces.
The opening track from Nero’s album Welcome Reality, 2808 introduces a storyline that involves a love story within destruction. The futuristic sound simply entrances listeners, and this piece sounds industrial at its core, with aspects that are futuristic and embody an experience of finding peace within destruction. The way in which this song unsettles the listener while simultaneously inviting them to participate in the technology and instrumental of the song. As echoed within Inventing the Future, the world is more chaotic and seems prone to sudden shifts, and this song embodies the fast-paced nature in which technology shifts and shifts us along with it.[1] Following this theme, Everyday Robots by Damon Albarn, accompanied by the music video shows a 3D model of a human skull being mapped in a program for 3D animation, simultaneously while the lyrical element of the piece critiques that technology is turning us into robots “we are every robots on our phones, in the process of getting old… everyday robots in control”. The illusion of control is echoed within this piece and even more so in 24/7 – we’re part of an information society and we’re expected to always be completing and creating data.[3] The illusion that we’re in control while technology controls us, and will continue to control us in the future is a key aspect of this specific song. Nothing of value can be extrapolated from simply existing. There is an undying, always revolving expectation upon contemporary society and users of technology to always be productive. “Everyday robots” as a concept but also a critique lyrically sums up the way in which humans are now being automated – in Inventing the Future, Srnicek and Williams explore the idea of humans commanding the power of technology, while it essentially does the same for us.[1] We work longer hours than we did in previous generations, and society is precarious and demanding. Following the theme of constant productivity, Moment of Betrayal by Dream Theater follows the theme of betrayal, expressed with lyrics among drums and guitar riffs. The rock composition symptomatically elicits the themes of revolution, revolt, and change. The literal element within this song – “moment of betrayal” within the vintage and melodic sound patterns within the musical performance create a nostalgic, yet progressive view for the future. Technological advancements may betray us and have betrayed us in the way of constantly pushing us to be more productive. Our value is measured in progression, productivity, and how much as a society we are able to accomplish. Echoed in 24/7, the “state of permanent illumination” has become the norm.[3] There are little to no moments of contemplation; we’re compulsive, and it’s simply become a part of contemporary culture. The technology we have adopted to help progress our lives and help aid us have revolted against us.
2020's and up next
While reflecting on the first two years of the "twenties" has plenty of content looking about what is next for music is more challenging than for films. Starting with 2020, there is Before the Fever by Grimes this song was released before the COVID-19 pandemic covered the globe. The song says "this is the sound of the end of the world" and "truth or the lack thereof" both presenting an ominous and disenchanted view of the present and the future.[2] Following Grimes, is Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head) by Powfu; this song is a perfect example of our societies ever constant reminder that we need to be working or doing something all the time, and that sleep is a nuisance.[2] The song presents as sweet and bubbly, going viral and gaining popularity throughout the year of 2020, however, it in fact has lyrics that are rather striking and present the subject as being lost. The song features lyrics like "Don't stay awake for too long, don't go to bed" and "I been thinking of our future, 'cause I'll never see those days," the song actually is about a man who is dying and saying goodbye, however, with the context of the COVID-19 pandemic the song gains even more meaning and value.[9] In addition to Death Bed is This Feels Like The End by Nothing But Thieves, another 2020 release, this song looks at humanity's inability to look away from traumatic experiences. With a lack of faith in humanity and the future Nothing But Thieves illustrates the stark picture that is where we are today and what the future (or lack there of may be). [1] For 2021, there is the DUNE Official Soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, specific songs worth noting are Bene Gesserit, Armada, Gom Jabbar, and The Fall; all of these songs have a very dystopic, fractured, and chaotic feeling while also expressing culture and emotion. The official soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is for the science fiction film Dune set in a future dystopic/utopic environment. The original film was made in 1984 and remade in 2021, which is interesting when analyzing societies current obsession with the past, specifically the 1970's and 80's. Finally, we have Bo Burnham's Welcome to the Internet, this song takes a critical and satirical approach to explaining what it is like on the internet in today's day and age, the good the bad and the ugly, Bo Burnham manages to set it all to an engaging tune while reminding viewers/listeners that we all take part in the system every minute of the day.[2]
*Note*
On the 2020 album and song Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa, the concept initially comes off as looking at the future, however it seems that the album and song takes more from the past that looking at the future. The idea of nostalgia and how it relates to our future going forward may in fact be seen more often, the glamorized history has become an ideal inspiration for current and future media.
See Also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Srnicek, N. and Williams, A. (2015) Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work, London: Verso, pp.1-3
- ^ a b c d e f g Jonathan., Crary, (2014). 24/7 : late capitalism and the ends of sleep. Verso. ISBN 978-1-78168-310-1. OCLC 1277467790.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h Crary, J. (2013) 24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep, London: Verso, pp.1-20
- ^ a b c d e f g Berardi, F. (2011) After the Future, AK Press, pp.1-19, 53-58
- ^ a b De Ruiter, R. (2015) ‘24/7’, University of Amsterdam
- ^ a b Ellis, W. (2016) Normal: Book 1, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- ^ Clash, Jim. "In The Year 2525, If Man Is Still Alive". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
- ^ "The fascinating fantasy behind Elton John's Rocket Man". Radio X. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
- ^ ""I was feeling emotional, I guess": Powfu talks breakthrough hit "death bed (coffee for your head)" - Music News - ABC News Radio". abcnewsradioonline.com. Retrieved 2021-11-10.