Bliss English Club

<Recap of “Black Mirror” by Wisely on March 24, 2018>

Date: March 24, 2018

Host: Wisely

Topic: “Black Mirror”

Meeting photo: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2Jc5WAZztl4GTljG2

Attendees: Emma, Chris, Jessica, Ellen Huang, Winnie, Kevin Huang, Melody, Angel, Annie, Sophie, Wisely

Today’s Host, Wisely

Since 2014, host Wisely has kept hosting a meeting once a year, all of which are noteworthy and valuable, and today’s is also no exception!

Why chose this episode?

Wisely told us after viewing several episodes, he decided to present this because it is not too heavy to bear and pinpointed enough to discuss! 

Signpost-like Guided Questions

As an experienced host, he firstly gave us these Qs ahead of viewing the episode:

1.      How many characters in the episode? What are their personalities?

2.      What are the same things in all characters and their differences?

3.      How do they consume? Fee charging for what they don’t want?

4.      Which part of this episode impressed you the most? Why?

5.      What costumes/commodities they can buy?

Step-by-step Revealing Discussion-

Then he led us into group discussion and report randomly so every team member has a chance to speak up for the whole plot of the episode!

What “it” is about?

It depicts a future society empowered by human paddles on the bike by which people earn merits to pay for daily necessities and TV entertainment.  It is idealistically Eco-friendly and hi-tech Systematic!

Hierarchy in the Society:

However, it is built hierarchically in four classes:

1.      The Governing Class: They are Invisible System builders, “Big Brothers” behind the screens

2.      The Executive Class (Here the Judge Team): They can manipulate people and sway the audience to the system’s advantage.

3.      The Ordinary Class (The Paddler Class, the society contributors): They offer power to sustain the system on bike-paddles and to win merits for themselves to pay for the TV entertainment in Talent Show or commercials, but if the paddlers are talented enough to be show Stars, they only win more merits to have bigger screens and better rooms.

4.      The Labor Class : They are degraded from the Paddler Class due to lacking in society contribution because they are incapable to paddle anymore

Pathetic Freedom in “Totalitarian State”?

Seemingly it is not total controlling people because it offers a platform for the gifted people to show their performing talents or speak out their true feelings, but these “free- will liberalists” mockingly ended up becoming the performers in the paid channels exchanging for their own bigger rooms with larger screens and better food, still living behind the “Black Mirror”.

Life-related Discussion and Exploration

Followed by the clarification of the plot and schemes, Wisely led us to discuss further:

1.      What do you think of the roles in the episode?

2.      In your opinion, why does the director put him/her here?

3.      Connect to real life: How do you make connections between this episode and the real society?

4.      If you were Bing on the stage, what will do? And what might be the consequence likely to be?

Reflections:

As expected , Wisely brought us with bountiful critical questions for us to think and discuss, from which he successfully arouse our awareness and consciousness on the consequences may look like if we keep relying on those "Black Mirror" too heavily..!!

The title Black Mirror” refers to the glass screens of computers, tablets and phones, but the machines are not the danger here: it’s the anonymous, antiseptic monstrousness they can empower. The brilliance of “Black Mirror” is that it’s not about how technology imperils our humanity. It’s about the Super Power Bigger Brother) behind the all-too-human faces reflected in our own black mirrors, is controlling us now!!!

However, Ironically I found that though this UK series would like to remind us not to count on those free, convenient or even so- called” efficient” 3C or internet gadget too much , however, we still need to turn on our “Black Mirror” and connect to internet to stay tune with each season and episode of it :-P

“Wise” Conclusion

Wisely led us to the conclusion that we can’t rely too heavily on 3-C product otherwise sooner or later we will become prey to them as in this episode. We appreciate so much Wisely’s efforts for clips and guidance, and all the participants’ inputs, which made today a high-quality meeting ever! 

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