Just finished Jurassic Park and it got me thinking. I started it knowing it would be easy to relate to the dangers of a consequence-free, uncontrollable digital world. And that's still very true. Regardless of happy posts and/or rants, I know there's a lot of danger from the internet and/or relying on it too much. But as I wrapped up another exciting read, I was wondering why I love such a horrific book. One, I love dinosaurs (who doesn't?) Two, I love the movie (as everyone should). Three, I really like the ideas behind it. I like the questions it brings up. How far is too far? When is enough enough? Should one person control those sort of fates? Can they? And then I'm wondering...would it have been better for it to never have happened?
Probably. But, seeing as I love dinosaurs, I love the movies, and I love pretty much everything about this book, I'm suddenly a big fan for dinosaur win.
After all, in the book (and the sequel, The Lost World), dinosaurs aren't exactly vilified. It's the men who created them thinking they could control them--they were the villains. The dinosaurs were actually inspiring and interesting. Characters went on and on about them and how awesome they were and how crazy it was to have them there in the flesh (Except raptors which are, let's be honest here, terrifying creatures possessed by demons). So it's not so much a horror story about dinosaurs wreaking havoc; rather, that is merely the consequence of the real horror: those of men banking on controlling something that shouldn't belong to just one man.
It makes for an interesting twist in my digital culture debate. Is the technology to blame or those trying to manipulate it for their control, gain, protection, whatever? After all, this is the most amazing age to live in. I don't think anyone's really aching to go some-hundred years (no matter the popularity of Downton Abbey. Or Game of Thrones.) This isn't the most idyllic time period and there are definite problems (almost as horrific as raptors ripping you apart...or compys chewing on you bit by bit). But I think, overall, we should be glad for the opportunity to live in this digital age. Probably more glad than those stuck in a weekend of horror, trapped on an island with voracious man-eaters. This is a great time filled with great technologies. Though the risks might be just as great and the threats just as horrifying, we've got it pretty good. Just remember: we're in beta. It's a working progress.
Kinda like a dinosaur park.... Also, kinda not.
No comments:
Post a Comment