You find the perfect partner
you’ve always wanted.
Only problem is,
it’s a simulacra
of a human being.
A program without a body.
Could you still
fall in love?
That’s the question at the heart of SpIke Jonze’s latest film, Her. In it, Joaquin Phoenix plays a writer wrecked by his upcoming divorce who finds solace and the love he has lost in the soothing voice (Scarlett Johansson) of the Siri-like program that comes with his new phone.
As strange as it may seem, it’s a question that will become more relevant as we move forward. If we can accept that it’s possible to fall in love through the Internet with someone thousands of miles (if not half a planet) away through our ability to constantly communicate with them whenever we wish, it doesn’t seem that hard to accept us finding similar solace in a collection of zeros and ones that recreates the experience to the point that no one could honestly tell the difference.
Could it happen to you?
With the right interactive tech behind it, I could see a noticeable population reduction happen. What happens when real A.I.’s are developed and bonded to individuals…….what percentage of our population will just find it that much easier. Men in general get that “ringing biological clock” effect later in life if at all. If the “I hold all men personally morally responsible for all the worlds/my problems” sub-sect of feminism is as large and in-charge as it is now……men who have been trained not to expect very much from relationships with women, may well bail-out. Along with a large contingent of… Read more »
The premise of this movie is frighteningly plausible. Far too many of us have a strong – yet unrealistic- need to be met with unconditional positive regard, unwavering attention, perfectly attuned responses. What are our options for getting these? Previously: our Labrador Retriever. Now, the soothing voice of our operating system.
And I get the feeling that there’s going to be a really powerful feminist subtext to this film that won’t be too far from Ruby Sparks in its nature… of course the perfect girl is the one you build. She needed him to be a part of the world. What could be better than that for a man who was raised in patriarchy? He gets to create the woman he always wanted because she’s always going to be responding to what he says and adapting based upon that. Based upon my obsessive passion for the movie Adaptation, I am jumping… Read more »
I haven’t seen RUBY SPARKS, but I own ADAPTATION action figures! Seriously. That’s not a joke.
YOU MUST RENT RUBY SPARKS RIGHT NOW
Now now now now now now now now it will blow your mind.
I think it’s on Netflix.
I can NOT wait to see this movie. Dying to see it. Joaquin Phoenix is the best actor of his (our) generation. And I have to admit that I think I would be capable of falling into something akin to love with a computer, but only if I didn’t know it was a computer. Once I knew it was a computer, then no. But the reality is, if the only love you could feel was the computer that’d be better than no love at all, right? Except the computer can’t take care of you when you’re sick, and you can’t… Read more »
It is possible because I’m in love with that poster of Joachim already. I don’t know if you guys see it, but on my end, he’s looking right at me. I can’t believe it either because you should see my hair, but I guess that doesn’t matter to him. This is so intense. If the friendships I’ve made online are real (and they are to me) and I find out later that you’re all bots, then I’ll probably be brought to my knees in amazement over the capabilities of technology before I kill myself, which i wouldn’t normally do, but… Read more »
I agree with Alexa here. Nothing slays me like dark hair and light eyes. This photo of him is really intense.
I love him in the scene where he’s singing with Reese as June in Walk the Line and then proposes to her. So intense. He must be terrifying to work with as an actor.
You never know. Stranger things have happened. There’s documentaries about people in happy relationships with life-sized dolls and sexbots. Maybe it’s easier.
Sigh.
Probably! I’ve fallen in love via the Internet before so it doesn’t seem too far-fetched. Not having anyone to cuddle would be a bummer though.