The Ghost in the Shell films based on the manga created by Masamune Shirow, is a futurist police thriller centered around the exploits of covert security forces unit Section 9. The events which occur circa 2030 revolve around "Major" Kusanagi, Batou and a few other members of the division, who are part cyborg, to varying degrees. The Major in particular has only parts of her brain, and a segment of her spinal chord which are still organic (real). The films and subsequent series have all dealt with the dilemnas of the characters as they try to figure out their exact nature. What is real? What makes a person real? Where does the essence of a human being reside? What happens to a mind without a body? Can the identity/individuality be maintained whole if only alive in the network? If we consider Marshall McLuhan's view of media as an extension of man, this movie (and the subsequent sequels and series) offer an interesting illustration of the the current modern world, where our increased connectivity renders us practically cyborg. The networking/information distribution is the key component of Ghost in the Shell, along with the issues of identity/individuality. The ultimate power is wielded by the Hacker, not the military. Who is now in control? The army on the ground? Or the people who control satellites and can scan/document/distribute information from a secure location, not necessarily anywhere the ground in question? The concept of "stealing" is also redefined. When previously, a theft took an object from one place to another, a hole was created, something would be missing. It would be easier to spot, and easier to find. The stealing of data/information/identity in modern times is interestingly never "stealing". The information does not disappear. Instead of an absence of information, there is a multiplication of information. (Brings back Benjamin's copy vs original to mind, but we're also beyond mechanical reproduction). The nature of that theft makes it harder to spot. How do you find stolen information, when everything remains in place? The focus then shifts from content to control, and access again.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Ghost-in-the-shell-induced musing
The Ghost in the Shell films based on the manga created by Masamune Shirow, is a futurist police thriller centered around the exploits of covert security forces unit Section 9. The events which occur circa 2030 revolve around "Major" Kusanagi, Batou and a few other members of the division, who are part cyborg, to varying degrees. The Major in particular has only parts of her brain, and a segment of her spinal chord which are still organic (real). The films and subsequent series have all dealt with the dilemnas of the characters as they try to figure out their exact nature. What is real? What makes a person real? Where does the essence of a human being reside? What happens to a mind without a body? Can the identity/individuality be maintained whole if only alive in the network? If we consider Marshall McLuhan's view of media as an extension of man, this movie (and the subsequent sequels and series) offer an interesting illustration of the the current modern world, where our increased connectivity renders us practically cyborg. The networking/information distribution is the key component of Ghost in the Shell, along with the issues of identity/individuality. The ultimate power is wielded by the Hacker, not the military. Who is now in control? The army on the ground? Or the people who control satellites and can scan/document/distribute information from a secure location, not necessarily anywhere the ground in question? The concept of "stealing" is also redefined. When previously, a theft took an object from one place to another, a hole was created, something would be missing. It would be easier to spot, and easier to find. The stealing of data/information/identity in modern times is interestingly never "stealing". The information does not disappear. Instead of an absence of information, there is a multiplication of information. (Brings back Benjamin's copy vs original to mind, but we're also beyond mechanical reproduction). The nature of that theft makes it harder to spot. How do you find stolen information, when everything remains in place? The focus then shifts from content to control, and access again.
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Being a bit ancient, my first graphic novel was "The League..."; these were my next after I caught a bit of the series. Thought provoking on levels beyond the norm, I've re-read them several times and like "Don Quixote" find different messages each time.
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