The 5 Best Political Black Mirror Episodes 

Dystopias remain terrifying because of how close we remain to achieving them. Black Mirror, an anthology Netflix TV series, often utilizes dystopias to make social and political commentary. Each episode is unrelated in content but they all aim to critique or expose human nature. Sure, I could list the most entertaining episodes but, in this political moment, wouldn’t it be more fun to look at the ones that hate us the most? 

Blurring Lines: Resurgence of ‘I, Robot’

In a world where science fiction often feels confined to the pages of our books or the threads of our imagination, Tesla’s reveal of its humanoid robot (Tesla Bot) offers a glimpse of fiction melting into reality. In I, Robot, humanoid machines struggle between obedience and the tantalizing possibility of something more — reflecting human desires and fears. Are we approaching a world where the lines blur between creator and creation? 

With the Tesla Bot entering the scene, a daunting sense of familiarity emerges as ethical and societal concerns from I, Robot resurface, highlighting unsettling parallels between fiction and reality. In the film, robots are bound by The Three Laws of Robotics to ensure they remain obedient and harmless to humans. Yet, as the plot unfolds, we see that despite these strict safeguards, the machines begin to develop minds of their own, pushing the boundaries of their programming as doubts about their owners’ intentions cloud their “minds.”

GLASGOW | Don’t Let Them Erase You 

Yes, new technologies and trends in society are dehumanizing us and promoting the gentrification of a people as a species. But we need to learn how to survive, stay conscious and thrive in the coming world: Trying to prevent these changes is futile when the path has unfolded this far.

BEARD | Academic (Dis)Honesty

I’d like to offer a parallel explanation to the dusty and oft-reused one of our professors. If there is a cheating epidemic, professor laziness and inflexibility is just as much to blame as student dishonesty. In a changing academic and technological environment, our faculty have either refused to adapt or taken the easy way out, all while  keeping their expectations for academic integrity the exact same. Fanning the flames further are University policies which reinforce the idea that grades and our self worth are one and the same. There exists a perfect storm in which an unwillingness to change by all parties involved has allowed human nature to run rampant and given our behind-the-times professors something to complain about.