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Science fictionand social commentary have always walked hand in hand with one another. During the Cold War, the supposed communist threat was depicted in the form of invaders from Mars. Gene Roddenberry used the originalStar Trekseries to platformtopics of prejudice, war, and religion. Looking at 20th-century science fiction from a modern perspective, many topics are still relevant today. This is the case with Stanley Kubrick’s2001: A Space Odyssey. Years before George Lucas would take space opera to new heights withStar Wars, Kubrick took us on a journey that depicted the human race’s need for domination through technological innovation.
As the discussion regarding AI and an ever-growing dependency on technology continues, there’s a lot in Kubrick’s magnum opus that is more relevant than ever. The hubris that has always accompanied advancements in technology is on full display, and Kubrick provides his audience with a thorough examination that’s just as relevant now as it was when it was first released over five decades ago.
Innovation for Survival and Domination
Humankind’s history is one of adapting to changes necessary for survival. More than just the need to prolong existence, there’s also a capacity to dominate. The aspects of domination and survival are integral to the first act of2001: A Space Odyssey, with the dawn of man. Evolution, which thrives on the theory of survival of the fittest, becomes established with a group of apes developing the use of weapons to hunt for food.
Set to the tune of “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” man learns to kill for food and tame his environment. An ape strikes the skull of an animal with a bone.Images of animals succumbing to this new-found knowledge follow, illustrating the capacity to dominate the environment to ensure survival. In a moment of triumph, the bone is thrown into the sky and transitions into a spaceship in the distant future.Kubrick’s unique use of images establishes the continuity of the need to survive and dominate as humankindtakes to the starsto tame new frontiers.
2001: A Space Odyssey: Does the Sci-Fi Masterpiece Still Hold Up?
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is a grand symphony of innovation, challenging conventions and embracing ambiguity, leaving audiences in awe.
Humanity’s Downfall by Way of Design
The crux of2001: A Space Odysseyinvolves a scientific mission to Jupiter. Astronauts Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood), along with three colleagues who are being held in hibernation, and a computer known as the HAL-9000. While2001: A Space Odysseywas filmedbefore the moon landing,Kubrick’s vision of future space exploration, aided by the help of co-writer Arthur C. Clarke, isn’t too far off from what would develop in the years following the film’s release.
Viewing these sequences with the hindsight of a modern perspective, it’s shockingly prescient. The mission is largely dependent on theHAL-9000, as an AI overseeing the technical operations of the equipmentthat will be necessary to complete the mission, and the life support systems of the crew in hibernation. With the HAL-9000 providing oversight and being thought of as another member of the crew,the reliance upon him for success places Dave and Frank at the mercy of technological innovation. Just as he did withDr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,Kubrick highlights how technology has advanced humanity but will ultimately lead to its undoing.
2001: A Space Odyssey: Revisiting Kubrick’s Masterpiece and Explaining the Ending
The significance of 2001 is timeless in every sense of the word, but what makes this Space Odyssey so good, and what’s with the ending?
What Happens When Technology Works Against Us?
In a world where technology is relied upon daily, error caused by something created by human hands is the ultimate betrayal. There have been aplethora of unique antagonistswho strike a chord with the viewing audience. But,the HAL-9000 epitomizes the reliance on innovation and serves as one of the screen’s most terrifying creations.
Because of its design,the HAL-9000 cannot be subject to reasoning or bargained with. With the HAL-9000 being so crucial to the success of the Jupiter mission and having eyes and ears everywhere, the computer nearly becomes a transcendent entity, watching over its subjects and eliminating those who pose a potential threat.These acts of self-preservation are cold and calculating and come close to mimicking the human traits that are often associated with sociopathy.
The fact that the technology designed to keep the astronauts alive becomes their biggest threat is even more chilling today than it was in 1968 because it’s all the more real. Five decades after its first release in theaters,2001: A Space Odysseyis more relevant than ever. As humanity progresses with new technological innovations, we must always be aware of the dangers of relying on them too much.
