Bladerunner

The idea that the body is no longer a sanctuary is demonstrated in the film Bladerunner and in the article, “Cyborging the Body Politic.” The film demonstrates the evasive nature of science concerning the human body. Tyrell, the company portrayed in the film, created part human/part machine creatures and then left them to their own devices, forcing them to deal with their defects on their own. I particularly liked the quote from the Dery article on page 235: “We are entering a colonialist phase in our attitudes to the body, full of paternalistic notions that conceal a ruthless exploitation carried out for its own good.” The use of the term colonialist demonstrates a separation between the body from the mind and the emotions, as though the science we inflict on our bodies is not inflicted on ourselves but on some entity separate from our true self. I believe we are all cyborgs because as soon as we put anything in our bodies, slather cream on our faces, or poke holes through our skin, we are less human and more creation. People walk around with heart monitors in their chest, fake eyelashes on their eyes, and steel rods in their spines. Whether or not these make us machines is debateable, but they do make us less human. We could also consider ourselves cyborgs because of the mechanical actions we adopt. Like a robot, many of us simply go through the motions without really thinking or feeling, whether it’s taking a shower and getting ready for work or being an employee.