Docu-Film Review: The Social Dilemma. Director: Jeff Orlowski.

 

Charles Dickens, in 1859 in his famous novel titled 'A Tale of Two Cities', wrote: "it was the best of times; it was the worst of times". A hundred and sixty one years later, this sentence still holds true. We live in a world where organ donors can be found at the click of a button, but a different click may yield to us, a method of bomb-making. 'Social' media, the primary objective of which is connecting people seems to do the exact opposite, and opening different applications on our phones arouses diverse reactions. 

Opening Instagram causes lifestyle insecurity, and opening LinkedIn causes career related stress. It is hard to find happiness in the world without, which is why many individuals seek it in their phones, which again reduces the risk taking ability because nowadays people would rather deal with the misery of the familiar, than venture into an unknown with hope. 

'The Social Dilemma', a docu-film streaming on Netflix is a no-nonsense eye-opener and aims to give the audience an insider's knowledge sans opinion regarding what thought process is involved behind the making of these apps people spend a major chunk of their time on. 'The Social Dilemma' brings many young and dynamic savants in the field of technology who formerly held top positions in these gigantic incorporations. These experts divulge the abysmal tricks of the trade and the way people are used, how their data is tracked along with their wherewithals in the wacky world of the internet. 

The way the stalwarts narrate the facts is quite lucid and people from the computer science background, as well as the non-allied professions can perfectly understand what is being said. A parallel short story to illustrate these facts is also very well depicted, the ill-effects of technology so far, the addiction caused by it and the murky trap set by it, making it impossible to be one's authentic self again make it more disturbing so. 'The Social Dilemma' very well characterizes the deranged reality of what is going on and the threat it poses. 

In the olden times, an important spiritual consideration was if man would like himself if he met himself. In today's times, this can be a bit modified and be asked as, 'would you like yourself irrespective of the 'likes' you get?'. Today's world seems to have forgotten that there is a fundamental difference between getting likes on a picture posted on an application, and actually being liked. According to one of the experts in this docu-film, the "like" button was originally created with an intent to spread love and positivity. However, things took a different turn. 

'The Social Dilemma' highlights how even two extra minutes of scrolling an application can have a dual effect: the addiction of the user to the application increases, and the application makes billions of dollars at the user's expense. The horrid reality of a world within a world, which actually needs to rise against climate change, unemployment, starvation, racism and a plethora of other issues is busy fighting on social media against each other, leaving nothing productive for the users in the process, but adding to the coffers of these corporations who give people nothing but customised, tailor-made versions of reality enough to suit their delusions. 

Albert Einstein said, "the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits". Therefore, in Einstein's conclusion, most of the social media users are stupid. They compete in the race to make everything "gram" worthy or to sound smart so that their comment garners validation and approbation, and in the process lose touch with the 'real' in reality and live in their own bubbles. 

There are many films and series having the ill-effects of addiction to technology as their premise, in the recent times, 'Spree' is a great example. 'Years and Years' is another great example of a series with technology in the hands of an authoritarian at its centre. 

(Read full reviews on:  https://bff-anewdimension.blogspot.com/2020/08/film-review-spree-director-eugene.html  & 

https://bff-anewdimension.blogspot.com/2020/07/series-review-years-and-years-directors.html ). 

The best part of 'The Social Dilemma' is that it does not ask social media users to quit social media right away, but portrays the pressing need for a constructive conversation and sustainable solution for the future. Overall, 'The Social Dilemma' cannot be missed for the truth it so flawlessly portrays. 

MY TAKE: 8.5/10. 

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Author: Ms. Radhika Sunil Vaidya. 

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