All Watched Over By Systems Of Impossible Inability.

Adam Curtis is a man that i have mentioned before in this blog. He is one of the best documentary makers currently working in the world today and a great influence upon my work and outlook as a whole. Recently he has created a new documentary entitled “All Watched Over By Machine Of Loving Grace”.

In this he discusses how the onset of computer and technological advancements have lead us to view society as a rational, mathematical system. This has not only lead to a degradation of an individuals identity by classing them as a parts in a system of control. This of course has proven not only false but disastrous especially when humans, as inherently unpredictable beings, caused too many variables. This means that computers are simply what we put into them, but we rather than them, are the flawed machines.

This is relevant to my current work as the idea of the world and then the universe as a coherent system governed by rationality is ultimately wrong. Reality is violent and unpredictable, chaos is the natural order of things and much like quantum events, the results are long form and we as a species are often unable to truly know the inevitable consequences of our actions.

It is an incredibly interesting piece and very much worth watching. He also has a blog which he produces small articles and archive video clips from the BBC. It’s a great website and is well worth a look.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/