Surrogates

So last night, we (Tucker, Ashley, and myself) saw Surrogates for free at the Studio Movie Grill. I'm not going to review the movie because there's not much to tell. It's your standard sci-fi action movie, and it's only 90-minutes long. If you want to see something like that, you'll like it. Expect more and you won't. Simple as that.

What I'd like to discuss is the world of Surrogates, something I find extremely fascinating. Ever since I saw the first preview for the movie, I have been asking myself how realistic that movie is. Whether or not most people would choose to live their lives through a robotic surrogate if that option were available. Whether or not I would choose such an option.

At first, I didn't think people would be willing to trade actual experiences for the "ease and safety" that such a thing would provide. When I asked Tucker what he thought, he answered (in a confidence that only Tucker has) that he thought everyone would do it.

And as I started reading about the movie and the graphic novel it was based on, I started to agree with him. I read that the original writer, basically, came up with the idea when he realized that people were getting fired from their jobs and divorced because of their "online identities." That if someone could get wrapped up in a life that doesn't exist, what if they could put a face and body to that identity? What if they could be that identity 24/7?

The movie only glances by this topic. A woman at the beginning turns out to be a man, and a couple people on a subway train have blue skin. Because surrogates would give people the chance to be as out there as possible, whether you wanted to be completely different or simply felt like you were born in the wrong body.

And I think people would love that. People that have always wanted to be a few inches taller could have that done easily. Women concerned about their breast size could have bigger ones added to their surrogates. Fat people could become athletic. And so on.

Not to mention the in-movie explanation for the beginning of the surrogates - disabled people could live happy, normal lives through their surrogates.

So we've established that a segment of the population would love the idea. What about people who are perfectly happy with themselves? Surrogates would allow their human operators to perform superhuman tasks (enhanced strength, increased agility, improved senses, etc). Athletes would probably be interested, and professional leagues would have to outlaw surrogates or use them exclusively. The movie hints at an Extreme Football league, indicating the way the writers thought that would go.

And let's not forget injuries. Tom Brady's surrogate could tear its ACL, and he could just get a new one for the next week. Heck, he could probably have a backup one on the sidelines, just as if he'd torn his uniform.

Then there's thrillseekers and law enforcement officers. Anyone who faces death in their normal lives would want a surrogate. Because, while I'm sure the endorphins are a little less wild when you know you're safe, I'm guessing the experience of skydiving would still be great. And I'm sure there'd be a lot of people who would love to actually plummet to their (surrogate's) death if they knew it was safe. And all fire fighters and police officers would probably use surrogates, just because it takes away the risk of death. More (human) lives would certainly be saved if the saviors didn't have to worry about their own safety.

So there are a few more segments of the population that would use it. What about everyone else?

Tucker seems to think that some people would want to use surrogates some of the time. Maybe you don't feel well, but you want to go to work. You could send your surrogate to work while you "rest" in your home. Maybe a woman doesn't want to worry about putting on makeup and getting dressed to run to the store, and she sends her pre-made-up surrogate instead.

I believe these people would start with just some small thing, and I don't think they'd intend to use their surrogates full-time. But then people would get lazier, I think. They'd be attracted to the ease of things. The sick guy might still feel a little ill so he sends in his surrogate for the rest of the week. Just until he feels 100%.

Then there are the other factors. Maybe I send my surrogate to the grocery store, and I get some looks from a cute girl. I might think that my surrogate is more attractive than me, and I might send it out again to see if that's the case.

But here's my prime theory. I think after a couple months of part-time use of a surrogate, there will be some noticeable changes. With less exercise, the human operator might put on some weight. Maybe there are a couple of blemishes on the face that the surrogate doesn't have. Maybe there's some hair loss or some grey hairs.

Suddenly, the person who was okay with their body isn't as okay with it. And why try to work off the weight when you can just use the surrogate? Why cover the blemishes with makeup when the surrogate doesn't have them in the first place? Don't have hair? The surrogate has plenty.

And now a part-time user of a surrogate is a full-time user.

Then there's things like peer pressure and social norms. If the majority of people are using surrogates, the minority will start to crumble. It takes strength and courage to go against the norm, and a lot of people don't have it. And, perhaps, people who were against surrogates would be tempted to give it a shot. And after a few months, like the people in the example, would be using one all the time.

And I think the world would end up being a lot like the world in the movie. There would, of course, be people who would be against them, and these people would (literally) stick to their guns. But since the surrogate-using majority has the power, these humans would probably live in more impoverished situations like in the movie.

And I'm sure the conflict would eventually get violent.

So there you have it. A way that surrogacy, as described in the movie, could sweep the world. How our world could turn into the world of Surrogates.

It doesn't seem that difficult when you think about it. And, honestly, that scares me a bit. There's something very creepy, at least to me, about a world where robots are running the world. Even if there are humans controlling them.

And here's my final point - how different is the world of Surrogates from the world of The Matrix? Both worlds have immobile humans in charge of AI-based versions of themselves. Both worlds have a small human resistance movement trying to save people that don't even think they need to be saved. In fact, both worlds have people who don't want to be saved (think of Cypher from The Matrix).

One world is less sinister, but I think they're pretty similar in other ways.

So there you have it. Surrogates isn't a great movie, but I think the world it gives us is thought-provoking. Because I watched a little story on the "science behind the movie" and they said we're pretty close to that kind of technology. In fact, they said, it's just a matter of being able to make the robots look more like the humans they represent.

So when it happens, don't say I didn't warn you. Or, I guess, the movie makers. Or the author of the graphic novel. Even if they warned you first, remember that I did too.