Thank you podcast joint host Hoho as he discusses the rimting Netflix original series Black
Mirror. Now Here he is broadcasting from the kind of studio. Welcome to
Black Mirror Podcast, and as always I'm your host, he say, Hey,
y'all's doing. I hope you've been good? I really do. Today
we are revisiting season four, episode six, titled Black Museum. And as
always spoiler alert, if you have not watched this episode yet, go ahead
and tune in. You will not be disappointed. Even if you've already watched
it, watch it again. It's a good one. But you know,
this one not as much of a spoiler alert as usual, expecial in the
last episode. But we are going to be touching based on some things.
But the majority of this episode is going to be spent exploring, you know,
just the stuff. You know, the technology. You know, that's
more or less what we're going to be exploring on this one. You know
the implications, you know, just how close are we to some of this
crap? And I'll tell you what we're dangerously close to, you know,
bridging the gap if you will dangerously close, I mean, holy coward,
dangerously close. Now whenever I first seen the title of this one, I
was not skeptical, you know, I kind of figured, you know,
that this would be an episode that would you know, tie in some things,
you know, just not introduced, but it would it would link to
other episodes. And I was right, you know, I mean it did.
In the first minute where the protagonist goes into the Black Museum, you
see referenced, you know, through you know, objects that you see like
four maybe five different episodes, like right there. But you know, just
the the allure of this episode is in all the easter riggs that are strung
out within the Black Museum itself. I mean, there's several episodes you know
that are referenced in you know, objects and you know some of the display
pieces and whatnot. And of course, you know, the technology that they're
utilizing in this episode is technology that we have seen in various forms and stages
throughout the series. You know, the several different episodes you know that dealing
with the same thing that they're dealing with here, you know, not just
in episodisodes that we have already seen, but in episodes that are yet to
come in season five, you know, and obviously I haven't watched season six
yet can't wait to you know, watch season six. I'm excited about it,
I really am. You know, just so many episodes that are that
are referencing here now this one is no different from all the rest of them
because, you know, one of the things that I that I like about
Black Mirror is that each episode is its own story. You know, you
don't have to watch each individual, you know, episode in you know,
in series, you know, in in episodic order, in order to understand
what's going on. You don't need to do that, and that I think
is pretty awesome about the series in all honesty, you know, but I
gotta be you know, I hate how they how they do it, you
know. I mean you go into the episodes and I mean it's just like
it's backwards ordered. Everything is backwards or it's ridiculous, you know, I
mean, it's why they do it that way. I have absolutely no idea.
You know, Normally, you got you know, one all the way
down, you know, the first one down to the last one, and
you just hit play and it'll just keep on going and there you go.
But this one is like the last ones first, you know, and it's
like it's it's reversed ordered kind of a thing. I mean, it's you
know, I mean, you got to go to the top of this season,
and then once you get done with that one, then you got to
go to the top of season two, go down, don't go back into
season one, and then you got to go to the top of season three
and then go down. I just I hate how they you know, how
they arrange the episodes in the seasons in this series. That's I mean that
that's my biggest pet peeve with this one. But you know, whatever,
whatever, let's get into it. Let's get into it now. This one
is isn't in sreaking storyline. I mean, it really is references different technologies,
different things that they've done, and you know, it's just it's it's
neat. I mean, it's interesting, you know. And in a matter
of speaking, I see two sides of you know, both sides to this
argument, you know, because I mean, I don't know how you view
things as far as the afterlife goes, you know, I mean, I
personally do believe in a life after death, you know, and that this
is something that you know, isn't just a spiritual thing, which I'm not,
you know, navigating that aspect of this. But this is a scientific
point of view as well, you know, because Albert Einstein. You know,
once energy is created, it can't be destroyed. It can only you
know, dissipate, you know. So I mean that very much leans you
know, to a sort of life after death. What exists on the other
side. Does your consciousness survived, you know, within your soul or you
know what have you? I mean, these are you know, just questions
that we have that we explore. And you know, this one, like
you know, several other episodes as well, you know, kind of touches
based on this, you know, especially San Junipiro. You know, what
is your belief system on this? You know, But the most intriguing part
of it, though, is it's it's bridging the gap. You know I
referenced you know, I made this reference earlier, you know, bridging the
gap. Bridging what gap? Bridging the gap between a computer and your brain.
You know, it's being able to you know, let me think about
it. You know, your your brain is a hard drive of sorts,
you know it is, it's a biological computer, bridging the gap between and
a typical computer or you know, however you want to call it, you
know, a mechanical computer and a biological computer. That's what we're talking about
here, because that's that's the part about this that is intriguing, amazing and
terrifying, if you will. I mean I've watched, you know, gotten
some my hands on some information just earlier in the week talking about you know,
how am I forget the technical term of it, but basically measure you
know, looking at your your brain activity and whatnot, and you know,
whether an AI can basically translate what you are seeing and make an image off
of it. And surprisingly and scarily and terrifyingly enough, it didn't do a
horrible job. Like it got the gist of what it was that you were
looking at and then also using AI to type out your inner monologue, I
mean, holy cow, And it wasn't bad, you know. I mean
like it did a pretty stinking good job of translating your inner monologue. Like
like, I mean, this isn't text the speech. I mean, this
is like, you know, using your brain to actually just communicate to it,
Like, holy crap. Can you like the implications of this technology is
amazing. I mean think about it. People that you know, just you
know, are mute can't talk people that are you know, I mean various
levels of comatose I guess you can say, but I mean like people that
are just locked inside with in their own mind. Actually being able to communicate
with people using this kind of technology. That's amazing. I mean, holy
crap, you know. But the terrifying aspect of this is what if the
government got its hands on it, you know, and no longer using things
like or at least not just you know, a lie detector, like actually
using this and interpreting what it is you're actually I'm like, dude, I
mean, think about it. I mean, and this is I mean,
this is scary, terrifying, holy crap, you know, at least this
aspect of it. But it's like, you know, I mean, you
can use all kinds of mind games on people with I mean, not with
using this kind of thing, but I mean, you know, you don't
want to think about something, and the more you focus on trying not to
think about it, holy crap, you're thinking about it. You know,
you want somebody not to think about or if you want somebody to think about
a purple elephant, what do you tell them? Don't think about a purple
elephant? Now what are they thinking about the purple freaking Elephant, you know,
I mean it's just one of the type of mind games. Yeah.
And I mean, of course, this is technology that once it comes out,
you know, the best of intention. Sure, the and and the
road to Hell is bathed with it, you know, isn't that what the
saying says. And it's only a matter of time before it's misused. But
I mean this is something that you know, with artificial intelligence and you know,
what have you these this is the existential crisis that we're having, right
and this is something that even Elon Musk talked about, you know, with
the development of computers and AI. I mean, it's it's going to come
a point that you know, it's the problems are going to arise, you
know. I mean, this is the thing that they talk about in so
many different movies, you know, from a robot determinator to you know,
just a myriad of other ones and and even you know throughout the Black Black
Mirror series. I mean, this is something that's talked about, you know,
but it's the you know, the thing that they the thing that they
say is that you need to start taking these things into consideration now because by
the time you understand or that you see that it's a problem, it's going
to be too late. By then it's going to be a huge problem.
You know, And this is one of them aspects of you know, who
who are we dealing with here? Whenever it comes to this technology, you
know, are are we dealing with somebody whom is so focused on can we
do it? And not focusing on should we do it? You know,
that type of you know argument, And depending on which way you lean on,
that determines how many safeguards you're going to put into the technology in the
first place. You know, it's just wow. But we're getting to a
point in our understanding of the brain and how it works and other things.
I mean, we're getting to that point to where, you know, being
able to map out somebody's consciousness and you know, realistically and you know,
at least somewhat accurately, being able to translate somebody's inner modelogue. It's like,
holy cow. That to me whenever I found that out, you know,
I wasn't surprised, but I was still I'm like, because I know,
with technology, I mean, we have no idea what they're working.
I mean, let's face it, you know, scientifically speaking, we have
no idea what you know, what kind of stuff they're working with, what
they're actually able to do. And you know, even in robotics, I
mean robotics has gone, has jumped leaps and bounds, you know, like
and actually having humanoid type robots not just four legged but too legged, and
being able to do things and making it, you know, making them more
human, humanistic, humanoid, I guess you can say, you know,
more accurate to the human body of what we are accustomed to looking at,
and you know, AI putting that in there and making them more and more
lifelike and believable. And you know, I mean, holy cow, you
know, how how far we have advanced in this technology is just it blows
your mind, you know, I mean it really does, you know.
But bridging the gap between mechanical intelligence, artificial intelligence, if you will,
you know, or just being able to download somebody's consciousness to a hard drive
like what they talk about on this episode and numerous episodes besides that, I'm
that is just wow, intriguing, amaze, fascinating, terrifying, you know,
I mean wow, So yeah, where do I go from me?
You know, this one kind of went off the rails kind of quick,
you know what I'm saying, A kind of did, because I mean the
mind just goes in so many different directions trying to you know, just just
looking at this whole thing. And it was one of them things. Watching
this episode. There was no linearness to it. You know. It wasn't
an A in a B in a in a C and a D. I
mean, it wasn't. I mean, it was quantum, like just the
whole thing was just boom. You know, my mind was thinking several things
at once. It's like holy cow. You know, it's like wow.
Because you know, one of the things that they talk about in this episode
is you know, taking somebody's consciousness, somebody that was I mean more or
less. I mean, I guess she was. She was comatose, but
she was still completely aware of her surroundings and you know, being able to
integrate, you know, using a yes and to know, to be able
to simply communicate, and then transferring her consciousness into the consciousness of her husband,
you know, that had a child, and then you know, being
able to feel you know, and that's actually something that I thought was was
interesting. You know, I very much did you know, the premise of
this was, you know, you only use like sixty percent or not sixty
percent, only using like excuse me, like forty percent of your brain,
and you have sixty percent that's unused, and you can basically pack somebody else
into your brain and have them as a you know, more or less a
somebody who's there who can feel everything that's going on, and somebody whom couldn't
interact with the outside world but could or at least not communicate with the outside
world, but could communicate with you. You know. But one of the
questions I had on this was, you know, how would you know you
know, I mean it would there really be that type of limitation on there?
I mean, if you actually was able to put you know, somebody
else, you know, two people to inhabit the same mind, you know,
assuming that you know that type of thing is even possible, you know,
how would you ensure that that other person didn't have control, bodily control,
verbal control, you know, whatever. How would you know? You
know? I remember back and then I want to give you know, a
little bit away on how old I am. I am aware of that I
don't care and I don't remember what the name of the movie is. But
it had Steve Martinet it, you know, and he's like walking down a
sidewalk minding his own business, and an urn falls out of a window and
I don't I don't remember if it just hit the ground right next to him
or hit him. I don't. I don't remember that it actually hit him.
I think it hit the ground right next to him. And then basically
it was that person was locked inside him, you know. And obviously with
it being Steve Martin, it was a comedic type of a movie, you
know, and it was it was a good movie, and it was you
know, two people inhabiting one body arguing on who was going to be in
control, you know. And I mean you would almost think that that would
be what would happen, you know. That just seems I don't, I
can't BlimE, I'm going to put it like this. I mean, that
just seems more realistic to me, you know, in an obvious problem that
could arise. I guess, So how would you ensure something like them?
Like, I got no idea, you know, but that's something that you
would think could be an issue. I guess you can say, I don't
know, you know, it's just it's it's weird. You know, it's
weird. But one of the things that they do touch base on and talk
about on this episode is you know, like the and other episodes to boot,
but you know, putting somebody's consciousness into a you know, like what
happened in this episode was putting somebody well actually it was. It was the
same story that I was just talking about, because they ended up putting because
of obvious problems, they ended up putting her consciousness into a Teddy bear and
that bear, you know, having you know, external receptors to where you
know, she could still feel get you know, physical feedback from what was
going onto this bear. But as far as being able to communicate with the
outside world, that was something that was way more restricted, you know,
and in a matter of speaking, I mean like it was almost surprising right
on how restrictive it truly was. I mean, like you think about things
in today's day and age, I mean, how would you you know,
I mean, how could you even think it would be okay to put somebody's
consciousness that would give them a level of immortality as long as that you know
device, whatever you had them into was still you know, had power was
able to function. I mean you it would give you a you know,
a semblance of immort reality. How could you think it okay to basically only
being able to communicate two different emotions, you know? And the museum director
had you know, said that that now you know, at the time that
they this was taking place in that that was illegal. You couldn't do that
anymore. You had to have at least five different emotional responses that you can
do. And this one, in all honesty, is like the base level
of technology that we're talking about, because in several other ones of these episodes
where the same type of technology as being used. I mean you've got,
you know, just full on communication that could be had you know, a
speaker that you know and microphone that you can fully communicate, not just with
a yes and a know, a happier sad, you know, a green
light, red light whatever. I mean, it was a full on you
can communicate openly outward whole nine yards, you know, and you would kind
of expect that, I mean, this is going to be a technology that
you're using. If you got the technology to put somebody's consciousness into in inanimate
object, why would you limit responses like that it didn't make much sense to
me, you know, but at any rate, you know, it's neither
here nor there. It doesn't matter, you know. Point is, yeah,
you know, it's it's scary amazing, and just what are they going
to come up with next? As far as where we are now with technology,
you know, I mean, we've gone so far, you know,
and I really wouldn't be surprised if we do have, at least in some
way, shape or form, the ability to transfer human consciousness. I mean
I really wouldn't be surprised. I mean, especially with what I found out
earlier this week. I mean, like truly being able to you know,
like for a an AI to be able to duplicate what you're looking at,
to be able to, you know, transcribe your inner monologue. I mean,
how amazing and terrifying is that? To an accuracy that is is terrifying,
you know, Just so, I mean like I really don't have much
doubt that at least in some way, shape or form, maybe you know,
rudimental and you know, some one of them things that we got work
to do obviously, but I wouldn't be surprised if we've actually been able to
do it. You know, and how long ago? I mean, holy
cow, I have no idea, but it really wouldn't surprise me if those
are the things that we can do now, and I mean I would assume
we've been able to do it for at least some time, especially considering that
it's coming out that they can do it. How further have they advanced this
technology? You know? How close are we and how have we already done
it? That's my question? How far have you know? Have they actually
been able to do it? Have they actually been able to put one person's
consciousness into a computer downloaded, be able to interact with it, you know?
And what would it look like, you know, to you you know,
I mean if you were the consciousness to God put into whatever, you
know, what would that type of an existence look like? You know?
I mean in the series, in the episode I Gotta Take a Drink,
you know, in the episode it's um you know, the the gal,
well, numerous gals and guy. You know. They were like in a
a big empty room and what you would think would be a comfortable looking chair,
you know, and in one of the cases it had your you know,
your happy face and your sad face, and that's what that's what it
was, you know, but considering, you know, would that type of
an existence look like that to the you know, to the person that is
inhabiting you know, let's say, in this case with with the Teddy barriers,
at what it would look like or would it almost be like in the
movie, you know, a Chappie Good movie. By the way, I
definitely recommend you know, checking it out, you know, I mean,
it's not exactly an action pack some of us kind of ridiculous, but at
the same time, it's you know, it talks about that this kind of
thing, you know, transferring consciousness in a matter it's thinking I didn't like
how they utilized it, but you know how to you know how sound is
the technology that they're talking about. But anyway, you know, anyway,
you know, what would it be you're sitting in this empty space viewing it
through a big screen TV, you know, the world around you, or
considering we are used to inhabiting a physical body that you know, you're you
know, you're you're feelings, the you know, the touch reciprocal things that
they had on that Teddy Bear. Would you instead of a physical body be
a bare stuffed animal body? I mean is that what your existence would more
or less equate to. And that to me makes more sense than how they
you know, did it in in the show. And I mean, of
course, you know, I guess it would be a little bit different,
difficult to adequately, you know, give the impression of what was going on.
I guess with the people if that's how they did it. But at
the same time, you know, it's like, what what would that type
of an existence look like from the inside, you know how huh h,
I don't know, another one of those that's interesting, that's intriguing. I
wonder what would that type of existence look like? So here we go.
Here's what we're at right now, half hour into it, and I think
we've pretty uncovered what I've wanted to talk about on this one, because it's
just it's the technology that just amazes me. I mean, it really does.
So here's my questions for this episode. Okay, how I mean realistically,
realistically, you know, how close do you think we are to being
able to And I know this is a question that I've asked numerous times,
but how how close do you think we are to being able to actually transfer
somebody's consciousness, you know, into a computer into you know, even somebody
else, I guess, you know, just to be able to truly transfer
somebody's anxiousness, like the whole thing. You know, your memory, your
you know, your knowledge, you know who and what you are. I
mean, how how close do you think we are to truly being able to
do that? You know? And I mean there's been several movies about this,
you know, Sarah Gate I think was one of them, Bruce Willis
movie, you know, I mean, just with the whole exploring immortality in
this kind of a way, you know, I mean transferring consciousness. I
mean it truly is something that just I mean, like the implications alone is
just just wow type of a thing. You know. Altered carbon is something
that actually kind of you know, having an empty shell of a body just
waiting for somebody else's anxiousness to go into it. I mean, holy cow,
how would that work? Wouldn't that be possible? Could you use this
type of technology to accomplish that? I mean? Wow? Yeah? Excellent
episode, Highly recommend watching it, checking it out, you know. And
a fun thing to do in this one is look, I mean really look
at and you really got to look at this is something that you really can't
watch, especially the first half of this. You can't watch just once.
You really can, you know, because part of the things that I find
interesting in this one is all the Easter eggs and all the different ones that
you can tie in and you know, see and okay, this ties back
to this episode, This ties to that episode and be able to do that.
That's one of the things that I found fun this time watching this episode
was looking for all the Easter eggs inside the Black Museum. That was to
me pretty stinking fun. And there was many. All right. So the
next episode we are going to go to the interactive film Bandersnatch. Now,
guys, I'll tell you what. This movie was absolutely amazing. I mean
it really was, in a matter of speaking, whenever I first watched it,
because I didn't just you know, I mean, I was anal retentive
whenever I watched this, you know, I mean I had a notebook in
front of me, you know, I wrote down the question and the possible
choices, and like I navigated the whole thing. I mean, I don't
want to say I did it methodically, you know. I mean it wasn't
like always choose option A and then always choose option B and then just go
through different things. No no, no, no, that I mean I
didn't go through that methodically with it, but I definitely kept track of what
I did, what the results were, and you know, and I changed
things here and there. I'm like, I spent like I probably watched the
thing like in a matter of speaking, three different freaking times, just because
of just a sheer number of options that are in that thing. Holy crap.
So we are going to be revisiting Bandersnatch next time around before we get
into season five, and I believe season five, like I'm definitely doing episode
one Striking Vipers. Oh yeah, smithereens. I know, I don't really
care, but I am interested in Rachel, Jack and Ashley two. But
I don't know if I'm actually going to do that one before I go into
season six. So next episode is going to be Bandersnatch. Going to be
watching that one, having fun with that episode because that one really is not
episode but movie. That one's a treat. So you know, that's all
I got for you guys on this episode. Y'alls have yourself a great one
and I will see you next time. Thank you for listening to the Black
Mirror Podcast. If you would like to join the conversation, you can comment
on this episode a spreaker dot com, or go to the hohoshow dot com,
forward, slash form, and the discussion board for this s