Did Star Trek The Next Generation Predict Social Media Addiction?

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 23 дек 2024

Комментарии • 98

  • @1WolfFan
    @1WolfFan 10 месяцев назад +21

    I don't think they predicted it. But I don't think we're applying our own experiences to it too much, either.
    They told a reasonably common story and gave it futuristic flare. It's basically the Lotus Eating machine from Homer's Odyssey, the prior Opioid crisis (as opposed to the current one), the gambling scare of the time (not that it's any better now), and other drug addictions as you mentioned. But it can be applied to all sorts of current issues, not just social media.
    There are so many "Lotus Machines" out there these days, that do nothing but burn your time (and money if you aren't extra careful), RUclips, Netflix, gambling (still), social media, the current Opioid crisis, more-legal access to previously illegal substances, heck even the I-specifically-need-Starbucks-coffee-and-all-other-coffee-is-trash mentality (and other brand-loyalty, that costs more than regular products would), could be likened to how this game works.
    History repeats itself so readily, that if you just write a historical/current issue in whichever setting your series is, it can be relatable. If you happened to set your universe in the future, the issue will eventually fit again, and another one like it will come up in the next era as well. lol

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +7

      Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I'm gonna check out the Odyssey example. I agree that the story can be applied to pretty much any type of "addiction", new or old. This one, being set in the future, happens to appear more prophetic the closer we get to the 24th century. Makes sense.

  • @davidcorkery1466
    @davidcorkery1466 3 месяца назад +9

    To answer your question, yes you should keep making videos - this was concise, insightful and very well put together. Instant subscribe.

  • @EugeniaLoli
    @EugeniaLoli 10 месяцев назад +27

    The reason why these screenwriters in 1987 were able to write good science fiction was because they were readers themselves: of other scifi and philosophy books, and political books. They were educated. Today's writers don't have the same breadth in knowledge.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +7

      It certainly seems that way, especially in the case of TNG. You really feel a depth of knowledge and wisdom in the stories they wrote.

  • @blazephoenix7499
    @blazephoenix7499 10 месяцев назад +5

    I think it correlates more to game/internet addiction, and addictions in general, more than social media addiction; it doesn't really encapsulate the pursuit of social needs that social media offers. (seeking and sharing opinions, claims of status, etc). I think various characters' holoprogram addictions (Barclay, Janeway, others) speak more to this aspect. However the point about algorithms and calculated constant stimulation is an astute point!

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +1

      You're right, Barclay's holodeck addiction might have been a better episode to look at. If I recall, in that case he was using it as a form of escapism from his anxiety, so that fits social media in some ways.

  • @catfood1788
    @catfood1788 10 месяцев назад +7

    Glad to see how fast your channel is growing. All of your videos are very well made.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +1

      Thanks Catfood! It's been an interesting experience so far, that's for sure. I can see why many creators obsess over trying to understand the whims of the "algorithm". My goal is just to improve my craft and talk about things I genuinely enjoy and care about, and hopefully there are some people out there who share my interests too. I crossed the "thousand sub" milestone yesterday which felt like a big accomplishment. But so far the best part has just been the nice things people say when they watch my videos, even if it's just saying how much they love LOTR haha. Reminds me of the old days of internet chatrooms.

  • @kelownatechkid
    @kelownatechkid 10 месяцев назад +6

    As you noted, a sci-fi story doesn't need to necessarily predict exactly what will happen but rather extrapolate from its own time. Great video

  • @sonic2000gr
    @sonic2000gr 10 месяцев назад +9

    Exactly like social media, the device turns of the mind turning people into dummies! Excellent analysis of the episode!

  • @leonie7754
    @leonie7754 10 месяцев назад +5

    The episode was intended as an allegory for addiction, be it computer games or drugs. The fact that we all have literal screens in front of us that we are all a little addicted to is just a development of that. This is a human nature thing.
    Having said that, I frequently use this episode to highlight the addiction we have to scrolling on our phones, be it social media, apps, games or messaging. Everyone staring at screens instead of living life, becoming zombies. I still remember sitting on a bus looking at a beautiful sunset while everyone at the bus stop was staring at their phones. Yet even i find myself unable to completely disconnect from my own device.
    Humans create addictive tech and substances to make money and control other humans. :(

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      I think you're right - the fact that the episode happens to have people staring into a device is primarily coincidence, and that the message is deeper than social media or even tech per se. Thanks for watching!

  • @John-ct9zs
    @John-ct9zs 14 дней назад +1

    "classic TV series", then I realized 1994 was 30 years ago

  • @SMENECl
    @SMENECl 10 месяцев назад +4

    Very interesting theory! I don't know the science, but here are my thoughts. Tron also had a similar concept: people being so obsessed with a game that they're literally sucked into it. I believe that the same could be said about a lot of 80s/90s TV that focused on video games, and social media has taken the spotlight in modern society. We used to always hear that video games cause violence, and now cyberbullying is one of the main reasons for violence. There are more people watching twitch streamers playing a new game than there are people buying that new game.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +2

      One could also see social media as a kind of "game" - like that's not its explicit purpose of course, but it is kind of "gamified": people try to get more followers/likes, get little badges and rewards for accomplishing goals, etc.

    • @InventorZahran
      @InventorZahran Месяц назад +1

      @@theartofstorytelling1It absolutely is a game - a game that taps into our deeply human desire for social connection, a sense of belonging, and validation. The difference is, social media presents a virtual society that is devoid of the imperfections of real life. It's too good to be true, and our minds can't rationally manage that level of pleasure!

  • @furankusama
    @furankusama 10 месяцев назад +4

    I just noticed that you and Riker really do resemble eachother.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +2

      I dressed as him for halloween once. Then at the bar some random guy was Picard. Much fun was had by all.

    • @furankusama
      @furankusama 10 месяцев назад +3

      @@theartofstorytelling1 I must know: did he call you "number one"?

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +2

      @@furankusama All night.

    • @furankusama
      @furankusama 10 месяцев назад +2

      @@theartofstorytelling1 "Captain, how about another drink?" "Excellent idea, Number One. Bartender, engage."

  • @heliopunk6000
    @heliopunk6000 10 месяцев назад +3

    It just described gaming/gambling addiction. It was indeed one of those annoying episodes that heavy-handedly commented on current issues. On the other hand, I guess, this is an evergreen issue... which, as I now am seeing the end of the video, is your conclusion. 😅 To answer the question: The game has nothing to do with social media. It is decidedly non-social. It's allure is not to connect with a broader world full of people and opinions and politics and what not. Quite the opposite.

  • @elveone
    @elveone 3 месяца назад +1

    Considering that the episode was from 1995 at this point the idea of virtual reality, virtual drugs and virtual addiction was well developed by the cyperpunk genre and the episode is just those ideas making their way into the mainstream. Whether sci fi fiction predicts the future - there are probably more false predictions than correct ones but the breadth of imagination in that kind of fiction is so wide that there will inevitably be true ones about almost anything abstract. And there is also the possibility that some of those ideas have actually inspired what we have created since and will create in the future.

  • @Heather_no_numbers
    @Heather_no_numbers 10 месяцев назад +3

    For some reason, looking at those book covers reminded me of a book called The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey. Human brains, and babies, are inserted into space ships and they choose their human partners to travel through space together. It was weird and somehow predictive in a way because that basically gives the ship an AI of sorts.
    I think there are alot of interesting things we can debate about the NG episodes that relate to today. As a big Star Trek NG fan, im into looking into more episodes like this.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      I agree there are so many episodes that are relevant to today's issues. And some that are worth talking about just because they are written so well. I think I'll probably do a video about "The Inner Light" some time soon. What other episodes do you think are worth investigating, either because of the issues they raise, or because of the storytelling techniques?

  • @overkillphil514
    @overkillphil514 10 месяцев назад +2

    Data was only deactivated three times in Star Trek The Next Generation and the Movies. Once by Lore in DataLore and again the The Game, by Dr. Crusher. He was shot in Insurrection, but he resorted to his default programming.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      That actually surprises me - I would have guessed it happened more often, given how many times the premise of the episode was complicated by the fact that data is non-human.

  • @erikpetersen-chinguacousys1943
    @erikpetersen-chinguacousys1943 5 месяцев назад

    I think you're right on the money with this one. In fact, I've often found myself looking around and, noticing the vacuous, disconnected behaviours of those around me while on their phones (which is basically almost everyone all the time), would then think specifically about this very episode. I was hoping you'd discuss a little more about the other part of this, which is power through population control.

  • @MihaiBathory
    @MihaiBathory 10 месяцев назад +2

    The OP is missing the very obvious point. When this was written, there was ALREADY an existing concern about Video Game addiction. The episode wasn't prophetic in any way. If you were of a certain age, you were either capable of spending hours alone in your room playing a video game OR you were one or more generations back and you were baffled how someone could spend hours alone playing a video game. When the episode was written ASTEROIDS the video game was already a decade old... I'm quite sure I lost 100's of hours playing Tetris in 1989.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +1

      I agree I overlooked that point in the video. I should have taken a hint from the title of the episode being "The Game" lol

  • @NiGHTSaturn
    @NiGHTSaturn 10 месяцев назад +4

    I saw this episode again a few weeks ago. And this is a full representation of one of my biggest phobias and fears. Control over brain. I feel like I might have watched this episode when I was younger and unconsciously, it grew my fear. When Wesley gets caught… OOOOOF 😭

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      Interesting that you have that specific phobia! TNG actually has a lot of creepy episodes. The one where they get abducted and operated on terrified me.

    • @NiGHTSaturn
      @NiGHTSaturn 10 месяцев назад +2

      @@theartofstorytelling1 It also explains why I hate drugs and anaesthesia. When i’m not in control or something is injected without my awareness, i’m stressed and livid after.

    • @JaximusDecimus1
      @JaximusDecimus1 10 месяцев назад +1

      There's a lot of research that suggests we're never in control of our own brains and we're just wired to believe we are. So, you know, have fun with that.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      @@JaximusDecimus1 Lol I can't unread this comment

    • @NiGHTSaturn
      @NiGHTSaturn 10 месяцев назад +1

      @@theartofstorytelling1 If we’re not in control… then… WHAT IS?

  • @seabrightnorth
    @seabrightnorth 2 месяца назад

    I am a Gen Xer and remember watching this live. I believe it was both prescient and allegorical, harnessing the real addictions of the time with understanding with the early beginnings of the internet. True SciFi and a top 20 if not top 10 of the TNG.

  • @EveryoneWhoUsesThisTV
    @EveryoneWhoUsesThisTV 10 месяцев назад +2

    They predicted that games could be made deliberately addictive for nefarious reasons.... $$$
    No social media was involved.
    It was also a scheme from an outside threat, not a manifestation of the development of their own culture and its media.
    Social media is a new media phenomenon that we need to learn to navigate, like we did with:
    The printing press - which produced chaotic religious reformations.
    Radio - which was used to spread World War 2 propaganda.
    etc etc

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      Yeah I think I missed that in my scrip - I forgot that games were criticized in those days for being addictive (they still are criticized I guess).

  • @unclerat2131
    @unclerat2131 21 день назад

    One of the first stories about social media addiction was Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. According to Bradbury, and I was in an audience when he spoke about it, the book is not about censorship but how people have been overwhelmed by television to the point where books are destroyed to help control the masses through TV. Now, the masses are controlled by social media, and I understand the irony of making that comment on one of the biggest media sites on earth.

  • @happydappyman
    @happydappyman 10 месяцев назад +1

    Excellent analysis (and great episode). Totally relevant to today imo. I don't think it's reading too much into it to say so.

  • @nawothnig
    @nawothnig 10 месяцев назад +2

    I love your videos so far! :) keep ur channel going pls ❤️

  • @clarissathompson
    @clarissathompson 10 месяцев назад +2

    Well, I think that like any good art, it needs to be relatable, regardless of when or where the viewer is from. That is what makes good art timeless. I think this episode of ST:TNG accomplishes that.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +1

      Yeah I tend to agree. They didn't "predict" per se, but their intuition was deep enough that it resonates still today, and probably will with some future addiction/technology. Who knows what "the game" will resemble in 10 or 20 years.

  • @billb207
    @billb207 14 дней назад

    I'm not sure this 1991 episode was the first to deal with social media addiction. For example, a 1988 episode of Red Dwarf 'Better Than Life' introduces an immersive gaming experience that traps its players, and the accompanying 1990 novel goes into far greater detail about its insidious addictive nature.

  • @Pistonrager
    @Pistonrager 10 месяцев назад +2

    Social media? I don't think its clear enough for that.
    But... instant gratification? Yeah. Something humans are supposed to be above in setting.

  • @mradriiiian
    @mradriiiian 10 месяцев назад +2

    As always a very interesting topic!

  • @rasmuslernevall6938
    @rasmuslernevall6938 10 месяцев назад +2

    It could just have been a commentary on video game addiction, which was already becoming a thing back then.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +1

      Interesting, that never crossed my mind, but it makes total sense. I would imagine the people writing TNG episodes in the early 90s were plugged into the gaming world in those days too.

    • @Vostok7
      @Vostok7 10 месяцев назад +2

      @@theartofstorytelling1 One of the writers of this episode said he was directly inspired by Tetris and how addicted he would get to playing it even if he was just trying to kill time during downtime. But definitely, fear mongering and pearl clutching over video game addiction were all over the place in the '90s as video games got more and more popular and elaborate and time consuming. It just so happens that it's also extremely apt today with social media addiction, more so than drugs or alcohol or gambling (since there's no obvious risk/reward as with drugs/alcohol/gambling and no obvious skill requirement like with video games).

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      @@Vostok7 That's so funny, in my first draft I mentioned Tetris when I say the game "has infinite levels" haha. Makes total sense now.

  • @dariostabletopbastelecke4846
    @dariostabletopbastelecke4846 3 месяца назад

    4:44 Pure Art! Thank You!

  • @scotthullinger4684
    @scotthullinger4684 10 месяцев назад +1

    Star Trek predicted an addiction to toys.

  • @ArkaidDeims
    @ArkaidDeims 10 месяцев назад +2

    Replace the visors with the Apple Vision Pro and you're there.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      That was what made me think of this episode. I'm more than a little uncomfortable with this trend of face computing.

  • @henribrugere
    @henribrugere 10 месяцев назад +1

    Great input on science fiction and the difference with fantasy.

  • @guardtoons
    @guardtoons Месяц назад

    The episode “The Outcast” is another one that explores gender and sexual orientation. We’ve been dealing with this issue as well. Love Star Trek😊

  • @nomenklatakura
    @nomenklatakura 10 месяцев назад +2

    i enjoy your videos greatly thank you friend

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      That's very kind of you, and thank you for watching. More to come.

  • @arkemiffo
    @arkemiffo 10 месяцев назад +1

    I believe the episode was an allegory of drugs, not a prediction of social media. As in Star Trek, medical science is far more progressed, and chemical addiction has been more or less eradicated, they needed a way to have the addiction be of technology instead. It makes it transferrable to addictions of the type of social media, but it's just a side-effect of making loopholes to avoid contradictions in the universe they built up.
    Furthermore, as much as I idolize Asimov and his giant intellect, I disagree with him here. Science fiction writes doesn't see the inevitable. They're making self-fulfilling prophecies. As a new generation grows up with a science fiction world, they're directly inspired by it, and want to "live it". They make inventions to make aspects of it happen.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      Thanks for sharing. Your point about Asimov is interesting. I even say in the video that Picard's tablet looks like an iPad - but is that a prediction, or self-fulfillment? While writing the video, I tried to find out about Roddenberry's views on addiction, and I read that he struggled a bit with it himself, but that in his future it would have been overcome.

    • @arkemiffo
      @arkemiffo 10 месяцев назад

      @@theartofstorytelling1 In my opinion, the iPad is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The pads in Star Trek is nothing more than e-readers with preloaded information. There is no network to dynamically load in a client-server relationship as we do with wifi and the internet. We see this in multiple episode where they're using stacks of pads as an illustration for "tonnes of work to be done".
      Therefore, I don't think they were inevitable. Engineers saw them as kids, however, and dreamed. When they grew up they invented them, and improved them to be interactive in a way that the pads in ST never was.

  • @asphaltpilgrim
    @asphaltpilgrim 10 месяцев назад +1

    So was this before or after Red Dwarf did Better Than Life? It's funny coz Patrick Stewart almost called his lawyer on Red Dwarf because he thought they were ripping off TNG. lol

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +1

      Haha wasn't Red Dwarf doing direct satire of TNG? That was always how I saw it.

    • @asphaltpilgrim
      @asphaltpilgrim 10 месяцев назад

      @@theartofstorytelling1 From what I remember it wasn't a direct influence, but I am sure it and the original were in the cultural convo anyway.

  • @Sdewebb
    @Sdewebb 10 месяцев назад +1

    And addiction to video games

  • @jeffsummstl
    @jeffsummstl 10 месяцев назад +1

    The game was a one-player game, so it didn’t exactly predict social media which involves people interacting with each other. More like predicting addiction to dopamine hits.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      That's a good point - the game doesn't have any social element at all, and in fact is rather anti social.

    • @OliverJGibson
      @OliverJGibson 10 месяцев назад

      I wouldn't say that this militates against the premise of this video, though. Social media usage can be an inherently asocial experience, despite what its name might suggest. Someone arguing with another user from their mothers basement isn't properly socialising, for example.
      I think this game on TNG is quite prophetic in many ways.

    • @DavidBryan-rw9lj
      @DavidBryan-rw9lj 10 месяцев назад +3

      Umm... Are you guys commenting on some other version of Storytelling that ISN'T on RUclips? Because THAT'S a single player interface... I'm trying hard to get my daughter to watch more mind-expanding videos on YT but for some reason, when she isn't playing Minecraft and Roblox and switches to YT, she can spend fathomless time watching someone ELSE play Minecraft and Roblox.

  • @ic3berg339
    @ic3berg339 10 месяцев назад +3

    Social media today is way too addicting and it sucks that people are slaves to the screen

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      My personal rule is no social apps on my phone. And even still, I find I'm not immune to looking compulsively on my laptop lol.

    • @tooboukou8ball702
      @tooboukou8ball702 10 месяцев назад +1

      He says watching a screen...

    • @TokyoXtreme
      @TokyoXtreme 10 месяцев назад

      @@tooboukou8ball702Using a screen and being addicted to a screen because of social media addiction are two separate things; TV never had an interactive component, aside from "America's Funniest Home Videos".

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      @@tooboukou8ball702 Big screens don't count lol

    • @ic3berg339
      @ic3berg339 10 месяцев назад

      @@tooboukou8ball702 it is the same glued to the screen

  • @johnbaker5828
    @johnbaker5828 3 месяца назад

    Substitute Steve Jobs with Jack Tremiel. He was the home real computer pioneer.

  • @elfshadowx
    @elfshadowx 10 месяцев назад +1

    This is not social media. It's game addiction

    • @TheShavedleggs
      @TheShavedleggs 2 месяца назад

      Neither, it is simply: addiction.

  • @NevsBookChannel
    @NevsBookChannel 3 месяца назад

    Apple IIGS spotted!

  • @austinbaccus
    @austinbaccus 3 месяца назад

    "Star Trek: The iPad kid episode"

  • @ДарьяФирсова-л5к
    @ДарьяФирсова-л5к 10 месяцев назад +1

    The worst episode. Unbearably bad.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад

      Which eps do you like?

    • @ДарьяФирсова-л5к
      @ДарьяФирсова-л5к 10 месяцев назад +1

      @@theartofstorytelling1 best from tng are: The Inner Light and Darmok. I have "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra" tattoo on my wrist.
      But mostly I'm a DS9 fan.

    • @theartofstorytelling1
      @theartofstorytelling1  10 месяцев назад +1

      @@ДарьяФирсова-л5к Nice, I was thinking about doing a video about Inner Light! That's my fave.

  • @stijn4771
    @stijn4771 3 месяца назад

    I just saw a few vids of yours. Absolutely love them! Keep on going mate. Def earned a sub.

  • @stijn4771
    @stijn4771 3 месяца назад

    I just saw a few vids of yours. Absolutely love them! Keep on going mate. Def earned a sub.