2000 SONRASI BİLİM KURGU FİLMLERİNDE TEKNOFOBİ VE NOSTALJİ

Abstract

In this study, it will be discussed how and why technophobia emerged in dystopian science fiction movies produced after the year 2000. The discussion is initiated based on the assumption that the primary source of fear in the face of technology is the transgression or blurring of boundaries. In most science fiction films, these boundaries are chiefly understood as distinctions between humans and their creators, as well as between humans and non-human entities. In representations with technophobic themes, the blurring of both sets of boundaries inevitably results in the disruption of the overarching 'natural' order and the disruption of what is considered 'natural.' The encounter between 'human' and 'non-human,' as well as the entry of humans into creative roles, is not only alluded to as indicative of the uncanniness of the unknown but is also seen as encapsulating an unforeseeable danger. Thus, the emphasis in technophobic representations, shaped around the disruption of naturalness, is often placed on concerns related to the threat posed by the 'unknown,' and the concern that this peril may either herald the end of humanity or usher in a novel, risk-laden order outside the realm of the familiar and the known. The transgression of both sets of boundaries prompts the concerted effort to rekindle what has been 'lost.' This effort bears a parallel to the notion of 'nostalgia' and, consequently, brings discussions surrounding conservatism to the fore. Upon an examination of the films under scrutiny, it becomes evident that concepts such as 'time' and 'space,' 'memory,' 'identity,' 'body,' and 'emotion' occupy a central position within the nostalgic orientation. The emphasis placed on the soul, emotion, and the 'self' where these conceptual domains intersect significantly contributes to the impulse to preserve the 'natural' and concurrently fuels critiques of modernity, complementing postmodern critiques within these cinematic works. However, it is crucial to note that dystopian narratives with technophobic themes, while directing their criticism towards technology and its resulting dystopian conclusions and evoking the past as a potential solution, inadvertently reinforce conservative discourses. Simultaneously, they perpetuate discriminatory practices that accompany traditional conventions, thereby obscuring a critical perspective on the underlying reasons for the 'risks' of the 'present' and the historical factors contributing to such discriminatory practices.