Ghost in the Shell is not a movie I will buy but I would be willing to re-watch it. The computer graphics were state of the art but the unbelievable acting and poor casting made the movie somewhat boring and unemotional. Though some of the bigger themes in the movie are worthy of notice and deeper discovery. Which I will try to do here…

The practice of nanotechnology is current and hackers are some of the most feared terrorists on the planet; with the term “terrorist” being loosely used to describe those who refuse to submissively accept popular politics and instead take action against them. The terrorist leader in the movie was hideous and temperamental, represented as insane by those who created and trained him. These are very popular techniques used by those in power to dehumanize the enemy; to make the foot soldier feel less about killing another human. I believe they accomplished the theme of this in the movie but not quite the emotion. Perhaps that is where the robot heart came into the picture… Often when the truth is discovered about the intent of the enemy, a soldier can be heart broken and face the hard decision to do what is right or do what is popular. Major faced this same moment and made a worthy decision to fight alongside the good guy.

What will the future look like with advanced technology? Will robots work security outside of airports and train stations? Will humans augment themselves as an advantage over normal humans? Are these things already happening? I believe the answer to these questions can be found within only a few hours of traveling from an airport into a city. Tickets bought through computers, groceries ran through machines, self-driving cars. At times the augmentations on humans are out of desperate necessity. Such as a soldier whose leg was destroyed by an explosive or an old woman with a pacemaker. Other times the augmentations are out of vanity. Nevertheless, augmentations have become normal in our society and writers have been foretelling the future since man first put pen to paper.

The fact that a curvy white woman with thick lips and blonde hair played the role is upsetting. Hollywood has more power than most politicians and should use that power to bring cultural diversity to the screen instead of sex appeal. There should not be Mexican Americans playing Yu’pik Native roles just like there should not be Japanese Americans playing the roles of Koreans. And there damn sure shouldn’t be white people playing the roles of every body. Other countries look up to us because of our cinema and literature not because of our politics. It is important to continue the progression on that level and the rest of the world will follow.

Are we are our memories or are we what we do?

Does a ghost live inside of our brains? A spirit of some sort? Trapped in a shell.  Something that will live forever given the right body. That continues on after death. New lives lived while replacing old memories with new, fresh bodies for lifeless. Any movie that brings light to these questions is worthy of watching at least once.

The book we read in class was phenomenal. It opened my eyes to the many different cultures I had clumped into one group. From the first ones on America known as the Luzon Indians to the Chinese plantation workers mistreated in Hawai’i. The Japanese imperialists taking over Korea and fighting for the rights of their workers and the Koreans and Filipinos who came later and struggled harder than the other two due to fewer jobs and opportunities. Then to the recruitment of them during war and the refusal of their citizenship afterwards; to the detainment of Japanese Americans from 1942-1945 as suspected conspirators of the imperial island. I never knew the borders were completely shut down to all Asians who wanted to migrate here; and that anti-miscegany laws had been enacted to keep aryan purity in this country. Phew… The book was a hard hitting package with a tiny frame. Something to study, memorize and remember. The various examples of successful emigrants was inspiring and added light heartedness to heavy history. Great book!