Science fiction is a genre that has captivated audience of diverse backgrounds, and continuously having a cultural impact that to me in opinion influence in which the way many of us think, inspiration of literature, film, video games, and technology. Perception to many individuals becomes reality in their world through the eyes, and mind of the beholder a person can take unfortunate situation making into to a better situation or if a person can take their preconceived notions set them aside to here someone of a different culture out before assuming. Like music I think science fiction is created from influence from any number of things from personal experience to stories than infused with the human imagination that shape, and mold science fiction.
They Live
They Live is a sci-fi horror film by John Carpenter that discovers people of a ruling class that are aliens hiding their identities to rule over, and manipulate a people (Joshua, 2014). Additionally, the lead John Nada can see all the manipulation, and subliminal messages through the lens of sunglasses or shades (Joshua, 2014). The theme of the movie "They Live" are visible in cultures today ranging from individuals perceiving the world in which they live through politics, religion, and various ideologies, in fact in the 2016 Presidential campaign many people see through the eyes of the Democratic, or Republican party with a choice of the less evils so to speak.
The Matrix
The Matrix is a film about in a future in which reality is perceived by human beings in a simulated reality (Aleksandar, 2012). Furthermore, the matrix was created, and established by highly advanced machines to overtake an subdue the human race in order for the machines to use the humans as a resource (Aleksandar, 2012). Additionally, one of the lead characters Neo becomes aware of the truth the begins to rebel against the status quo in order to free the people from a dream comatose world (Aleksandar, 2012). I think that individuals are entitled to perceive anything they want, but their is only on truth and that truth is individuals mission to discover it is a journey.
Both films "They Live" and "The Matrix" deal with perception eyes of the beholder, and how they world is overtaken by elitist entities that suck the resources from human beings no matter what religion, culture, or race. Furthermore, to my knowledge we can see both themes in our daily lives based on our experiences that shape, and mold our realities being that many of us have preconceived notions or prejudgements before really analyzing all the way through to me is part of the nature that we have been taught to us or influenced upon us. Both films have two different time periods "They Live" in the 80's while "The Matrix" in the late 90's early 2000's deal with with perception in two different approaches "They Live" uses aliens while "The Matrix" uses machines in a simulated reality almost like in my opinion the "Holographic Universe" theory where it is a master designer that creates reality. The social and cultural significance of both films has trickled down into the circles of conspiracy theorist, human rights activists, the free thinker movements, and into alternative media such as YouTube and Instagram. A number of people make memes of quotes from both films to illustrate a political, social, and cultural message to bring awareness to various causes. I think that sci-fi is a genre that not only allow people to express themselves, but also to allow people to take ideas and manifest into reality such as smart phones, hybrid vehicles, and hoverboards.
Reference:
1.) Joshua, Rothkopf. (2014). Empire of the Sunglasses: How 'They Live' Took on Republicans and Won
Retrieved from http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/features/how-they-live-took-on-the-republicans-and-won-20141027
2.) Aleksandar, Hemon. (2012). BEYOND THE MATRIX The Wachowskis travel to even more mind-bending realms
Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/09/10/beyond-the-matrix