Spike Jonze’s Her: How Transhumanism Turns into a Control Mechanism Under the Name of Love

Abstract

Transhumanism is a philosophy based on the idea of enhancing the physical, intellectual and psychological capacity of human beings through the direct use of science and technology. Because transhumanism aims to ensure super longevity, super intelligence and super well-being, it is said that it will provide a more liberating atmosphere for human beings by elevating the current human condition. In Spike Jonze’s film her (2013), transhumanist technologies seem to present a peaceful society by focusing on the inhabitants’ well-being. However, in this futuristic society where advanced AI technology and personal letter writing service are widespread, human beings are over-controlled in a subtle way by manufacturing consent as Antonio Gramsci uses to explain the concept of hegemony. So transhumanism does not present a free environment in this futuristic society; instead it disguises the control mechanism through these technologies. The aim of this article is to explore how human beings are controlled by transhumanist technologies subtly under the name of providing super well-being.