There’s a common and long-drawn out theme that makes itself obvious when it comes to “Men against fire”. Does our government really tell the truth? Or just a watered-down version of the truth to protect its best interests? Especially when it comes to war? Does it use disinformation and technology to distort the truth?
Ever since the rise of the state and a society in which we have both rights and duties to one another, these questions have been asked time and time again with a growing suspicion that all is not what it seems to the naked eye. The episode’s protagonist Stripe finds out in time when serving in Denmark that the future of warfare is already a reality, thanks to an implant known as MASS. During a firefight, he sets off a device that causes problems with his MASS implant and as a result, he discovers the truth about the “roaches” that he is assigned to kill, the wonderful dreams that he experiences and his government’s manipulation of the truth. It leads to a crisis of confidence in the end because he finally sees the truth and desires to act differently - against the wishes of his unit and the government (Liptak).
Technology has changed warfare. The days of bows, arrows, muskets and cannons are now long behind us, thanks to the use of drones, automatic rifles and systems that help combatants improve the results of the outcome of any way drastically. Yet the conundrum that Stripe faces is that which any soldier during any of the great wars over the last century faces. Is my government really telling the truth about them? Are we really doing the right thing by slaughtering harmless people - committing genocide - when the reasons for war itself are very different? Of course, as a society, we tend to look up to our authority figures and the media failing to realize that what they tell us is largely based on how they want the government to look in the end. Speaking of genocide, one can’t help but recall Nazi Germany’s steps towards eradicating the Jews from Europe or even the Ottoman Empire’s desire to wipe out the Armenians too. Even if we are in the age of technology, which has changed our lives, the purpose is still the same - since we humans, as a species, haven’t really moved past our animosities towards other cultures and races (Liptak).
In closing, what this episode clearly points out is that we are clearly a global society, thanks to technology bringing us closer these days. And if anything, it is meant to serve humanity as a whole instead of dehumanizing us even further. Stripe definitely makes the right choice in the end yet what is clear is that the government still remains in control of him - via the MASS implant - after he is discharged honorably and returns to civilian life.
Works Cited
Liptak, Andrew. "In Men Against Fire, Black Mirror takes on the future of warfare." The Verge Website. 27 October 2016. Web. 15 January 2016. <http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/27/13416898/black-mirror-episode-4-men-against-fire-episode-recap/>
