Science fiction utilize textual forms and features to speculate possible futures and critique modern day values. The futuristic aspect of this genre allows readers to view current societal issues such as discrimination and social conditioning through different perspectives. Andrew Niccol’s ‘Gattaca’ (1997) and Aliette De Bodard’s ‘Immersion’ (2012) explore the unreasonable discrimination against those who refuse to conform to the society causing the audience to reconsider the validity of social norms that repress people into behaving a certain way.
Science fiction explores exaggerated portrayals of bigotry and alienation through fictional futures to highlight how flawed prejudice conditions modern values and morals to allow rationalized acceptance of alienation. ‘Gattaca’ (1997), directed by Andrew Niccol, reflects the detrimental impact of eugenics in the ‘not too distant future’ revolving around the life of a ‘God’s-child’, Vincent-Anton Freeman, who challenges the societal disparity created by the genetically modified. The opening sequence exhibits the significance of genetics in ‘Gattaca’, presenting extreme close-up shots of falling hair follicles and nails before even introducing the characters. This portrays the values of people, who examine a person’s biological identity before seeing them as an individual. Furthermore, the architectural symmetry and indistinguishable costuming inside ‘Gattaca’ illustrates the level of perfection this society strives for, signifying the conformity and loss of individualism that follows with such desire. These negative effects of genetic modification for perfection are reinforced through Vincent’s didactic statement “they have got you looking so hard for any flaw, that after a while that’s all that you see”, allowing the audience to question the validity of present societal values, where we are unable to see our own and other’s strengths and instead, obsesses over imperfections that cannot be fixed. Evidently, ‘Gattaca’ exposes the detrimental impact of discrimination in our current society through the exploration of the irrational attitude towards ‘in-valids' in the fictional future of Gattaca, a civilization built up on bias customs and senseless prejudice.
Science fiction critiques on repeated cycles of indoctrination in our modern society through textual forms. They reveal how individuals attempt to conform to oppressive societal standards to avoid irrational prejudice from others. Bodard illustrates the repressive social conditioning that develops in a world where people are able to mask their visual insecurities with an ‘immerser’, a device that displays an alternate avatar, and provides advice to act in an acceptable manner according to the Galactic values. ‘Gattaca’ and ‘Immersion’ exhibit varying methods of technological advancements attempting to wipe out flaws from the human race. Immersers are a direct symbolism and repeated motif of the comfort zone in which we hide our insecurities, resembling the modern nature of social media, a platform where we can conceal our imperfections. However, in ‘Gattaca’, one’s social worth is determined before birth though genetic modification. The parallel presence of technology intended to hide ‘flaws’ forces readers to question prevalent societal issues in modern context. Receiving constant criticism from society often develops a fear of judgement that renders us wary of our smallest misgivings and ignorant of our strengths, as evidently highlighted in “so much about you draws attention…the stretched eyes that crinkle in the shape of moths… squatter shape more reminiscent of jackfruits than swaying fronds”. The negative connotation in her self-description reinforces Agnes’s denial of her true appearance due to continuous fortification of society’s unrealistic visual standards. Likewise, ‘Gattaca’ reveals the consequences of such extreme standards of perfection, regarding divided social statuses and cruel alienation of those ‘deemed flawed’. Furthermore, Bodard satirically explores the irrational romanticization of ‘fake’ perfection in “no matter: you can be made perfect; you can put on the immerser and become … pale-skinned and tall and beautiful”, where Agnes’s conditioned, flawed perceptions of beauty developed her belief that to become ‘acceptable’ for society, she is required to mask her true identity to become “pale-skinned and tall and beautiful”. Niccol comments similarly on present obsessions over ‘perfection’, but through a different fictional future, where flawlessness is required to the absolute cell, a state of perfection only acquirable before birth. Those without such privilege are automatically ostracized, conveying how unattainable such state of aptness is. Overall, both texts explore societal prejudice through inflated fictional futures that highlight current societal issues surrounding stigma through a different perspective with technological advancements allowing the audience to critique these flawed systems.
Evidently, the presence of discrimination in both science fiction texts portrays the prevalence of societal judgement throughout the past, and its manifestation in the current world. Accordingly, ‘Gattaca’ and ‘Immersion’ depict the detrimental impact of alienation on individuals and society through inflated futuristic consequences that prevent people to be treated equally. ‘Gattaca’ illustrates the consequences of oppressive societal conditioning, allowing the audience to reflect on current bias and prejudice that has developed in our world. On the other hand, readers are able to critic the irrational mindset towards perfection and social acceptance as individuals develop a constant fear of judgement and need to find imperfections within themselves in ‘Immersion’. The two texts embody the foundations of social discrimination: the rationalized acceptance of prejudice embedded in our bias, and the constant reinforcement of required standards to conform to.