Science Fiction, Fall 2019/Lesson 10

From Gerald R. Lucas
Syllabus R1 R2 R3 L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10  
86228 humn 4460.01 Online Fall, 2019

Sterling & Black Mirror; Project Work
October 28–December 6

This lesson is divided into two parts.

Part 1

Hangthedj.jpg

This week, the network’s control of our lives and loves: Bruce Sterling’s “Maneki Neko” and the Black Mirror episode “Hang the DJ.” Ultimately, will we gladly sacrifice our humanity to the god in the machine, or is our humanity too powerful to acquiesce? If the machine is everywhere, what choices remain to us? What is the true cost of freedom?

Read and View

Read and watch the two texts, taking notes as you do. Note character names, dominant themes, motifs, symbols, and important passages. Where do these important aspects of the text appear? After a first read, try to find at least one secondary text[1] that addresses these texts on the Internet or in Galileo.[2] You might also check YouTube. Read or watch the criticism and take notes.

Journal Post(s)

There are no assigned posts this week, but you may write on any aspect of the texts as extra credit to bring up a missing or inadequate early post grade. Write a maximum of two posts for extra credit.

Reply

Reply to at least two different colleagues’ posts.

Due Date

Please have all of the above completed by Sunday, November 3, 2019. I will evaluate them the following day, and email everyone a progress report.

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Part 2

The rest of the class should be spent working on your Wikipedia project and final journal post. Work through the reading and training for the remaining weeks (12–16) on the WikiEdu dashboard. Essentially, this works toward and on your project.

Journal Post 20

Under the WikiEdu timeline for Week 15, this is the Reflective essay. This should be the last assignment you do for this class — after everything else, including your project, is complete. You might even send me an email to let me know you’re finished.

Due Date

Have everything in part 2 completed by Sunday, December 8, 2019. This includes your completed and corrected journal for its final evaluation. Even if you missed some entries during the lessons, you must have them all complete, edited, and posted by this due date. I will evaluate everything and submit grades over the next couple of days. Have a great holiday.

Notes

  1. It would be helpful to begin with their respective Wikipedia entries that I linked above, but these should not be cited as sources.
  2. Obviously, the latter is better.
  3. External sources are always footnoted as references; Wikipedia entries are always just linked in the text. Never cite a Wikipedia article like you would an external source.