L+D+R: Zima Blue and Existentialism

   

     For this blog, I'm going to write about Zima Blue, and how its story reflects the mind of a human artist through the lens of a humanoid robot. Zima Blue was one of my favorite episodes from L+D+R, since the animation was exquisite, the paintings from Zima Blue himself were extraordinary, and the characterization and backstory of Zima Blue was interesting and formidably well written (good plot twist too). Even so, what stood out to me in Zima Blue was its existentialist approach: a piece that makes us reflect about purpose and desire, which is non-other than a desire to find ourselves, to leave our mark and to make an impact in life through the concept of free will. This existential aspect is well exposed after Zima Blue himself hints his backstory. While speaking in the third person about himself being that robot that cleaned swimming pools, we see that bit by bit, he becomes more human. His story is representative of what is happening nowadays with not only the concept behind cybernetics, but with robots having a human personality and making them think independently of the tasks that they were originally designed to follow and perform. Despite this context, Zima Blue's characterization is representative of the one of an artist, and here's why: let's use soccer as an example. When looking at it with a certain angle and passion, we audience members usually treat it as a visual spectacle, we might even consider it as an art, especially when we include dribbling, passes, amazing goals and saves that the average human being can't do. 

    Most professionals who've only known soccer, or simply became someone thanks to their devotion to the sport, usually wish to die in the field/stadium while having a soccer ball at their feet or near them. In another case, I also believe that during his last performance, during the theatrical masterpiece called Le Malade Imaginaire, ironically, Moliere died due to long fought hemorrhages that had affected him. For some reason, I've always associated this sort of honorable "dying consent" from actors and artists--a consent of dying at "the hands" of what brought them purpose and glory--which Zima Blue brings here visually and metaphorically, humbling us to look at where we've come from. Jean-Paul Sartre, the founder of existentialism, said in his piece “L’Être et le Néant” that "existence precedes essence," meaning that we are first born and brought into the world, and then we become someone and leave our mark in society (just like most artists do). I usually think about where we are now and our avenir with "The Butterfly Effect", where every action we've taken has brought us to where we are now (along the circumstances that surround us, of course). In this sense, Zima Blue becomes also a visual text about free will, accompanied by purpose all along, which then becomes a reflective piece about us as we find our purpose in life (as Zima Blue does), while never truly forgetting who we are all along our path amongst the living. 

    Now, will these themes be representative of our future with humanoid robots? Will humanoid robots have free will? Will they be able to develop human consciousness and feelings? I think they might have a gist of what is to be conscious and what feelings are, but in my presumed assumption, these are all programmed but not felt. The only way this could be feasible would be if we infuse a human brain with a humanoid robotic body (which is seen among other pieces of science fiction, or even video games). Zima Blue, despite being only 10 minutes, stroke me the most out of the other pieces, since I'm very fond of existential approaches and visual experiences. Other episodes from L+D+R that I liked were Pop Squad because of the plot and how similar its thematic and visuals are compared to Blade Runner (especially when looking at the police cars, the art and architecture, while noticing how the similar the entire backstory of the breeders is similar to the existential crisis that the Replicants suffer in the movie). And lastly, I thought that Automated Customer Service was an original "copy" or got heavily inspired by Wallee (especially when looking at how humans lazily interact with their environment and how the robots' revolt against the old lady and the dog as they try to get rid of them, characterizing the machines of having feelings and some sort of hatred when being disposed of, just like Wallee).