Review 2: Lo and Behold Screening

Today I watched an intimate screening of Lo and Behold by the legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog. Following the screening, students were given a chance to ask a panel of talented and knowledgable professors from the University questions about the topics covered in the film.

Review

Even if you're not familiar with Werner Herzog's name, there is a very good chance you've seen some of his work or at least would recognize his distinctive voice. The German filmmaker has reached new heights with his latest film titled Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016) in which the students at the University of Nevada, Reno were given a screening in the Wells Fargo Auditorium on November 16, 2016.

The trailer that we were shown beforehand (below) was enough for me to know that this film was right up my alley. The evolution of technology, society's response to this technology, and a look into what the future might hold were all powerful topics that made me excited to attend the screening.

Without revealing too many spoilers (I encourage you to check it out from start to finish), I found the film to be both humorous and serious at the same time. On the surface, I particularly enjoyed Herzog's interview questions and candid interjections. He has a unique way of incorporating himself into his work, making what could otherwise be a very monotonous interview a thing of pure entertainment. Especially in the technology field where many of the people being interviewed (Elon Musk, etc.) are revered for their intellect and engineering abilities, but may not be the most dynamic of speakers. Further, the topics covered (wireless signals, hacking, robotics, etc.) can all be quite advanced, but Herzog makes them palatable for all audiences without severely dumbing them down.

As a student majoring in Information Systems, I had already learned most of the history behind the Internet. Even so, I liked that Herzog was able to seek out and put visuals with this information. He went to UCLA to interview Leonard Kleinrock about the birthplace of the Internet and the very first machine to send a message through the wire, still located in room 3420 in Boelter Hall.

Further, Herzog also sought out some interviewees, all in very unique situations, to get their feedback about the growth of this technology. I found this extremely interesting. These interviewees included "hermits" that have opted to abandon modern society because of adverse reactions wireless signals appear to have on their bodies. Herzog also found a family (the Catsouras) that feels the Internet is the product of the devil. I appreciated hearing the different viewpoints.

One quote from the film that I find to be true is that "as computers become smarter, people want to become smarter." Some would argue that computers are making us dumber and more forgetful. I don't agree. I lean more towards the Steve Jobs philosophy that computers are like a "bicycle for the mind." They allow us to work more efficiently than ever and give us access to a wealth of knowledge that may have otherwise been too difficult to obtain in a lifetime, or three.

In a way, Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World caused me to take a step back and look at the bigger picture in regards to the technology we now take for granted. It inspires us to ask the questions: have we gone too far? How much further is left to go? Will it be a scary future or a bright future with this technology continuing to grow at the rate it has been? These are the questions that have no definite answers, but rather opinions, that we can each form on our own.

I personally am excited for the future of technology and the possibilities it will unlock. Check out the trailer below:

Q&A Panel

After the screening, we were able to ask questions of a panel consisting of: Joseph DeLappe (my ART 345 teacher), Kari Barber, Katherine Hepworth, and Dan Ruby (from the Planetarium). Each of them offered a unique perspective on the film and topics. With that said, I asked the following:

Questions

• With the rapid growth of the Internet, many are still stuck in the past and are "afraid" of these changes. Some schools have addressed this by starting students out on technology while they're young, teaching them how to code and whatnot. For those that still have a fear these technological changes, what can we do as a society to help these people overcome this paralysis?