Do Employees Dream of Electric Sheep?

“If we release the slaves, they will rob, rape and murder their former masters.” “If we allow universal suffrage, the proletariat will elect Bolsheviks and execute the monarchy.” “If we create machines without subverting them to human needs, they could supersede us and cause humanity’s extinction.” Jack Brindelli examines the ruling class fears at play in sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, and asks why exactly we should fear their liberty?

There is something of the slave-owner’s ‘logic’ about Stephen Hawking’s recent assertion, along with many other eminent ‘scientists’ (who, we should note, are mostly experts in fields that are irrelevant to the debate on Artificial Intelligence), claiming that we should seek to ‘rein in’ research that could lead to machines thinking, feeling and creating for themselves. Because I suppose if you think about it, if you were a supremely intelligent being capable of conferring the construct of “beauty” on the world around you, you’d probably want to inexplicably wipe out all life too.

Don’t Marry Him, Fund Me

It used to be that the internet was heralded as a revolutionary breakthrough in communications. It would finally provide a universal platform for amateur creativity, and we could expect a golden age of independent production. The voice of the little guy was finally to be boomed about the globe – at least, that’s what internetters somewhat self-importantly promised it would… However, thanks to a certain lovelorn garden-gnome from Norwich, it has become painfully clear that – somewhat characteristically – the internet could not live up to it’s own hype.

“…that the cream cannot help but always rise up to the top? Well I say shit floats.”

Counterfire support our appeal

The revolutionary socialist organisation Counterfire have shared our campaign for funding on their site. Our campaign runs for another 29 days, but we are over half way through and running out of time – so we still need your help. Access the campaign through the Counterfire link above, or visit indiegogo.com/projects/hollywood-hegemony/x/9382543 direct – and help Hollywood Hegemony hit the big time in 2015.

If you like the sound of Counterfire and want to help them grow, please join online, or contact us at info@counterfire.org.

The Hobbit: Middle-ground Middle Earth

In his first piece for Hollywood Hegemony, Danny Turner examines the failings of the final chapter in the Hobbit series. Along the way he discusses absolute power corrupting absolutely, why rabbit sleds are the lamest thing since Jar-Jar Binx, and why Gordon Brown is the prince of all dwarves.

The third of the Hobbit films is an attempted return to form, by invoking the spirit of the epic showdowns in the Lord of the Rings films, and jettisoning the focus of the original book on children. The original Hobbit film reflected the tensions between representing the original spirit of the book, and the pressures of invoking the far more serious and epic Lord of the Rings films. The result was a discordant mess, with sing-alongs and rabbit sleds jarring awkwardly with po-faced, slow motion desperate battles with orcs.

Fundraiser 2015

It’s a whole new year and we have an exciting announcement! Change is coming to Hollywood Hegemony – but we need your help to do it. Our appeal for funds lasts until next month, please give generously! There’s a whole host of special prizes for those who do! For more information, and links to the fundraising page, please see below.