Dollhouse

I love sci-fi / philosophy crossovers. Perhaps that's why Dollhouse appeals to me. It's one of those shows that at first appears to be some hot chick exploitation show ( but seriously, Eliza Dushku?) but under the hot girl action, serious issues of personality and being comes into play.

When it all boils down, who are we? Man is more than the sum of his parts, people say. The theme of identity is widespread throughout this series.

A quick synopsis : in the near future, man has learnt to (forcibly) seperate the mind and the body of a person, enabling a person to be stored remotely as an "imprint", and the body to be used as a "doll", albeit in a blank and simple (vegetative) state, a condition known as "tabula rasa", Latin for blank slate. Apt, as these few who undergo this treatment can now be "imprinted" with designer programming, and are rented as high class... Tools. Tools for those with the wealth or power to afford them.

And so, in a clean way that Plato and Descartes can only dream about, the mind and the body are seperated. However, what is it that defines the individual?

We see the characters approach this in multiple ways. Through each way we see a differet perspective on the issue.

We have the agent who is looking for a girl associated with the dollhouse, and identifies her by her appearance. Echo (Eliza Dushku) obviously doesn't agree. She had been imprinted with the imprint of another, so she doesn't believe a word of what the agent says. To the extent that even if she was tortured, she would deny any knowledge, for in her experience, there is no other reality!

We have the son who recognizes his mother, even after she was imprinted onto Echo's body. (She was attending her own funeral, long story.) Is the individual identified by it's behaviour and habits? That's easily disproven. Habits can be learnt and behaviour conditioned. The son could as easily be taken in by a well trained trickster.

Of course, there are those who argue that it is our unique memory and experiences that create an individual. But doesn't the shows premise immediately contradict that? The dollhouse designs dolls with unique skills and habits that are derived from imprints of other peoples' imprints. Using a mix and match approach, each doll could be part Mary, part Jane, part Helen. But which part is uniquely her?

By extension, all of us are mix and match mélanges of each others' personality. How do we know our shared memories are true? By implanting false memories, are we rebuilding ourselves from a far deeper level?

Which part of me says I'm me?

Now, one interesting development pops in, where the dolls evolve and experience some form of self awareness. They remember bits and pieces of their past, and better yet! They remember parts of everyone else they've been! Akin to the bleeding effect in Assassins Creed, they take on the skills and memories of their multiple personalities.

So now, the question is: Is Caroline, who Echo once was, still Caroline now, with fragments of memories of multiple imprints on her?

Debate on that if you will.

Next question: Are you the same you you were yesterday?

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One more for the road

Well, so anyway, over the weekend I bought yet another guitar. I know, I've only got one pair of hands, why do I need another guitar? I guess it's my secret obsession. It's been a hobby I've been keeping for a while, and the longer I keep it, the more it matures like a good red wine, my understanding and appreciation of it going deeper. I listen to the same songs, and I derive deeper and deeper understanding and satisfaction from them. I get the thrill when I start to be able to play licks I could never have even begun to imagine to play years ago. I listen and I understand the subtle interplays of tone and volume. And most of all I grow as a musician (albeit a weak one).

In a way, I'd always been obsessed with music. I guess it kind of shows when the last 15-20 passwords i've had were all songnames or lyrics. Don't try to guess, I've probably forgotten more songs than most people actually know.

My brother told me about a friend he was talking to at a party the other day. She told him that she always remembers exactly what she's eating at the most significant times of her life. For me it's music. I remember the times of my life by the music I've been listening to. My secondary school life passed by with pop in sec 1 and 2, punk rock in sec 3, and ska punk in sec 4. JC swivelled by with more punk and leanings into old school rock, detouring into Sinatra towards the tail end. Army life was all that jazz for me, with Lady Ella stepping into my ears. I still recall Sinatra's "Love's been good to me" playing in my mind on those lonely days on the shore of Sungei Batu Apoi. Army was also my transition into retro pop, exemplified by the hedonism of mambo. Good times. University brought more depth with further forays into old school rock, and a new insight into metal. I spent life in Edinburgh listening to straight up rock and roll, and 90s rock. And now, I've been infected with the blues. It's been a good run. The blues are so gonna stick with me a while. I might just be able to play some of them blues, pop by and ask me to try.

Come on, I dare you. ;)

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