White Bear Profit Park

       This week, my Theories of Human Nature class watched another episode of Black Mirror. This episode was entitled "White Bear". This episode was centered around the theme of justice. A woman wakes up in a room, bound to a chair, with no memory of where she is or who she is. The woman finds a picture of a girl who she assumes is her daughter. She ventures outside to find herself being filmed by silent by standers. Shortly after her venture, she is chased by a masked gunman. Even when she cries for help, the people continue to stand by and film her without helping her. She then meets a woman who helps her escape from the gunman. Throughout the day, her life is threatened and every time she thinks she is about to die, she cries out for help and the people don't do anything. They just stand there and film. Eventually, the two women reach the White Bear Transmitter which turned everybody into these by-standing zombies. After the main character "shoots the gun" at one of her attackers, it is revealed that the whole day was just a theatrical performance. Actually, the main character, Victoria, was convicted of murder after filming her fiance' murdering and burning a six year old girl(the girl that she thought was her daughter.) After a shaming parade, her memory is erased and the day starts all over again.

    This episode, to me, explores and exposes, two major ideas, or problems, in today's modern society. The first is the brainwash or technology and social media. People in today's society tend to stand by and watch when someone needs help. For example, with cyber bullying, social media users tend to make the situation worse by not saying anything or even screen-shotting and sharing it. Just like  in White Bear, the people just stood around and filmed people in peril. It also showed how the people were entertained by this horrible situation. It relates to how social media beef and fights go viral because we are entertained by other people's agony. For example, when the two men got shot, the by standers rushed to get a footage of it. Even though they knew it was fictional, it still shows this hidden message.

   Another issue that this episode highlights is our unjust justice system and flawed correctional system. I believe that both White Bear Justice Park and the American Prison system started off with the good intentions to actually reform and correct offenders. However, when money got involved, it turned into a profit and exploitation monster. Instead of helping society, it hurt society. In both real life and television, the criminals are treated like animals. First off, the name "White Bear Justice Park" sounds like some kind of exhibit or zoo or national park of wildlife. The criminal, Victoria, is hunted and played with like an animal. When the spectators come to participate they tell them to "Take pictures but don't get too close or she will attack."  and to "Enjoy themselves" just like a tour guide would tell tourists on a safari. In our prison systems, our criminals are also treated like animals. They are underfed, abused, exploited, and shown off as exhibits to perspective business partners and the entire public. Victoria and American criminals are both stripped of their basic human rights. "White Bear" shows that the justice system punishes for the heck of it instead of punishing to teach a lesson and reform.