“15 million merits” is a programme filled with demonstrations and attributes towards postmodern theorists and the idea of a postmodern and hyper-real world which reflects on the post-modern theorist’s theory baudrillard. Baudrillard’s theory of a postmodern world is the idea and concept that everything is heightened in a hyper-real state which is most definitely shown throughout the episode “Black Mirror” as the characters come across to the audience to care more about their virtual image of themselves (avatars) rather than their actual human state. Baudrillard said “We live a world where there is more and more information, and less and less meaning.” This is a reflection on a hyper-real world because their avatars are non-existent just demonstrating how reliant humans are becoming of keeping this digital outlook of them for others to see at a standard they feel that suits them best. This could possibly also relate to today’s social networking sites facebook, twitter etc this virtual presentation of ourselves we spend a great amount of our time perfecting and coming across a better person then what is probably expected. 15 million merits shows not only the importance these avatars are to the people but the fact they are in a prison cell earning merits to get better items for their avatar just creates this hyper real world it is also futuristic and showing how dependant and reliable humans would be in years to come on technology as everything they do e.g. shower and eat they control this through the technology. The real world has no meaning now everything can be done through technology.
From the episode Black Mirror, we as the audience get the impression that the characters are being watched. This relates to Foucault’s as he talks about notions of looking and voyeurism where we see the characters inside a “media prison” constantly being forced to watch media (adverts etc). They are constantly under a watchful eye therefore the characters cannot escape this media prison and if they try not to watch the media shown in their prison cells their prison cell would be alerted therefore there is complete control over these characters they cannot act themselves or separate themselves from the simulated world which can be applied to the elements of panopticon.
Debord's theory can also be applied to this episode of 15 million merits as he says we are all born to consume and to work and to consume some more which can be shown in this show because they are constantly working to earn merits and consuming the media that they are shown. they are shown these adverts as something to aspire to and to work harder for more merits for items for their avatars. this relates also to Debords idea of consumerism.
