Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Werner Herzog's Doc "Lo and Behold" on the Internet Was Not a Major Gain

Dir/screenwriter of doc & feature films, Werner Herzog (b. Germany 1943) is considered amongst the greatest figures of "New German Cinema."  He's received numerous honors and accolades.  Francois Truffaut called him "the most important living director" and Time Mag ('09) named him 1 of the 100 most important people in the world.  His recent doc"Lo and Behold" about the origins, present & future of the internet received its title from the 1st internet transmission.  It was L O (oops G didn't make it) for  Login & voila, Lo and Behold the internet was established. (Did you get that Watson?) The opening of the movie takes us through the sacred halls of UCLA "ground zero" where in 1969 the biggest revolution in human evolution was born.  Scientists sent a transmission to Standford Univ while on the phone - just to insure the message was received.  The date which most have forgotten (or never knew) was 10/29/69 at 10:30PM.  Scientist/engineers Robert Kahn & Vint Cerf are the co-creators of what  is known as the internet & it will be known to infinity and beyond; beyond all imagination. (Both men received the Medal of Freedom '015.)  The subject matter for this doc is exceptionally fascinating, at least to those born before the 1980's.  It's unfathomable to have conceived the omnipotent powers that now impact our daily lives in countless ways.  In fact, there is no way our society could function with a malfunction of the internet.  Yet, we have become utterly vulnerable.  The internet is a double edged sword of ubiquitous service and utter cruelty & destruction.  The internet has become essential in our lives in such a short time frame as individuals and as a functioning society.  The passion & good humor of the scientists interviewed was infectious.  Although there were a few whose lectures with formulaic equations put me to sleep.  In fact, Herzog broke the film into 10 parts.  I slept through 4-8 - so the movie couldn't have been all that great.  There were wackos who want us to know that sickness from all the radiation emanating is not psychosymatic and that addiction to gaming is a disease.  Most captivating were the conjectures by these erudite people of science as to the future.  It's probable that artificial intelligence will permit us to tweet our thoughts.  The universality of human thought crosses language and research into the brain may uncover methods of untapped telepathy.  One astrophysicist conjectured that the companionship of robots over humans, which seems horrific may be considered the norm.  Herzog's "Log and Behold" was enlightening but still felt old.

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