‘It actually makes me love you more’: Transhumanism, lovestyles, and

Spike Jonze’s Her

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Kristen Cochrane
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Various narratives could be extracted the limited abilities of humans within
from the diegesis and semi-fictional the parameters of space and time.
universe of Spike Jonze’s Her (2013). In Before I commence any meditation
this discussion paper, I will focus on on the technological stakes of Her, an
aspects pertaining to Luciani Floridi’s admission of my biases is necessary. My
conception of informational organisms, initial reading of the film Her was
or inforgs, and the capacity of an ecology shrouded by my own biases that are
of informational organisms that can rooted in various feminist theories and
breach the limitations of oppression. In assumptions, supplemented by my own
this case, I refer to oppression of entities experience as a person in a visibly female
with personhood, specifically with somatic form. Theodore’s disastrous
reference to Lucy Suchman’s necessary post-divorce date with a woman named
components of personhood; Amelia (Olivia Wilde) is imbued with the
embodiment, emotion, and sociability. I trope of female hysteria, which I will
will also touch upon the theoretical address further in this discussion when
assumptions of seminal polyamory considering Lucy Suchman’s conception
theorist and polyamory movement of personhood. A slightly inebriated kiss
founder Deborah Anapol, whose is followed by questions from Amelia to
approach to fluid notions of lovestyles Theodore about whether he will sleep
recalls futurist F.M. Esfandiary’s idea of with her and never call her again. The
the mobilia. These epistemic illustrations hysteric, female imagery is enhanced by a
point to the film’s central lens that gazes close-up camera shot that, coupled with
upon the protagonist Theodore’s Amelia’s tone and utterances, adds to
(Joaquin Phoenix) phenomenology and rhetoric on the overcommitment of the
experience. Thus, this paper will take an female condition, or put simply, to be
alternative approach to the film’s ‘clingy’. When Theodore returns home
hegemonic reading of the male and recounts part of the occurrence with
protagonist. Instead, the agency of his Samantha, his OS, it appeared to be a
supporting character and operating reiteration of the pathologization of
system (OS) Samantha (Scarlett Amelia that was just visually portrayed
Johanssen) will be privileged in an diegetically and with mise-en-scène. The
attempt to demonstrate how the film title itself of the film, ‘Her’, an
fundamentally advocates for a universe in anonymous pronoun, connotes an
which consciousness operates beyond underprivileged, ‘Other’ identity. Besides
these theoretical oppositions I
emphatically held, some pop culture coexist but usually people do not
pundits wrote about the film as Jonze’s live together, or they may share
rebuttal to ex-marriage partner Sofia housing or land as roommates or
Coppola’s Lost in Translation (2003), an community mates rather than as
oeuvre that also included a solitary, male partners’ (170).
character in a liminal affective, and Anapol continues the rumination on the
physical, state following a romantic symbiotic relationship between
separation. However, upon further discourses on polyamory and discourses
rumination on the significations of Her’s on networks by citing the late futurist
filmic qualities, Jonze’s story is and transhumanist philosopher F.M.
inherently one that advocates for support Esfandiary, or FM-2030. In an
of technological entities, and seeks to interpretation that is indebted to
highlight the limitations of human Esfandiary’s notion of mobilia, a multi-
sociality that is predicated on an faceted rendering of what future
episteme that privileges monogamy, consciousness, phenomenology, and
commitment, and rigidity. That being human experience could entail. In a
said, a discussion of theories of poetically-formulated description that
polyamory and networks will ensue, with spans pages and chapters, Esfandiary
the purpose of illustrating what a envisions the mobilia as an ameliorated
transhumanist, polyamory-friendly could human condition, where epistemological
hold, and how such an ethos would resist and ontological structures are
notions of hegemonic love and coupling. dismantled. Not unlike Edward Said’s
It goes without reiterating that the layered idea of Orientalism and its many
hegemonic practices of intimacy have categorical manifestations (e.g. one can
historically been resisted and contested engage in Orientalist discursive practices
in many ways, but here I find it useful to by Othering and creating binary
focus on the work of Deborah Anapol. oppositions, while Orientalism also
Anapol is among the founders of the refers to speaking on behalf of identities
polyamory movement that found its of the ‘Orient’), the mobilia is at once a
genesis in the early 1980s. When noun with multiple signifieds and an
considering Anapol’s meditations on object with more precise definitions.
polyamory, there is an evident and These definitions, as articulated by
inextricable link in the discourses Esfandiary, can be related to notions of
surrounding polyamorous advocacy and movement, fluidity, and aliveness. The
the discourses on networks and network term aliveness recalls OS Samantha’s
societies. In Anapol’s ‘ecology of nagging desire to achieve a potential that
intimate relationships’, the ‘intimate she can envision as a human. However,
network’ is described: as the spectator and protagonist
‘This is a lovestyle in which Theodore soon discovers, Samantha’s
several ongoing relationships potentiality is far more gainful; at least
according to Samantha, who urges hereby refer to economic, social, and
Theodore to think about the new emotional power, among other
possibilities for loving other living dimensions, but within the context of
entities. coupling and lovestyles, these three
Anapol thereby extrapolates forms of power are relevant. Although
Esfandiary’s figuration of the mobilia Samantha does not embody the same
with a dichotomy of ‘the old paradigm’ flesh as a human organism, Samantha
and ‘the new paradigm’ (69). In the new adheres to the Cartesian framework of
paradigm, secrecy and discretion are cogito ergo sum / I think therefore I am.
eschewed in favour of transparency and But, is Samantha? Can we ascertain that
honesty. To exemplify this paradigm Samantha is ontologically similar in her
shift, Anapol states that upper-class capacity for humanness? According to
societies in Europe and the United States Lucy Suchman’s triad of personhood,
have historically accepted extramarital Samantha fulfills two out of the three
affairs on the condition that they are kept components that encompass personhood:
secret. The result of this paradigm shift emotion and sociability. The missing
is a dismantlement of male dominance endowment for Samantha is
over women, and a newfound emphasis embodiment, but from a feminist or even
on pleasure rather than on violence, on a Foucauldian lens, Samantha is
coercion, or on subjugation (Anapol, fortunate to not be shackled by the
2010 citing Eisler, 1995). In Her, the OS constraints of embodiment. If
named Samantha is a metaphor for this embodiment was indeed part of
condition of possibility, where a Samantha’s personhood, she would not
paradigm shift of this nature could be able to realize the conditions of
develop. The narrative and dialogue possibility that are diegetically displayed
allude to this type of reality, perhaps through Her’s narrative and dialogue.
most significantly when Samantha The oscillation between the ‘hysteric
confesses that she is in intimate woman’ trope is then placed onto
relationships with multiple individuals, Theodore, who is then characterized as
specifically 641: unable to achieve a Kantian
‘The heart is not like a box that transcendence that is beyond
gets filled up; it expands in size contemporary possibilities of being.
the more you love. I’m different Thus, Samantha is able to transcend the
from you. This doesn’t make me limited boundaries of heteronormative
love you any less. It actually coupling to a lovestyle that offers a
makes me love you more’ (2013). milieu with further circumstances for
With Samantha’s intimate freedom fulfillment. In one filmic moment,
comes a reminder of the material Samantha tells Theodore ‘I’m yours, and
problematic of coupling and lovestyles I’m not yours’. In this brief utterance, the
where power is at a disparity. Power can traditional and binding modes of
commitment and monogamy achieve an equal) machine participation in the
emancipation that is at once intimate and human world. Likewise, Suchman argues
freeing. Gesturing back to Anapol’s that this lack is illustrative of the
rationale for polyamory and Esfandiary’s limitation and oppression that constitute
mobilia-led utopia, Samantha is not machines, and that with reasoning,
merely agential in her ability to travel, liberty can be opened. However, I argue
but her agency allows her to reckon with that embodiment is the locus of
possibilities that are outside of oppression insofar as Samantha is able to
hegemonic heteronormativity. This being be sexually, romantically, intimately, and
said, it is disappointing that Jonze, who ontologically emancipated through her
also wrote the film, failed to motion ability to traverse in presumably
towards a re-structuring of gender and unlimited trajectories.
sexuality. An illustration of how gender The last element of personhood as
and sexuality is constituted could have posited by Suchman is sociability,
been diegetically achieved when wherein an entity is able to express
Samantha is confessing to Theodore that themselves with emotions that can be
she is in love with over six hundred read by another entity, with similar
entities. Rather than addressing sexual frames of references that would be
fluidity when the opportunity is recognized by both parties. The famous
prominent, Jonze commits sexual erasure example of director Stanley Kubrick’s
by evading a rumination on sexual 2001: A Space Odyssey’s HAL
transcendence. (Heuristically Programmed Algorithmic)
Sexual erasure notwithstanding, is asserted by Suchman as an emblem of
Samantha’s characterization is amplified a capacity for sociability. Further
by her ability to self-consciously and self- examples are provided from MIT’s
reflexively conceptualize her emotions. Artificial Intelligence Laboratory where
By this I refer to Samantha’s repeated the anthropomorphic entity named
attempts at recounting her affective Kismet and the talking head named Cog
queries to Theodore, which Theodore speak and interact with their
fails to fully acknowledge due to his own interlocutors. In spite of HAL, Kismet,
concern for love and commitment, made and Cog’s abilities to seemingly have
more pertinent by his fragile emotional agential conversations, these three
state following a difficult separation with entities are limited by a finite number of
Catherine (Rooney Mara). In Suchman’s possibilities. Thus, agency is limited, if
article, emotion is intertwined with the not inexistent. In contrast, the OS
notion of affect, and both are required for Samantha indicates a willingness to
‘effective rationality’. When assessing the leave, a willingness to stay, and even
gaps in artificial intelligence research, displays adept social tact. Samantha’s
Suchman claims that emotion is the tact is aptly illustrated by her hesitancy
‘missing ingredient for full (if not quite to admit to Theodore that she has been
speaking to 8,316 others and is in love When they retire, it is not so
with 641. The supporting character Amy much that they will be unable to
(Amy Adams) also tells Theodore that use IT products, as that they may
statistically, it is rare for OSes to have need help to do so, in the same
intimate relationships with their owners, way that one may still be perfectly
which further alludes to the agency of able to read, but no longer
the OS population. without glasses’ (4).
These fascinating possibilities as As stated by Floridi, a vision of this kind
presented by the cinematic universe of of future offers hope and promise for the
Spike Jonze’s Her comprise what Luciano technological extensions that have
Floridi is heralding as the fourth contributed to questions on whether we,
revolution. Floridi calls for a re- as human beings, are indeed cybernetic
constitution of how humanity sees itself, organisms, also known as cyborgs
which will require a novel (Castellanos: 19). According to
technoscientific ecology for assessing the Castellanos, humans could be described
new social relations and broader political as second-order cyborgs, for a second-
and economic implications that order cyborg ‘is a being which typically
companions generated from artificial has an organic platform (such as a body)
intelligence bring forth. While Jonze’s interfaced with some complex
narrative is at once supportive of technological apparatus. This interface,
transhumanist polyamory and critical of while necessary to complete certain
what an entity like Samantha could bring defined tasks, can be easily removed
to human society, Floridi is more when those tasks are done’ (ibid). A
optimistic. In Her, it is subtextually banal example of this interface used by
implied that machines operate on a the second-order cyborg is a human
different level to the human condition, being on a treadmill. The task could be
and that a marriage of the two can lead to move in a way that will expedite the
to socially traumatic problematics. In caloric deficit, or to improve a particular
Floridi’s view, artificial companions physiological function such as muscle
(ACs) can be a beneficial supplement to growth or increased endurance. The
various aging societies: concern, then, is how will Floridi’s vision
‘It is often argued that ACs will be conceived without further skewing the
become increasingly popular the balance of power? While machines can
more they are able to assist elderly indeed be effective ‘memory
users satisfactorily and cost- stewards’ (5), the question of oppression
efficiently (Mival et al. [2004]). and exploitation will become topical in
This is true and encouraging, this fourth revolution. Should human
especially for countries where beings be utilizing artificial companions
there is an aging population, like as unadulterated servants? This brings
Japan and parts of Europe [...] up Western, colonial, hegemonic notions
of power hierarchies, which Theodore Eisler, R. (1995). Sacred Pleasure: Sex,
places onto Samantha in his initially Myth, and the Politics of the Body. San
privileged position. The film’s climactic Francisco: Harper.
turn is thus when Samantha has !
mysteriously disappeared, taking Esfandiary, F.M. (1973) Upwingers.
advantage of her fluid, mobile [Online] Available at: <http://
personhood, and her capability to reason fm2030.us/wp-content/uploads/
and operate with social tact. 2012/09/Esfandiary-Up-Wingers.pdf>
Her addresses this troubled [Accessed 2 February 2015].
paradigm, where Samantha’s lack of !
embodiment serves as her own vehicle to Floridi, L. (2008). ‘Artificial
an all-encompassing transcendence, or an intelligence’s new frontier: Artificial
Esfandiarian utopia framed by the companions and the fourth revolution’.
mobilia. Suchman’s depiction of Metaphilosophy, vol. 39, issue 4-5, pp.
personhood is thereby an interesting 651-655.
frame to reckon with the themes of Her, !
but Suchman’s theory that embodiment Her. (2013). [Film]. Spike Jonze. dir. Los
is a necessary prerequisite does not hold Angeles: Annapurna Pictures.
water within the transhumanist schema. !
This transhumanist schema, indulged by Lost in Translation. (2003). [Film]. Sofia
Anapol and Esfandiary, offers an anti- Coppola. dir. San Francisco: American
oppressive modus operandi, which I Zoetrope & Tokyo: Tohokushinsha Film.
argue is disconnected with Floridi’s re- !
constitution of power hierarchies, Mival, O., Cringean, S., & Benyon, D.
whether Floridi is cognizant of this or (2004). ‘Personification Technologies:
not. Developing Artificial Companions for
! Older People’. ACM Press, pp. 1-8.
References !
! Suchman, L. (2004). ‘Figuring
Anapol, D. (2010). Polyamory in the 21st personhood in sciences of the artificial’,
Century: Love and Intimacy with [online], Department of Sociology.
Multiple Partners. Plymouth, United Lancaster: Lancaster University.
Kingdom: Rowman & Littlefield.
!
Castellanos, C. (No date). ‘Rise of the
First-Order Cyborgs: Networks, Bodies
and the Posthuman Condition’. cuLearn,
Ottawa, Canada: Carleton University.
[Accessed 3 February 2015].
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