Gee, what will the nasty corporations think up next? And maybe we should take this one all the way to the Supreme Court. See if it is compatable with the Constitution of the United States.
I bring that up because, lets face it, a lot of science fiction writers like to speculate about just how far capitalism will take things down the road. Is there anything beyond the pale when it comes to toting up the bottom line?
Cloning is just one more bank account here. On the other hand, if the workforce consist increasingly more of clones how many folks are still going to be around to actually purchase the products they manufacture? Manufacture the workers manufacturing the commodities. Then manufacture the consumers to buy them? Like nature manufacturing a colony of ants, termites, or bees?
As for an “identity”, it’s entirely fabricated. But that is in turn just a more sophisticated [controlled] reflection on how actual human communities fabricate an identity for their children historically or culturally. What is our childhood but that part of our lives where others “implant” our own memories?
The film begins with a super slick television commercial. No different from the shit we get today from Exxon or BP on the PBS News Hour or on CNBC:
There was a time when “energy” was a dirty word. When turning on your lights was a hard choice. Cities in brownout… food shortages, cars burning fuel to run. But that was the past. Where are we now? How do we make the world so much better? Make deserts bloom! Right now, we are the largest producer of fusion energy in the world. The energy of the sun, trapped in rock, harvested by machine from the far side of the moon. Today, we deliver enough clean-burning helium-3… to supply the energy needs of nearly 70% of the planet. Who would have thought that all energy we ever needed is right above our heads? The power of the moon… the power of our future.
What’s the catch? Well, we can count on them not telling us.
Let alone Sam Bell. Besides, all most of us give a shit about is having the power. As cheaply as possible. We don’t really give a shit how it is gotten or delivered to us. Sam Bell’s a clone? So? Who the fuck is Sam Bell?
Look for HAL. Only this time on our side. Sort of.
Also, look for Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. Something from the Bible, perhaps.
The director is the son of David Bowie.
What with all the clones [all the different Sams] and figuring out who is communicating what to whom, following all of this can be…taxing. Here is one perspcective on What Is Really Going On: hubpages.com/hub/Moon-the-Movie-Explained
at wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_(film
trailer: youtu.be/twuScTcDP_Q
MOON [2009]
Written in part and directed by Duncan Jones
[b]GERTY: Sam, you said it was the TV that distracted you… but when I came in, the TV wasn’t on. Perhaps you were imagining things?
Sam: Yeah, you think too much, pal.
…
GERTY: I’m sorry, Sam. Sam…I’m under strict orders not to let you outside.
Sam: I don’t appreciate that—being treated like a child. I don’t appreciate it.
…
Sam: I found him outside! I found him outside! Near one of the stalled harvesters…Who is he? Who is he?!
GERTY: We need to get him to the infirmary.
Sam: Not until you tell me who that is. You tell me who that is!
GERTY: Sam Bell.
…
Sam 1: Gerty?
GERTY: Yes, Sam?
Sam 1: Is there someone in the room with us?
…
Sam 1: Gerty, Gerty, what the fu—what the hell’s going on? Who is the guy—Who is the guy in the rec room? Where did he come from? Why does he look like me?
…
Sam 1: Who is the guy in the rec room?
GERTY: Sam Bell.
Sam: Come on, come on, come on!
GERTY: You are Sam Bell. Sam, what is it? It might help to talk about it.
Sam 1: I don’t understand what is happening… I think I’m starting to lose my mind.
GERTY: We can run some tests. I haven’t let Sam contact Lunar. They do not know that you were recovered alive from the accident.
Sam: “Recovered alive”? What do you mean? Why did not you report it to Central? What are you talking about?
GERTY: I’m here to keep you safe, Sam.
…
Sam 1: Gerty says you’re Sam Bell. I’m Sam Bell, too!
Sam 2: What?
Sam 1: Well, we’ve got that going for us.
…
Sam 1: Who’s looking after the harvesters?
Sam 2: Harvesters are fine. It’s the fact that I’m here talking to a clone that’s slightly troubling.
Sam 1: I’m not a clone. I’m not a clone! You’re the clone.
…
Sam 1: You know Tess?
Sam 2: Yeah, I know Tess.
…
Sam 1: They’re sending a rescue unit? Why? Why are they sending a rescue unit?
Sam 2: To fix the stalled harvester. They didn’t think I was up to it.
Sam 1: Well, then I’m going back. That’s it for me.
[Sam 2 scoffs]
Sam 1: What?
Sam 2: Is that what you really think?
Sam 1: Yeah. I’ve got a contract! I’m going home.
Sam 2: You’re a fucking clone. You don’t have shit.
Sam 1: Hey, I’m going home!
Sam 2: Home! You’re not going anywhere. You know, you’ve been up here too long, man. You have lost your marbles. What do you think, Tess is back home, waiting on the sofa in lingerie? What about the original Sam? Huh?
Sam 1: I am the original Sam! I am Sam-fucking-Bell!! Hey! Me! Me! Gerty, am I a clone?
GERTY: Are you hungry?
…
Sam 2: What about the other clones?
Sam 1: What?
Sam 2: We might not be the first two to have been woken up. You said that that model had already been started when you got here. Well, who started it? There might be others up here right now. Think about it. How did I get up here so quickly after your crash?
Sam 1: I don’t know…
Sam 2: They didn’t ship me in from Central. There wasn’t time. I must have come from the base. I bet there’s some kind of secret room.
…
Sam 1: Why would they do that? What’s the motive?
Sam 2: Look, it’s a company, right? They have investors, they have shareholders. Shit like that. What’s cheaper? Spending time and money training new personnel…Or you just have a couple of spares here to do the job? It’s the far side of the moon! Those cheap fucks haven’t even fixed the communication satellite yet!
Sam 1: Tess would know, she would have told me…
Sam 2: Hey, Gepetto, wake up! You really think they give a shit about us? They’re laughing all the way to the bank!
…
Sam 1: Gerty…Gerty? Am I really a clone?
GERTY: When you first arrived at Sarang, there was a small crash. You woke up in the infirmary. You suffered minor brain damage and memory loss. I kept you under observation and ran some tests.
Sam 1: I remember, yeah, I remember that…
GERTY: Sam, there was no crash. You were being awakened. It is standard procedure for all new clones to be given tests…to establish mental stability…and general physical health. Genetic abnormalities and minor duplication errors in the DNA can have considerable impact on…
Sam 1: What about Tess? What about Eve?
GERTY: They are memory implants, Sam. Uploaded, edited memories of the original Sam Bell. Sam, it’s been several hours since your last meal. Can I prepare you something?
…
LI Technician [on screen with prerecorded message]: Lay down, relax and breathe deeply. The cryogenic protection pod is designed to put you into a deep sleep for the duration of your three-day return journey back to Earth. As you begin to feel sleepy, think about the magnificent job that you’ve done. And how proud your family are of what you’ve accomplished. Lunar Industries remains the #1 provider of clean energy worldwide due to the hard work of people like you.
…
Sam 1 [to Sam2]: I found your secret room.
…
Sam 1: Gerty, why did you help me before? With the password? Doesn’t that go against your programming or something?
GERTY: Helping you is what I do.
…
[Sam is making a video phone call from the Moon to his home on Earth, while covering the camera with his hand]
Eve: Hello?
Sam 1: Is this the Bell residence?
Eve: This is the Bell residence. Could you call back? There’s something wrong with the picture.
Sam 1: I’m trying to reach Tess Bell.
Eve: I’m sorry, she passed away some years ago.
[long pause]
Sam 1: Are you sure?
Eve: Yeah, I think so. I’m her daughter. Can I help you?
Sam 1: …Eve?
Eve: Yeah.
Sam 1: Hi! Hi, Eve. How old… How old are you now?
Eve: I’m 15. Do I know you?
Sam 1: Sweetheart… How did mommy die, sweetheart? How did mommy die?
Eve [turns around and calls to someone off-screen]: Dad!
Dad [the original Sam Bell]: Yeah?
Eve: There’s someone asking about mom.
Dad: Who’s asking about mom?
[Sam immediately breaks off the call]
…
Sam 2: You’ll be okay?
GERTY: Of course. The new Sam and I will be back to our programming as soon as I finished rebooting.
Sam 2: Gerty, we’re not programmed. We’re people, do you understand?
…
News announcer: Clone six, the clone of Sam Bell has been giving evidence that CEA’s board of directors meeting in Seattle…
…
Talk Show Host: You know what, he’s one of two things. He’s either a wacko or an illegal immigrant. Either way, they need to lock him up. Line two! [/b]