Black Mirror is a TV show that's completely terrifying and also impossible to stop watching.

《黑鏡》是一部非常驚悚且讓你很難停下的電視劇。

But it's hard to describe why it's so good because it's hard to define what it even is.

但要形容它為什麼這麼好看實在太難了，因為連要定義它是什麼都有難度。

Each episode is so independent, there aren't many common characteristics.

每一集都是獨立的，且沒有太多相似的特點。

Except one.

除了一個。

Many people see the show as a critique of technology.

很多人將這部影片視為對科技的批判。

And if that's the case, it might be fun to watch, but isn't all that profound or new.

若是如此，那這部影集會非常有趣，卻不全是那麼深遠、新穎。

Here's an article making this very point:

有一篇文章說明了這一點：

“Black Mirror's messages are usually pretty simple.

《黑鏡》所傳達的訊息通常很簡單。

Cell phones? Bad.

手機？很糟糕。

Reality shows? Bad.

真人秀？很糟糕。

Social media? Really bad.

社交軟體？非常糟糕。

Oh, sure, the setup and the execution of those ideas is impressive.

當然，這些設定和想法的執行都非常令人印象深刻。

But the show's primary crutch is too often that it uses thought-provoking and fascinating foundations in order to reach the simplest, most alarmist possible conclusion about a variety of technological innovations.

但這部影集的主軸在於它很常用發人深省、精彩的基礎以觸及多樣創新科技下，最簡單、警示性最高的可能結果。

I've also heard people describe the writing as far too unrealistic.

我也聽過有人說這些劇情太不真實。

It's hard to imagine some of these worlds ever coming true.

很難想像有些言論正在成真。

But both of these complaints miss the point.

但這兩個評論都忽略了一個重點。

Black Mirror isn't actually about technology - or the future.

《黑鏡》並不完全與科技或未來有關。

But it's not just that I enjoy the show, I also think it's more meaningful than many give it credit for.

這不代表我不喜歡這影集，但我認為它比大家給他的評論更有意義。

So what makes it so good, and what is it really about?

所以《黑鏡》到底為什麼這麼好看，他又在探討些什麼呢?

The enemy always looks like technology because it's always present for those signature jaw-dropping Black Mirror moments, but its purpose is only to emphasize the characters and their actions.

在《黑鏡》裡那些令人驚訝的情節總是讓科技看起來像我們的敵人，但這些情節的用意只是在強調角色們和他們的行為。

In White Christmas, Joe discovers Beth is pregnant, the two get in a fight, and Beth uses her digital eyepiece to permanently block him in real life.

在《白色聖誕節》裡，當Joe 發現 Beth 懷孕時，兩人起了爭執，Beth 就用了他的數位護目鏡，在真實世界永遠地封鎖了他。

After years of desperation, Joe catches the first glance of his daughter and it all becomes clear: Beth used this feature to hide her infidelity: it isn't his child.

絕望的幾年過去，當 Joe 和他女兒第一次四目相接時，一切謎底都解開了：Beth 為了掩蓋女兒並不是 Joe 的孩子的事實，才使用了這項功能。

Horrifying as this technology is, it's only a vehicle for the thoughts and desires of the characters themselves.

這種科技的恐怖之處就在於，它只是角色們的想法及慾望之間的媒介而已。

It isn't responsible for her infidelity or willingness to hide it for all those years.

她的不忠和隱藏這件事好多年的意願，都是相當不負責任的。

This is a theme throughout the series: - The people in White Bear want revenge, technology is just along for the ride.

《白熊》裡的人們想要復仇，這正是貫穿整個系列的主題：科技只是搭上了順風車。

And Nosedive and Fifteen Million Merits have technology that ruins lives, but it only works because of people's willingness to comply.

《急轉直下》和《1500萬點》裡的科技足以毀壞人生，但只有在人們願意屈服時有效。

Black Mirror uses technology as a writing device, a tool to expose who we are in a way that seems new - but isn't really the focus.

《黑鏡》將科技做為一種手段，用一種新的手法來揭開我們，但這並非真正的重點。

Each story is really about problems we already have, in a world without the episode's technology.

每個故事都與已經存在的問題有關，在這個沒有劇情裡那些科技的世界中。

And if you have any doubt about this, here's the creator of the show himself:

如果你有任何質疑的話，聽聽看編劇是怎麼說的吧：

It's a show about people, and how the traits we all have can go very wrong, especially when we're enabled by the world around us.

這部影集的重點在人，和我們那些會變得非常糟糕的特徵，尤其在我們受到世界支配的時候。

Which I think explains why some episodes are much better than others.

我想這解釋了為什麼某些特定集數比較精彩。

Here's a poll of twenty thousand people's favorite episodes.

這是由兩萬人票選出的最愛集數。

The higher rated episodes have well developed, relatable characters, but less focus on sophisticated technology.

投票率較高的集數都有完整、引人入勝的角色，但較少注重於科技的複雜性。

And the futuristic worlds with more bland characters rank lower.

而那些有著平淡角色的未來世界，得票率則較低。

I agree most episodes aren't realistic - but I consider it a feature not a bug.

我同意大部分的集數都不太真實，但比起錯誤，我會將他視為一種特色。

A good dystopia is a warning, not a prediction.

反烏托邦是一種警告而非預言。

1984 and Brave New World are overstated, and that's what makes them interesting.

《1984》和《勇敢新世界》劇情都屬誇大，這正是為什麼他們如此有趣。

The point isn't to be accurate but to take very real and important ideas and make them entertaining enough that we'll actually pay attention.

重點不在於正確性，而是將真實、重要的想法變得足夠有趣，讓我們能夠真正地去關注。

And to test all of this, we can compare two episodes.

為了驗證這些觀點，我們可以拿其中兩集來做比較。

Structurally, White Bear and Shut Up And Dance are very similar:

就結構而言，《白熊》和《黑函之舞》的劇情很相似。

We're put in the shoes of a character who we can relate to - they, like us, are confused and worried.

我們能夠站在角色的角度思考，而這些角色與我們相似：困惑，擔心。

And as they're put in increasingly crazy situations, we realize who our characters really are.

當他們陷入無比瘋狂的情境時，我們就能理解我們真正的角色。

We're horrified, but we're supposed to be even more horrified by everyone else.

我們很害怕，但我們應該比其他人更感到恐懼。

The excessive retribution and the off-putting joy it gives them.

他們得到了過度的報應和令人倒胃口的娛樂。

They end by showing the scale of the injustice - how Victoria must endure her torture every day, and how many people are being played like Kenny.

這些集數都在揭示不正義的規模後結束，例如 Victoria 每天是如何承受這些折磨、又有多少人跟 Kenny 一樣被操控著。

So the stories are similar, but Shut Up and Dance is ranked considerably higher - why is that?

所以兩者故事都很相似，但為什麼《黑函之舞》卻得到相當多的票數呢?

I think it supports the theory - Shut Up and Dance has better characters, and that's what the show is really about.

我想這印證了上述的論點，《黑函之舞》的角色更完整，這才是影集真正的主軸。

Because the intended message is only communicated if we feel bad for our character, which makes us hate their antagonist.

因為其中傳達的訊息只有在我們為角色們感到難過時具有溝通性，這也使我們討厭他們的敵人。

We empathize with Victoria in White Bear because we're just as confused as she is.

我們會同情《白熊》裡的 Victoria ，因為我們和她一樣困惑。

But Shut Up and Dance has a longer exposition - we really get to know Kenny before the adventure begins - we learn who he is and how he lives.

但《黑函之舞》有更好的解釋：我們在冒險開始前就知道 Kenny 的過去、了解他是誰和他的生活。

So we're more empathetic when he's in trouble, and more distressed when he's exposed.

所以我們在他陷入危機時會更同情他；在他被揭發時會更憂慮。

But none of this wastes any time - those early scenes eventually come back to haunt us with new meaning.

而這一點都不浪費時間，那些劇情最後都會帶來新的寓意讓我們思考。

It also has more big reveals, it just keeps hitting us on the head.

它也道破了很多事，不斷地給我們當頭棒喝。

When they open the cake and we realize the seriousness of the situation,then when we meet the real Kenny.

當一切都被公開之後，我們理解整件事的嚴重性，也遇見了真正的 Kenny。

And after all that, when their secrets are still released in one final, devastating,"screw you".

在這之後，他們的秘密在那句最後的、毀滅性的「去你的」傳送之後，還是被揭露了。

Which some people dislike - the troll face can come across as a bit absurd.

很多人不太喜歡這個有點冒犯的小白臉貼圖。

I actually think it's important for developing that character.

但我覺得這在探討角色時非常重要。

It's silly and childish - but it gives us a sense of the person behind it.

這貼圖愚蠢且幼稚，卻讓我們知道傳送貼圖的人為人如何。

Some young, reckless person who does this for the thrill.

有些無知的青少年為了刺激才做這些事。

Completely unrestrained by the law or any sense of human empathy.

完全不受法律或同情心控制。

Black Mirror is good because it's incredibly entertaining to watch a character be built up and then come crashing down in an instant.

黑鏡的精彩之處在於看著一個角色被建造，卻在剎那間崩潰。

And also because those characters are us.

也因為那些角色正是我們。

Behind every disaster is a perfectly familiar human characteristic that you have too, just waiting for the wrong situation to become your downfall.

每場災難的背後都恰好是我們熟悉且擁有的人格，只是在等待那個能成為你崩潰的時刻。

Hey there.

嗨各位。

Making these videos is a lot of fun, but what's not fun is relying on an algorithm I can't understand to make money.

製作這些影片非常有趣，但依靠我太不了解的演算法賺錢卻不太有趣。

So I'm starting a Patreon.

所以我開始使用 Patreon 了。

Ideally, my real customer here is you - I can make what you, not the algorithm, wants.

理想的情況是：我真正的客戶是你們，我要做的是你們想要的，而非演算法。

And the economics are great - the marginal cost can be very small from you, but together very big for me.

而這帶來的經濟效益非常好，你們所需支付的邊際成本很少，但加總起來的數字對我來說很大。

So any amount will give you early access to videos, a Discord discussion following each video, and wallpapers for your devices.

所以無論你支付了多少，你都可以比別人早獲得影片權限，在 Discord 裡參與每部影片的討論，還可以獲得一些桌布。

A bit more will give you access to Behind-The-Scenes for each video, so you can learn how I make these videos and how you can make your own.

再支付多一點，你可以看到每部影片的幕後製程，你就可以了解我的作法和如何製作屬於你自己的影片。

And at least for now, I'll make you a custom graphic of your choosing - a profile icon, banner, logo, or something else.

現在，我會製作一些你們選擇的顧客圖像：大頭貼、旗幟、商標，或是其他種類。

There's absolutely no obligation, and all of my main videos will remain free on this channel.

這絕對不是你們的義務，頻道上所有的影片也仍然是免費的。

Thank you so much, and for those of you who go support the channel, I'll see you in the Discord.

謝謝你們。那些給予頻道支持的你們，我們在 Discord 裡見。