Future-fantasies.

I love movies, most of you already know this so it is no big surprise...and as a lover of movies I tend to look forward to some of them...perhaps before a release date is set...and the wait can be seriously long...like the wait for Die Hard 4.0 for instance which took about 2-3 years since I first heard about it until I had the chance to see it…Fortunately it didn’t disappoint…which I have to admit, usually happens when you wait 2 or 3 years for a movie. Its hard not to build up an enormous amount of expectations when you wait that long…even though I do try not to…Anyways, this wasn’t what I wanted to talk about…Im already a little tired and almost put myself to sleep there for a second.

I have been waiting for a movie called ‘Surrogates’ (which by coincidence, -only coincidence, I promise!*cough* is another Bruce Willis movie) for about a year now. I believe it is a sci-fi, I Robot, A-I kinda film which I have to admit is not a good starting point for me. I did enjoy AI…although it made me kinda depressed…but what fascinates me with the prospect of this film is the idea of surrogates. Apparently people in the future are going to be seriously anti-social, spending most of their time alone in their homes. And to make up for this behavior, they have surrogates, or robot versions of themselves doing all the work and shopping and partying for them. Now, I personally cant for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to spend all their time at home when they could send their robot version to work and go party themselves. Personally I would love a surrogate. I’d make it perfect. It would have great hair every day, as well as makeup and clothes. It probably wouldn’t sweat or eat or use the bathroom, so I wouldn’t have to bathe it…expect for an annual touchup. No exercise would be necessary as it wouldn’t gain or lose any weight. It would be nice and toned with perfect complexion. Not a single zit…

If I did have one, I would set it to write my master thesis, which is taking up all my f’ing time these days, and go travel. Once it has finished my thesis, it can go to work and make money which I can spend on more traveling…and shopping. Of course, with my luck my surrogate would probably develop a strong personality and refuse to go to work for me…and insist on coming with me on whatever trip I was planning…And as I have a pretty strong mind of my own, we would end up spending the entire trip arguing on what to see and do…Either that or fighting non-stop on who gets to see and do everything first (ever been to Disneyland with a sibling?). And of course non of us would give in to the other…Why give in when you know there is no way it will lead to sex?-Which by the way opens up for a whole new concept; the end of single-hood. No one has to be unwillingly single anymore…you can just create an opposite sex version of yourself (unless you’re gay of course) and date that instead. According to various scientific studies people tend to fall for someone who looks like themselves…Although, you would probably come back to the previous issue of two minds which are way too similar…and end up fighting non-stop. And who wants that? I’d rather stay single.

Anyhow, in light of the release of ‘Surrogates’, Touchstone Pictures have released a so-called viral-site for the movie (No worries, it has nothing to do with virus or computer destruction) where you can read up on the (fake) company which builds these surrogates, and where you can make your own one…Which of course I had to try.

You can upload a picture of yourself and change age and ethnicity, as well as facial features…which I did. I built a version of myself with a skin complexion slightly darker than my natural (who wants to stay pale as a Scandinavian if you can be tanned all year around?), green eyes with a touch of yellow just for fun, purple hair (because I love purple) and slightly longer hair…mostly because I couldn’t find my own hair-do among the choices...a do I like. But anyways, I dressed ‘me’ in a black dress and waited for the final result to come up. The new, better version of myself. The one which was going to improve my life and free me from my responsibilities.

She turned out to be an old lady. An old slightly bloated lady with purple hair and a black granny dress. It was terrifying seeing my own face on such an old woman. I am not going to be an attractive woman of age…if life hands me that many years, that is.

My surrogate is an old lady, who I bet would boss me around and tell me what to do. Who would make me finish my thesis and earn my own money…And in turn would spend my money on cake and coffee at the local bakery.

No thanks…I’ll do without.

http://www.chooseyoursurrogate.com/