What is humanity? Humans

Humans

Representation:

• Anita could be seen as an object such as a washing machine, for example Laura refers to Anita as an 'it' and not as 'she'
• Anita is subservient.
• The show doesn't have a preferred reading and has many polysemic meanings so it can get confusing.
• Cyborg- half machine, half man.

Donna Harraway, A Cyborg Manifesto- 'in short, we are Cyborgs'

The meaning behind this, our lives are so influenced by technology. For example, Glasses could make us cyborgs as they are enhancing our lives and potentially making us better.

Technology can make us more appealing, in a physical way.

Globalisation- We can import different properties from countries around the world.

Using technology, make things more organised, everything is stored online or on the computer.

Technology can be used to show off who we are and what we are about.
We revolve around technology and are very reliant on it.

'Humans' is about the representations of humanity. This show explores the ideas of racism, sexism, slavery.

What is humanity?

• We look for something that will fulfil our lives.
• Somedays you will begin to question yourself.
• We can communicate our feelings in a more sophisticated.
• We feel empathy.
• We want to understand everything, to be inquisitive.
• We have an education to make ourselves better.
• We are ingenius.
• Love is very important to us, obsessed with it.

Gender performativity- Judith Butler- Theories of Gender Performatativity 

• Identity is a performance, and it is constructed through a series of expressions, that we perform everyday.
• while there are biological differences dictated by sex, our gender is defined this series of acts. these may include the ways we walk, talk, dress and so on.
• Therefore, there is no gender identity behind these expressions of gender.
• Gender performativity is not a singular act, but a repetition and a ritual. It is outlined and reinforced through dominant patriarchal ideologies. 

 This theory can be considered controversial due to christians having a the belief that God created two genders and this theory challenges that.

Key theory 11- bell hooks- feminist theory.

•  Women are assumed to be child carers which suggests that men are meant to be make money.
• Argues that feminism is a struggle to end patriarchal oppression and the ideology of domination, and that the position of the underrepresented is by class and race as well as gender.
• "women in lower class and poor groups, particularly those who are non-white, would not have defined women's liberation as women gaining social equality of men since they are continually reminded in their everyday lives that all women do not share a common social status"   

Patriarchal hegemony in 'Humans':

• The father decides to buy the synth, to help him with housework, this assumes that men are lazy and they need a women to do the work.
• when the father is putting his foot down and doesn't let Laura have a say.
• Laura might feel threatened by Anita, as she is doing the housework so Laura might feel like her roles in the house are getting taken away from her.
• When the man rapes the synth and he doesn't view her as sentinel being, he just sees her as an object to have sex with.
• Joe (father) is the primary user of Anita.
• Creation of the sentient synths by male David Elster - initially to replace his wife.
• Laura is replaced by a synth (Anita), she is seen as imperfect from her family.
• The salesman is male- selling a women- as are the corporate figures who dictate their use.
• The majority of the synths are ethnic actors who play them, emphasising Staurt Hall's notion of the black "slave"stereotype.
• The attitudes of the males, particularly towards Niska in the brothel- "using" women who are clearly not equal. 

Binary oppositions in 'Humans'

• Anita is seen as a washing machine but can also be seen as sexually attractive.
• Anita isn't just as sexual threat but also has a gender treat.
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