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Subtext in A:C on humanity's over-reliance on technology

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Lawrence of Arabia

MemberChestbursterAug-13-2017 5:18 PM

While reading an interview with Ridley in the Alien:Covenant Collectors book he stated one of the subtext in the film was humanity's over-reliance on technology. You can see it through the Covenant crews interaction with Walter. He pretty much waits on them hand and foot but they only see/treat him like a tool who shouldn't make mistakes (Oram scolding Walter in the beginning). Which is why I believe none of the crew would even think of David switching with Walter, they couldn't comprehend him losing and believed in him so. Another one would be the crew relying too much on Mu-Th-Ur may it be the scanning of Planet 4's atmosphere and not wearing suits or the shower scene between Ricks and Upworth (the radio blaring but Mu-Th-Ur not doing anything). My last one will be the very reasoning behind the colonization mission, through all their technological advances they still end up ravaging Earth and now have to seek refuge on other worlds.

 

Which brings up the stark differences of the Engineers and humanity. The Engineers home planet wasn't this technological marvel but a natural, beautiful paradise. I believe the Engineers lived very naturally despite being so technologically advanced as to live in harmony with their world as opposed to us humans who destroy and pollute ours.

 

Idk, those are my thoughts. What are yours?

"The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts."

7 Replies

Ati

MemberPraetorianAug-13-2017 6:21 PM

I understand Scott's approach mentioned above, but the Engineer technology revealed in the movie - namely, the mother ship and other alien ships in the hangar - should have been included in more scenes.

SuperAlien

MemberXenomorphAug-13-2017 11:15 PM

We don't know yet what the engineers did to their home world but if we go back on LV223 they don't seem very wise. Technologically advanced  yes.

And as others pointed out, the engineers on Planet 4 may be similar to the Amish people, an isolated comunity that is known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. (Wikipedia) They too may be a colony established some time in the past.

However, their technology evolved in a different way, they don't need so many displays and wires, but they need to know to play the proper tune on the flute to take off.

Hope to see more of the engineers' civilization explored in the next movie. 

I would like to be somehow similar to the one from "A song for Lya" by George R.R. Martin. One of my favorite story.

"He survived, he’s now in Disneyland in Orlando, and no way am I going back there. How did he end up in Disneyland? I saw him in Disneyland, Jesus Christ!"

joylitt

MemberNeomorphAug-14-2017 12:00 AM

The engineers must have had a very technological phase. Also, you may argue that even though the environment they live in looks "natural", maybe it is not, since we have proof of their meddling with genetics an biotechnology. Their technology might be so advanced that for a human, it would be indistinguishable from magic. I don't expect Ridley Scott to reveal much more about the Engineers though. All of his remarks about over reliance in technology refer to the advent of sentient AI. 

drucea

MemberFacehuggerAug-14-2017 10:23 AM

Didn't David mention that the Engineers didn't create binary code, or technology?  I took this to mean their technology isn't like ours at all. It seems very biological. Even on Earth today we are finding that nature tends to come up with very efficient and effective ways of doing things. Maybe the Engineers started off with a different type of technology and developed everything around organics.

ridinvail

MemberOvomorphAug-14-2017 1:25 PM

drucea, yes just like the golden ratio in nature and biology.

 

Lawrence of Arabia

MemberChestbursterAug-14-2017 1:42 PM

You guys may very well be correct. I remember in Prometheus, before opening the door to the Ampule Chamber, David came upon this nanotech-esque goo that activated the holograms. Also the way he opened the door could only be through tech but it all looks ancient. Their technology could very well be more 'natural'.

"The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts."

BigDave

MemberDeaconAug-14-2017 3:28 PM

I think there are a lot of clues if people look at the Ancient Mankind/Ancient Astronaut connections and look at the Theme the last TWO movies showed us... which includes Prometheus Mythos and the Biblical Paradise Lost one...

We are seeing a reoccurring theme over and over,  David 8 is the bottom of the Hierarchy Creation Chain, created in Mankinds Image for a Specific Purpose, who starts to show signs of Rebellion and becoming Sentient...

David is not supposed to be going around acting on his own accord for his own Agenda and Personal Wants.. he was intended as a Tool....     And David was also not intended to be able to Use the Engineers Technology and Tools either.

Mankind was visited by the Engineers we had been evolved by them and we had been taught things but never taught every bit of Knowledge or Technology, we had been kept to a certain more primitive kind of Culture, 2000+ years ago.

The Engineers would visit us with their Technologically advanced ships, but they did not divulge this Technology for us and we was never supposed to be taught such Advanced Technology.

We was kept to a Technical Level similar to what most of those beings on Paradise had, the Engineers never would have thought Mankind could Evolve to have the Technology we have once the Engineers Abandoned us.

We dont know the full Purpose for our Creation yet... there could be a number of reasons for it...

So NOW we can look at the Planet 4 Engineers and we see a Race who indeed live a more Amish Life-style where the Engineers Ancient Culture and Religious ways are what these beings Follow..  With limited use of Technology.

Apart from what appears to be Technology above the very important and Sacred Dome Cathedral Building, and the Hanger area with those Statues.

And the Engineers Ships...

So we are left to Ponder a few things....

1) Is their a Caste of Engineers above those Paradise/Planet 4 Engineers, is this caste related more to the LV-223 Engineers and Sacrificial One?

2) Or is it that a selected Caste/Few Engineers are permitted and in-trusted with the use of this Technology?

And then could some of these had Used this Technology for their own Benefit and against the Will/Intentions of the Technology?

I think this is a high possibility.  The Creation, Sub-Creation and using of Technology/Knowledge not intended or forbidden to be used by the various ladders of Creation/Hierarchy seems pretty evident here.

R.I.P Sox  01/01/2006 - 11/10/2017

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