Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences / Memory and Oblivion as Products of Digital Technologies in Cinema of the Late 20th – Early 21st Century

Full text (.pdf)
Issue
Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences. 2025 18 (3)
Authors
Sertakova, Ekaterina A.; Leshchinskaia, Natalia M.
Contact information
Sertakova, Ekaterina A.: Siberian Federal University Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation; ; ORCID: 0000-0002-7153-9770; Leshchinskaia, Natalia M. : Siberian Federal University Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation; ORCID: 0000-0002-1694-9080
Keywords
memory; oblivion; cinema; computer; memory manipulation apparatus; semiotic analysis
Abstract

The development of digital technologies expands human capabilities, in particular, allowing people to significantly improve the quality of life, making it more convenient and comfortable. But often such interventions touch the sharp edges of ethical frameworks, especially when it comes to the boundaries of privacy and the permissibility of interfering in the transformation of the individual. In this regard, one of the topical issues is the dialectical relationship between memory and oblivion and the use of artificial intelligence capabilities to preserve, strengthen memory, as well as to activate the process of oblivion, the complete destruction of memories. The issue of memory management is multifaceted, its study falls into the field of research interests of various scholars from neurobiologists and psychologists to art historians and cultural scientists. This article is devoted to the consideration of visualization of the dialectics of memory and oblivion as a product of digital technologies in the art of cinematography. The films considered as representations are Paul Verhoeven’s “Total Recall” (1990) and Michel Gondry’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004). As a result of the research conducted within the framework of the semiotic approach, the peculiarities of the authors’ understanding of the issue of constructing memory and managing oblivion with the help of artificial intelligence were revealed. Artistic works touch upon the question of the humanity of using the possibilities of digital technologies, the justification of interference in the inner world of the individual: whether getting rid of memories that seem undesirable will be a relief, or will entail severe consequences that lead to the transformation of the personality and do not give the desired peace in oblivion

Pages
481–491
EDN
GFLVPO
Paper at repository of SibFU
https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/155040

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