All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace

Watch All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace

  • 2011
  • 1 Season
  • 8.3  (2,184)

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace is a three-part documentary series by Adam Curtis, first aired on BBC Select in 2011. The show explores how the rise of computers and cybernetic systems has had a profound impact on society's relationship with technology, nature, and the world at large.

In the first episode, Curtis examines the influence of Ayn Rand's philosophy on the development of Silicon Valley. He argues that Rand's ideas of individualism and self-interest inspired tech entrepreneurs like Stewart Brand, who believed that computers could liberate people from the constraints of traditional power structures. The episode also explores how the NASDAQ market became a symbol of the new information-based economy, and how it contributed to the burst of the dotcom bubble.

The second episode shifts focus to the ecological movement of the 1970s and how its ideas were hijacked by systems theorists like Jay Forrester who believed that ecosystems could be modeled and controlled through cybernetic systems. Curtis argues that this approach gave rise to a dangerous techno-utopianism, which believed that technology could solve all of society's problems, including climate change. The episode traces the rise and fall of projects like the Biosphere 2 experiment in Arizona and explores the consequences of this kind of thinking.

The final episode of the series examines the impact of self-organizing systems on politics and society at large. Curtis argues that the idea of a self-correcting market is flawed and that free-market economics and politics have contributed to an unstable and divisive world. The episode explores the legacy of the cypherpunks, a group of cryptographic activists who believed in radical privacy and the power of code. Curtis also examines the rise of China, and how its government has used technology to create a form of authoritarian capitalism.

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace is a visually stunning series that uses archival footage, interviews, and animation to tell a complex story about the relationship between technology, society, and nature. The show challenges viewers to think critically about the assumptions that underpin our reliance on technology and the way we understand the world. While some may find the show's arguments controversial or challenging, its rich storytelling and thoughtful analysis make it a compelling and important piece of documentary filmmaking. Whether you are interested in tech culture, politics, or environmentalism, All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace has something to offer, and is sure to leave you thinking deeply about the world we live in.

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace is a series that ran for 1 seasons (3 episodes) between May 22, 2011 and on BBC Select

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace
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Seasons
The Monkey in the Machine and the Machine in the Monkey
3. The Monkey in the Machine and the Machine in the Monkey
June 5, 2011
Adam Curtis's strength as a documentarian is in connecting seemingly disparate moments in human history and finding a link that alters our understanding of the world. Here, he throws new light on human nature by connecting the theory of scientist Bill Hamilton - that humans are machines controlled by genes (popularised by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene) - with years of conflict in the Congo.
The Use and Abuse of Vegetational Concepts
2. The Use and Abuse of Vegetational Concepts
May 30, 2011
What do 20th-century ecologists and the 21st-century engineers of the internet and social-media age have in common? Answer: a misunderstanding of how nature works. Adam Curtis posits how the idea of a stable, non-hierarchical ecosystem informed how computer systems and social-media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter were built... but failed to factor chaos and unpredictability into the equation.
Love and Power
1. Love and Power
May 22, 2011
This is the story of a dream. A dream of a perfect world where computers deliver economic and political stability. Of an internet that enables a new kind of democracy. No more boom or bust, no economic crashes; pure human connectivity with no hierarchy. In his captivating visual style, documentary-maker Adam Curtis explores the hope of a technological Utopia, and how it would never be our reality.
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Where to Watch All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace
All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace is available for streaming on the BBC Select website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace on demand at Apple TV Channels.
  • Premiere Date
    May 22, 2011
  • IMDB Rating
    8.3  (2,184)
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