In this blog post, we will examine the freedom that information and communication technology has brought to humanity—and the new constraints that lie beneath it—through the lens of the movie “Die Hard 4.0.”
Networks and ubiquitous technology are groundbreaking inventions that have allowed us to transcend the constraints of time and space. It is no exaggeration to say that humanity’s way of life has been greatly influenced by advances in science and technology. Today, the remarkable progress in electronic communications technology has contributed to the formation of a society unlike any in the past, and as it continues to evolve at a rapid pace, it is influencing all aspects of human life, including society and culture. The emergence of the Internet and ubiquitous technology based on networks, along with the development of digital mobile communication technologies—including smartphones—are representative achievements of science, technology, and information technology (IT), and have now become indispensable elements of everyday human life.
Just as previous scientific and technological advancements have provided convenience and improved the quality of life for humanity, the development of information and communication technology has also brought many benefits to people. Advances in communication technology have dramatically reduced the time required to transmit information, thereby overcoming temporal limitations, and have significantly alleviated spatial limitations by enabling the free sharing of information even between distant regions. The term “global village” aptly illustrates this reality of being freed from such constraints of time and space. Through this, humanity has become a being that is even more free from the constraints of time and space.
However, can we truly say that humanity has gained “true freedom” through the development of information and communication technology? Without also considering the various impacts that ICT has had on human life—beyond the aspects of time and space—can we definitively conclude that the Information Age is a freer era than before? These questions naturally came to mind after I happened to watch the movie ‘Die Hard 4.0’.
The “Die Hard” series has long been beloved by audiences for its spectacular and thrilling action sequences. I, too, was drawn to the film by Bruce Willis’s acting, which remains as compelling as ever despite the passage of time; however, as I engaged with the film’s setting and plot, it provided me with an opportunity to once again seriously reflect on the relationship between information and communication technology and the freedom humanity has gained.
The central plot of the film unfolds as New York Police Officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) thwarts a criminal organization’s plans and eliminates its members. While the film is packed with suspenseful action, what sets it apart from typical action movies is that the villains hack into national critical infrastructure and systems, paralyzing the city’s infrastructure. In other words, it distinguishes itself from conventional action films in that facilities and systems operated on the basis of information and communications technology (ICT) become the targets of attack.
The film devotes as much attention to depicting the criminal organization’s attack process and the resulting damage as it does to the action scenes. Starting by disrupting the transportation network and throwing the city’s traffic system into chaos, they go on to collapse the information-network-based financial system, dealing a massive blow to the entire financial sector. Their ultimate goal is “Fire Sale,” a systematic three-stage attack designed to paralyze the entire nation. This plan proceeds as follows: Phase 1 involves the collapse of transportation infrastructure; Phase 2, the paralysis of the financial and communications sectors; and finally, Phase 3, the complete shutdown of public services.
The film realistically depicts how facilities and systems built through scientific and technological advancements are rendered inoperable by hacking and cyberattacks—which rely on the very same technology—and the various problems that arise in the process. Scenes of traffic accidents occurring everywhere and vehicles coming to a standstill on the roads as the transportation system grinds to a halt, citizens experiencing extreme chaos as the financial system collapses, and widespread power outages vividly illustrate damage on a scale rivaling a major disaster.
Amid these circumstances, people endure extreme inconvenience and chaos, yet appear utterly powerless to resolve the issues. Through the scenes in the film, we are once again reminded of just how crucial ICT-based systems and infrastructure are to modern society. It also leads us to realize that even without external attacks, if the functions and systems of a city operated on information technology were to grind to a halt, the resulting damage would be unimaginable.
When we consider the scenes in the movie alongside information and communication technology and human life, one thought comes to mind. People who pursue convenience and a better life live within the benefits provided by information and communication technology. And within that context, even without being forced to do so, people are adapting to and living in a society where information and communication technology is deeply embedded.
However, if ICT were to disappear from this way of life, people would undoubtedly experience inconvenience, constraints, and limitations. In other words, an environment without ICT would be a major inconvenience for those accustomed to technology. This also means that technological advancement has created new constraints that did not exist before.
Reflecting on my own experience, I was able to confirm this idea. There was a time when I rushed out of the house and arrived at school without my smartphone. That day, all forms of communication—which had previously been possible regardless of time or place—were cut off; I couldn’t search the internet, and I was unable to handle various academic tasks. Ultimately, I experienced various inconveniences and constraints, and the situation at that time did not feel free at all.
In this way, new constraints that did not exist in the past have emerged alongside the advancement of information and communications technology. A life detached from the benefits of information and communication technology has come to impose constraints on people rather than grant them freedom. This problem is not limited to individuals. A society based on information and communication technology also functions smoothly only within the framework of modern science and technology; the moment that foundation is shaken, various problems arise. Ultimately, these constraints have naturally drawn human life ever deeper into the realm of information and communication technology.
In other words, inconveniences that were completely unrecognized before the advent of ICT have emerged as technology has advanced. While science and technology provide convenience to humans, they have simultaneously created new forms of constraints that did not exist before. In this regard, modern society presents a paradoxical picture where convenience and constraints coexist.
Although the various constraints mentioned earlier exist due to ICT, it is difficult to view them as having an effect as direct as the liberation of humans from the constraints of time and space. This is because the inconveniences people feel outside the realm of technology stem not only from material issues but also from significant psychological factors. Therefore, it is not easy to simply compare freedom from time and space with the new constraints created by information and communication technology, and it is difficult to conclusively determine whether ICT has granted humans true freedom based on these two factors alone.
Nevertheless, by reflecting on both the film’s content and one’s own life within the context of information and communication technology, one can discover an important message. That message is that we must be wary of indiscriminate dependence on ICT. The convenience and improved quality of life that ICT brings are undeniable values, and it is not advisable to deliberately turn a blind eye to these benefits. However, blind dependence on technology can by no means be considered a desirable attitude.
If we rely too heavily on technology, our individual perceptions, thinking, and even our lives themselves may become confined solely within the realm of technology. If that happens, even daily life will feel difficult without technology, and creative thinking and activities carried out without technological assistance may gradually become more challenging. As illustrated by the smartphone example mentioned earlier, smartphones and the internet play a very significant role in the lives of many people today. Therefore, if these technologies were to suddenly disappear, users would experience significant psychological discomfort and a sense of helplessness. Furthermore, situations may arise where people struggle to handle even tasks that could easily be resolved through other means without technology. This resembles the scene in the movie where people fell into extreme chaos after the social systems—which operated on the basis of information and communication technology—came to a standstill.
The saying, “Everything is best in moderation,” comes to mind. Our lives today are very closely intertwined with information and communication technology. If new constraints arise as a result of over-reliance on information and communication technology, might we not be able to overcome them by adopting a more flexible and balanced attitude?
Let’s recall daily life before the dazzling advancements in information and communication technology we see today. And let’s reflect on how we lived back then. Many tasks that now feel inconvenient without technology likely weren’t considered particularly troublesome at the time. So, based on those experiences and memories, why not pause to consider whether there might be an alternative before reaching for information and communication technology? If a task can be solved without using information and communication technology, trying to do it yourself can be a meaningful experience.
Such practices—which may seem trivial or even somewhat outdated—can create a new kind of freedom that allows us to remain steadfast and cope effectively even in unexpected situations where technology is unavailable. Therefore, while we should fully enjoy the freedom and convenience that information and communication technology provides, we need to maintain an appropriate distance rather than relying on it indiscriminately. Furthermore, I believe that if we make a concerted effort to think and act independently even outside the realm of technology, we will be able to overcome the “new constraints created by technology” discussed in this article more wisely.
