Technology and its impact on the sociality of

publics in LA: A critical commentary of Her (Spike

Jonze, 2014)
Introduction
Cinema is increasingly being recognised as an influential device for
exploring urban geography (Jacobs 2013). Recognising the power of
visual methodologies (Rose 2001) as an expression of the social
now, cinema and cities are inextricably linked; offering geographers
an insight into the social texts of cities (Sigler & Albandoz 2014). In
this essay, Her, directed by Spike Jonze, shall be utilised as a
springboard for exploring the supposed decline of public space
(Habermas 1989, Sorkin 1992, Sennet 1977 & 2000, Tonkiss 2006,
Amin 2008), a debate that represents one of the central
battlegrounds of contemporary urban geography (Latham et al,
2009: 1). It is widely upheld by urban theorists that there is a strong
relationship between public spheres and urban citizenry (Amin 2008,
Sennet 2000) and that public spaces are an indication of the
success of a city (Amin 2008). Set in Los Angeles in 2025, Her
offers an insight into the relationship between technology and the
sociality of publics and furthermore, how Spike Jonze imagines this
will develop in the near future.
Whereas some affirm that
technology is bringing publics together in new ways (Gandy 2005,
Latham et al 2009), many uphold that the sociality of publics is, in
fact, declining and that technology is the key player in driving us
apart.

The Los Angeles of today and of 2025: A city of

automobility?
Spike Jonzes imagined Los Angeles of 2025, as portrayed in Her, is
a realistic portrayal of what the future could resemble. Subtly
blurring LAs geography of today and tomorrow, the characters talk
of climbing Runyon Canyon whilst strolling amongst futuristic high
rises. A lot of these scenes were filmed in Shanghai, whose
ultramodern infrastructure of the Pudong District offered
embellishment to the Los Angeles cityscapes (fig 1).
It is
unsurprising that Jonze chose to set Her in LA, a city with deeprooted connotations to technological advancement and innovation
and the home of the Silicone Valley, Hollywood and Apple (Soja et al
1983). LA is also widely associated as a quintessentially automobile
city and a place in which the car holds an important role (Sheller
and Urry 2000). Mobility is a key pillar of the American Dream and
North American society, representing a hallmark of advanced
capitalism (Cresswell 1993: p259).
However, extensive
automobility is also characterised by social fragmentation and

isolation; qualities that literally drive public spheres to reduce in

sociality and thus success (Amin 2008). Described as electronic
cottages (Sheller & Urry 2000: p752), cars embody private
bubbles navigating the wider public sphere of LAs highways and
freeways (Katz 1999).
Cars inevitably bear great importance to Angelinos, who, like many,
love their vehicles; often giving them personalities that reflect the
identities of their drivers (Katz 1999).
However, due to the
combined forces of environmental pressures and the growth of
computer industry, Sheller and Urry predict that future urban
planning will be influenced by urban sustainability and thus be lessfocussed around the car (2000).
Jonze reflects this in the
infrastructure of the publics portrayed through the cinematography
of Her in which vast pedestrianised walkways dominate (fig 2) and
a car is a rare sighting. This could be Jonze reflecting a hope for a
greater Angelino environmental conscience in 2025, or, the way in
which people are falling out of love with cars and into love with their
computers. Either way, the LA that Spike Jonze depicts in Her is a
city
noticeably
less
dominated
by
automobility.

Figure 1: Futuristic high rises of LA in 2025 (Her, Jonze, 2014)

Figure 2: Public space dominated by vast pedestrianised walkways (Her, Jonze,

2014)

The Advancement of Technology: How an it becomes a

Her
In a time where life is increasingly dominated by digital connections
and the influence of technology is omnipresent, the advancement of
computerisation is undeniable. Technology has come so far that
urban theorists recognise the need to expand the definition of what
constitutes public culture to include non-human subjects, most
notably; technology (Amin 2008, Graham 2005). Human interaction
with technology is, however, not a new development- as mentioned
earlier; human-attachment to cars is just one example of technohuman relations. An indication of a shift away from transportation
and toward communications technology (i.e. away from cars and
toward computers) represents what Virillo calls the critical third
wave of urban modernity (1997 in Gandy 2005: p32). Computer
technology is advancing so rapidly that it is believed that generating
computers that wield human intelligence is a tangible possibility for
the near future (Michio Kaku in Gandy 2005 and Dr. Marvin Minsky in
Koene 2014).
The proximity of this potential technological
advancement is reflected through the way in which Spike Jonze only
set Her, a film that revolves around a computer with a human
personality, in 2025- a mere 11 years from now. This computer is
Operating System 1 (OS1), likened to a technologically advanced
version of Apples Siri (Corliss 2014), it is advertised as:

An intuitive entity that listens to you, understands you and

knows you... Its not just an operating system; its a
consciousness.
(Her, Jonze 2014)
Belonging to love-letter-writer and fundamentally lonely Theodore
Twombley, his OS1 (it) quickly develops a personality- Samantha
(her), with whom he falls in love. Samantha quickly blurs the
boundaries between the organic and inorganic (Vidler 1990 in
Gandy 2005, Villani 1995 in Gandy 2005), conversing, laughing and
flirting with Theodore who says: you feel real to me Samantha
you seem like a real person (Her, Jonze 2014).
Samantha is
programmed to respond in the way in which Theodore wants her to;
enabling him to escape the messiness of real relationships to the
simplicity of one with technology (Turkle, 2011). The way in which
non-human objects can develop the capacity for love is, however,
not a new cinematic concept- it can be dated back to classic movie
characters such as King Kong and E.T.. The more urgent threat of
the superiority of robots to humans is a further theme that is echoed
through the expansion of the cyborg (a hybrid of machine and
organism (Gandy 2005: p27)) in films such as 2001: A Space
Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968) and Blade Runner. (Ridley Scott,
1982). In Her, befriending and dating an OS is quickly accepted
as standard practice, thus reflecting the speed at which people
could rapidly begin recognising their computerised its as hers.
The predicted development that technology will supersede the
human subject is both real and frightening to many academics
(Gandy 2005, Turkle 2011) and one that is expected to reduce the
sociality of publics.

Technology: Driving us Apart or Bringing us Together?

The decay of the public sphere has been long argued by key urban
theorists (Habermas 1989, Sennett 1977, 2000, Sorkin 1992, Tonkiss
2006). Driven by the corrosive powers of mass consumerism and
hyper-mediatisation of society (Latham et al 2009: p3), technology,
and hand-held devices in particular, are said to be reducing the
sociality of the public sphere (Turkle 2011). Angelinos are thus
withdrawing further from the public sphere as LA changes from
being a city of automobility, in which individuals navigate the public
within the private sphere of their cars to an even smaller private
sphere enclosing just the individual and their hand-held device.
Technologys advancements play on our vulnerabilities; making us
less apt socially, as the public increasingly choose to connect
socially through technology rather than in reality (Turkle 2011). In
this way, intense connectivity is leading to increased isolation and
teaching us new ways of being alone together in public space
(Turkle 2011). The public spheres depicted in Her are conveyed as

intensely unsociable, exemplifying Turkles concept of being alone

together and the way in which the public is increasingly expecting
more from technology and less from each other (2011: p1). In the
scenes that take place in the public spaces in Her, Spike Jonze
depicts individuals talking to their phones/computers (which sit as
an earpiece in their ear and respond to the voice commands of the
user) rather than interacting with those around them (fig 3). One
only has to look around whilst on the public transport in London to
witness similar patterns of social isolation and dependence on
technology. In this way, technology is alienating and degrading the
public realm of urban environments (Williams 1988: p386), changing
it from a place in which multiplicity and plurality thrive to that of
collective privatism (Amin 2008: p23).
This is a dangerous
development, for the multiplicity and conviviality of cities is argued
as greatly important for the overall sense of urban citizenry and
thus success of a city (Sennett 2000, Amin 2008). Her therefore
echoes the concept that technology is driving the publics of cities
apart.

Figure 3: Isolation on the subway (Her, Jonze, 2014)

This increased dependence and co-evolution of society and

technology in urban publics (Gandy 2005: p37), however, is not
necessarily a negative development. It is important to acknowledge
the value of technology and the new urban space that it has created
(Gandy 2005).
Technology has intensified global connections,
eradicating borders and thus radically improving the exchange of
information, a key dynamic of urban space and an important part of
modern urban life (Gandy 2005).
These new software-sorted
geographies (Graham 2005: p1) thus have the ability to bring urban
publics together in new ways (Latham et al 2009). One such way is

the manner in which the rising social networks of Facebook and

Twitter have the power to unite, motivate and connect publics in
new and unprecedented ways (Mitchell 2003 in Gandy 2005).
Through these social networks, made possible through technology,
distant individuals connect and unite in public space that thus
becomes the site for all sorts of collective activity; from protests to
flash mobs (Amin 2008, Latham et al 2009). In this way, public
space remains a site of collective expression (Sigler and Albandoz
2014) and rather than driving the end of public life (Sorkin 1992:
p1), technology is simply reimagining it (Latham et al 2009).
Despite Her taking place in the extremely hi-tech city of Los Angles
in 2025, Spike Jonze shows that there remains a hint of sociality
within the public sphere. Urban theorists argue that the sociality of
the public sphere is greatly important, for they identify a strong link
between urban public space and urban citizenship and virtue
(Sennett 2000, Gandy 2005, Amin 2008).
Urban citizenry
encourages communal activity, a sense of conviviality and stranger
solidarity; traits that together contribute to a healthy public sphere
(Amin 2008). Despite the extensive social isolation within the public
spheres depicted in Her, there are still examples of social
connection within publics that can be drawn upon. For example,
when Theodore trips and tumbles, his glasses skidding across the
floor, the nearby members of the public rush to his aid (fig 4). This
demonstrates the maintained sense of solidarity and empathy for
the stranger, traits that emerge through successful conviviality of
the shared public realm of the LA in 2025 that Jonze depicts (Amin
2008). The public spheres depicted in Her therefore, to a certain
extent, conserve their sense of thrown togetherness (Massey 2005
in Amin 2008) and they remain the ground for the spectacle and
play (Harvey 1987 in Latham et al 2009: p4) of the urban flneur
(Dennis 2008: WWW).
Throughout Her there are further examples of social connection in
public space, however, these tend to be pre-arranged (for example,
at a fun fair, Jonze shows families and couples sharing a meal/bench
chatting and laughing together). This echoes the concept that the
technology-induced increased rapidity of the modern urban lifestyle
has reduced the spontaneity of social interaction in public spheres;
insinuating that mingling in public tends to be meetings that have
been prearranged (Amin 2008).
Demos (2001), furthers this,
arguing that cities are being engineered to be cruel, where
lingering and spontaneous social interaction is discouraged.
The sociality of public spaces is the defining feature of a city (Amin
2008) and the LA of 2025 that Jonze imagines is one that affirms the
fears articulated by urban theorists (Habermas 1989, Sennett 1977,
2000, Sorkin 1992, Tonkiss 2006):

6
Figure 4: Bystanders rush to help Theodore following his fall (Her, Jonze, 2014)

the traditional public spaces that animate the public life of our
cities are in danger .
(Latham et al 2009: p3)
Although the degree to which collective public life may not be as
dramatic as Habermas (1989), Sennett (1977, 2000), Sorkin (1992)
and Tonkiss (2006) describe, the urban publics that Spike Jonze
depicts in Her are dominated by isolation rather than social
connection. Technologys role in this sense of increased alienation
of the public sphere of Los Angeles is paramount (Gandy 2005,
Graham 2005, Turkle 2011).

Conclusion
The influence of technology on modern urban life is undeniable. Los
Angeles has traditionally been a city influenced by technology, and
it seems to be undergoing a transformation from being a city of
automobility to one of computerisation. This is a shift that greatly
impacts the sociality of its public spheres as Angelinos recluse from
the private sphere of their car to one comprising just themselves
and their hand-held device. Despite there being examples of ways
in which technology is connecting strangers in new ways (Amin
2008, Latham et al 2009), Her sends out a warning that echoes
the notion of the supposed erosion of the public sphere (Habermas
in Latham et al 2009: p2) that is happening in conjunction with the
rapid technological advancement of an age that is often defined as
the computer era. This technological advancement is so great that

the possibility of creating a Samantha, an artificially intelligent

cyborg (Gandy 2005: p1) that substitutes and supersedes human
companionship, is an imminent reality (Koene 2014). In order to
avoid LA becoming a city characterised by the unsociable and
isolated publics that Spike Jonze depicts in Her, we must be aware
of the world taking shape before our eyes (Turkle 2012, WWW). In
doing so, technology should be harnessed and utilised in a way that
would encourage sociality (Turkle 2011); for publics are
fundamentally places for human interaction and remain a projection
of social togetherness (Amin 2008: p16). In Her, the importance
of real relationships and human dynamics is conveyed throughout.
This is message is most strongly portrayed in the final scene, where
following Samanthas permanent departure into cyberspace,
Theodore, realising the importance of human companionship, turns
to his friend and high-school sweetheart, Amy, who he leans on,
whilst looking out at the futuristic landscape of high rises of LA in
2025 (fig 5). The way in which he leans on Amy emphasises the
fundamental importance of human companionship against the
backdrop of a city characterised by rapidly advancing technology.
This echoes the message voiced by urban theorists and moviemakers alike- that human sociality in the public sphere is and shall
always be a necessary and vital part of the modern city (Latham and
McCormack 2008 in Latham et al 2009).

Figure 5: Theodore and friend Amy seek comfort and companionship in one
another as they mourn the loss of their respective OSes, looking out at the
futuristic high rises of LA (Her, Jonze, 2014)

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