Our Lady of Fatima University – Senior High School Department

“Black Mirror: Nosedive”

A Reaction Paper on one of the episodes of Black Mirror by Charlie Brooker

Submitted by:

Bautista, Maria Corrine F.

Submitted to:

Mr. James Euric A. Llamado

September 2020
 “And until I get there, I have to play the numbers game. We all do. That’s what we’re in.
That’s how the [obscenity] world works.” –Lacie Pound

Who has never ever experienced being judged based on their appearance, or even just by
seeing a social media post? Who has never ever had their grades dictate what opportunities they
could get such as scholarships and school fee discounts? Who has never ever been rejected for
being low-profile when the reason for trying to inquire is to help themselves upscale their life
from poverty? No one has never experienced at least one of these. That shows how the rating
system impacts most lives. Some of these impacts are reflected in an episode from a 2011 series,
the Black Mirror.

Black Mirror is a British science fiction anthology series that explores the modern
society, especially the abrupt possible consequences of the technology nowadays. The title refers
to the screens of the devices many are being too attached to, as well as the reflection of the
darkest sides of the society not everyone was early made aware of. This dark and satirical series
was created by Charlie Brooker, an English television presenter, producer, author, screenwriter,
and social critic. Together with his co-producer, Annabel Jones, Brooker has set every episode to
be a standalone, in which Nosedive was one.

Nosedive, the first episode of Black Mirror’s third season, discerns various social and
socioeconomic identities. This episode follows the journey of Lacie Pound, the protagonist, to
her idea of success. This was set in a world where people’s social ratings depict what kind of job
opportunities, house, facilities, and even friends, would only be available for them. In every
encounter with an individual, they would exchange rates or scores for each other. Those scores
would either boost their social ratings –causing them to afford an upscale life –or the other way
around that could possibly result into social ostracism. This kind of living, where what the
society dictates is what a person’s life would be, is a perturbing matter that if the world would
look closely at, is where it seems to be nearing in this present time.

In just a glance, people’s social identity profile can already be viewed. Their profile
shows their social rankings, where for an instance, 3.7 for Jack –the café crew. Lacie started the
episode with a rank of 4.2. For their apartment was already at lease, and her brother has already a
place to move in, she also began looking for her own place. That is when she found out about the
Pelican Cove, a neighborhood that seems to be a fantasy. She knew she could not afford to live
there but she was given an option by the realtor. A 20% discount could be availed but a rank of
4.5 or up shall be attained. So despite her brother pertaining to the Pelican Cove as a “fake smile
jails”, she still strived to immediately have her rank up. She became so obsessed with it that it
made her anxious about everything she does, particularly in front of other people.

She continued posting pictures, aiming for more stars from people, and one of them was
her old friend, Naomi, who became a social media star. But what bothered her was that Naomi
only gave her post 4 stars out of 5. So, to catch her attention more, she posted Mr. Rags, their old
toy. Lacie did not fail and got a 5-star from Naomi, as well as a phone call and an invitation to be
the maid of honor for her upcoming wedding located at a private island.

The thought of being around hundreds of high-profile persons made her eager for it
would be the quickest way to reach 4.5 and live at Pelican Cove. But on her way to the private
island, lots of circumstances came along, giving rise to her downfall. The pressure and the
anxiety of impressing people for a life-boost had driven her into the opposite of what she
expected. Her frustrations lead her down to a rank of 2.1, which when Naomi saw, cut her out of
the wedding program and told her to just go home for she cannot have a 2-pointer around her.
With that, aggravation has driven Lacie. She still insisted to attend the wedding and deliver her
speech, leading her to making a scandalous arrival that later puts her into jail.

The story ended with Lacie shouting and exchanging insults with a stranger on the other
cell, casting out all the shackles of civility. The scene might seem antagonistic and rude, but if
put simply, it shows how she finally felt her freedom. It was ironic that they have are in jail, but
there is where they had the freedom of expressing what they truly are or what they really want to
blurt out. In jail is where they were supposed to be condemned but it was actually where they
realized that the real feeling of imprisonment is in the world outside –the society and its number
games or rating system.

Nosedive has been a rollercoaster. It is a mirror of how a person’s life could be greatly
affected by the technology and the corresponding social standards the society has set. One’s
satisfaction and genuine happiness cannot be attained from any of those around us –it is inside
oneself. Therefore, people must not let their selves drown in the idea of satisfying others for it
only distracts them from the real thing. Instead, look past the distractions and seek for what truly
paints genuine smiles on their faces.