Topic > A Warning for the Future in The Truman Show

Peter Weir's The Truman Show is a film of great satirical intellect and intensity. However, beneath the facade, this “comedy” conveys important social messages that issue a warning for the future. It mocks humans' automatic acceptance of what is presented to them and shows how manipulative and addictive the media can be. On a deeper level, the film also warns against the acceptance of absolute authority, the endless pursuit of utopia, and the evils inspired by the desire for wealth. Whether The Truman Show is a satire, a comedy, a documentary, a fairy tale or even a hoax is debatable, but what is impossible to question is the need to consider its themes and digest its main lessons. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay International populations are influenced, manipulated, and shaped by the world they live in and the media they are exposed to. Truman Burbank, the main character of The Truman Show, provides a perfect representation of the modern man, because he accepts the facade created by the society he lives in for much of his television life. Cast from the moment of his birth as the unwitting protagonist of a popular television soap opera, he is unsuspectingly shaped by his society (the people, social standards and media with which he interacts), all meticulously controlled and directed by the show's creator, Christof. Tolerating the absurdities that often occur in his life and not asking why they happen, Truman allows himself to be dominated by invisible sources that force him to serve as a profitable breeder for the creators, a source of entertainment for the spectators and a way of life for the actors professionals and technicians involved. Truman's naivety, as Christof explains, is possible because, as human beings, they "accept the reality that is presented to us." It is not human nature to question the “truth”. Very few question the information they receive from self-proclaimed "reliable sources." Societal pressures and the desire to conform easily drive even the most discerning participants. However, as Truman and the fictional viewers of The Truman Show demonstrate, the consequence of allowing opinionated representations to infiltrate a person's life is a subconscious self-slavery that ultimately leads to exploitation. In modern times, the media is powerful and exploitative, but it remains seductive to its audience because it is programmed according to their needs. For the sake of selfish entertainment, the fictional viewers of The Truman Show accept the heavy expense that Truman unwittingly pays. They are mentally corrupted by the show's appeal not to object to the invasion of privacy and other ethical questions that inevitably get raised. Truman's vulnerability and defensiveness (as reflected in the numerous overhead shots of him) are ignored. Viewers are oblivious to the irony of a man "jealously guarding his own privacy" by initiating an unrestricted agenda for that of another. While many will doubt the likelihood of The Truman Show becoming a reality, the fact is that such an abandonment of ethics in satisfying needs, desires and fantasies already occurs, whether the public is aware of it or not. When savvy viewers watch TV shows or movies, they appreciate the image the creators are portraying. However, inadvertently, as they become familiar with that image, they embrace the opinions and popular culture displayed in the dominant reading. As the celluloid audience of The Truman Show sees raw footage of a life instead of a filmartificial, real viewers are in a morally advantageous position, and it is therefore unfair to compare reactions. But when the public indulges in exposed celebrity secrets or watches Princess Diana's private recordings, they are actually committing the same crime as viewers of The Truman Show. The film correctly exposes the artificial nature of viewers, who in the process of seeking entertainment, become hypnotized and suspend their best moral judgment to satisfy their needs. The millions of fictional viewers who log on to intrude on Truman's "privacy" in his circular matte are fascinated by the perfection of his world and the dramatic events of his life. However, their obsession leads them to abandon their moral responsibilities to the victims when they tune in, thus supporting the activities of The Truman Show. The line between fantasy and reality blurs as the public's dependence on the spectacle continues. Daily obligations are ignored and the schedule becomes the epicenter of their life. This is best demonstrated by the viewers who tune in 24 hours a day, the young couple who ignore their child to focus on Tru Talk, and the customers who buy snippets of Truman's engineered reality. Instead of striving for a more satisfying life of their own, the audience literally lives through Truman. People innocently believe in the integrity of the media because it's so delicious. However, the inability to turn away from a particular media such as The Truman Show is no different than being addicted to gambling, drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. In The Truman Show, Christof is associated with God and his unscrupulous actions are designed to warn viewers when they follow the commands of an omnipotent being. The cast and crew almost blindly obey his instructions, except in the scene where he resorts to violent weather conditions to intimidate Truman into returning to Seahaven. They succumb to his whims, dishonesty and sadism and ignore their best values ​​and beliefs. They are obedient and true devotees of one faith. Director Weir questions this absoluteness. Should God be perfect and limited by right and wrong? Could it be immoral? Should people permanently accept his teachings or exercise judgment? Is rebellion immoral? In short, is it better to have free choice but also experience dilemmas or is it better to accept the control imposed by a supreme being endowed with superior wisdom? For much of his life Truman lives in his constructed utopia without freedom and without dilemmas. Yet, despite being gifted with an environment bound to perfection, Truman is not happy because he is trapped in a city where he cannot achieve his dreams. Weir consistently uses cinematic techniques to create menacing moods, for example the low angle shot of Truman framed by Meryl and his mother, suggesting that he is overwhelmed by the dominant figures in his life and trapped. In his only real choice, Truman decides to abandon The Truman Show, informed that he will ruin investments, destroy the careers of people with sincere affection towards him, and erase the pleasure he brings to millions. However, viewers were heartened by Truman's escape, and Weir expresses Christof's similar admiration with the low-angle shot of Truman silhouetted against the sky: confident, heroic, and in total control. Truman's ability to digest the shocking news he received, his maintenance of humor in crises, and his courage to enter the uncertainty of the "real world" where he knows there is disease, violence, depression, deception, and poverty captivates him.