Hollywood, nuclear war, and the art of saving the world
On November 20, 1983, more than 100 million Americans tuned in to watch The next day, A groundbreaking television event that will change the world. The film depicts the escalation and repercussions of the horrific exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union in a way that turned John W. Vesey Jr., then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to “stone.” President Reagan’s memoirs, American life, He revealed that the film changed his mind about nuclear policy, which in turn prompted him to sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which significantly reduced Cold War arsenals.
The same year saw the release of the blockbuster tech thriller War gamesStarring Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy. In the film, a high school student accidentally hacks into the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, supercomputer, activates a simulation, and nearly leads to nuclear war. After watching it, Reagan (who was a family friend War games’ (Writer Larry Lasker) Vesey asked if such an event could actually happen. “The problem is much worse than you think,” Vesey answered seriously. Eighteen months later, Reagan issued the first-ever presidential directive on computer security and ordered the defenses of such important systems to be strengthened. This has led to a significant reduction in vulnerability to cyber attacks, and the risks associated with nuclear escalation.
These events reveal how storytellers and artists can not only entertain, but change narratives and help change policies. Art plays an important role in society, as it can inform and raise awareness of societal issues and promote discourse within and outside of government. For example, Guernica, A painting completed by Pablo Picasso in 1937, depicting the horrific aftermath of bombings by Nazi Germany and Italy. A tapestry of the painting hangs outside the United Nations Security Council chamber and serves as a reminder of the tragedies of war. Therefore, the important role played by artists – whose creativity can help humans better understand their world and thus make it safer – must be recognized and rewarded.
To achieve its intended purpose, each piece of art uses unique means. This can be seen in the contrasting approach of the two films that influenced President Reagan. By focusing on the human stories of ordinary Americans, The next day It reveals the realities of life and death during a nuclear apocalypse in a heart-wrenching, almost unwatchable way. This feature focuses on people, not politicians, and therefore resonates and haunts audiences in a personal way. War games, Instead, it uses speed and tension to excite and engage, using humour, action, and romance to open audiences to the film’s more serious and cautionary lesson.
“War games “It began as a personal story about a precocious child’s journey to his mentor, a brilliant, self-exiled scholar in need of a successor,” writer Walter Parks explained in an interview for this article. “But it was our journey as writers that led us to the undeniable truth about the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons. We are humbled and grateful that the film’s core message—that for some games, ‘the only winning move is not playing’—continues to resonate.”
Both films reflect growing concern about escalating nuclear tensions and ongoing technological change. “Timing seems to be everything,” director Nicholas Meyer said in an email. “The next day It reached the intersection of culture, politics, politics, and technology, making it uniquely positioned to exert enormous influence, which in turn allowed it to focus the world’s attention for a moment on the single most pressing topic: the survival of the Earth. He added that such a meeting may not happen again.
On the contrary, War games It was also the first major motion picture about hacking, and thus was instrumental in framing emerging narratives around information technology. By tapping into widespread concerns and conveying them to leaders in emotional and compelling ways, the filmmakers successfully communicate the urgency needed to catalyze decisive action at the highest level.
Unfortunately, many of these catastrophic threats still exist today. Geopolitical tensions between the nuclear superpowers remain as high as ever Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists The Doomsday Clock is set for 90 seconds to midnight, the closest time to a global catastrophe since its creation in 1947. War games It also depicts the risk of integrating artificial intelligence into nuclear command and control systems, which would greatly increase the likelihood of accidental escalation that could lead to the end of the world (as depicted in the Future of Life Institute’s recent film). Artificial escalation). Moreover, with advances in the development and deployment of autonomous weapons systems, War games’ The underlying message of “don’t let people out of the loop” is more prescient than ever. However, these films should serve as a crucial reminder to storytellers that their ability to go beyond fictional narratives to make positive change in the world is well documented.
Their examples should inspire courage as well. Creative people The next day He deliberately left ambiguous as to which superpower launched first, thereby ensuring that the horrors of nuclear war remained the film’s primary antagonist, and resisting the temptation to capitalize on the anti-Soviet sentiment that was widespread at the time. This move was beneficial to the film’s success, but it came at the expense of its makers, who faced significant backlash. the New York Post, For example, he accused Mayer of “doing Yuri Andropov’s work for him.” To make a difference around such highly charged topics, artists must be willing to take risks.
The gift of filmmakers in this field comes with an enormous responsibility. Film and television are one of the primary mechanisms through which audiences internalize catastrophic risk areas such as artificial intelligence and nuclear war. Any conversation about artificial intelligence will likely mention James Cameron’s The situation or the end Sooner or later (most likely sooner). It is crucial that writers, directors, actors, producers and other artists appreciate the impact that their productions can have, and therefore treat their subjects with the seriousness they deserve. They must think not only about how to entertain, but also how to explore these global threats in realistic and nuanced ways that seek to advance discourse.
Final technical installation Atomic amnesia And video games Nuclear biscuits, For example, use virtual reality to engage the audience in nuclear war. Likewise, fiction has influenced policy by illustrating the threats and opportunities presented by emerging technologies. George Orwell 1984 He warned so strongly against the use of surveillance to enable tyranny that the term “Orwellianism” became commonly used to describe such invasive government practices, while Philip K. rooster Minority report It is often cited in academic and policy discussions as a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of over-reliance on technology in law enforcement. Conversely, storytelling can also be used to imagine and realize more positive visions of our technological future, starting with the technological utopia depicted in the television series. Star Trek To the World Wide Web and geostationary communications satellites envisioned by Arthur C. Clarke.
These influences must be understood and publicly acknowledged, in order to inspire the next generation of artists. War games Writers Walter F. Parks, Lawrence Lasker, and Brandon Stoddard are the visionaries behind them The next day, Along with writer Edward Hume and director Nicholas Meyer – all recipients of the 2023 Future of Life Prize – they received insufficient recognition at the time of their achievements. But their work and its tangible impact demonstrate how storytellers and artists can shape collective consciousness and provide useful examples of mitigating intractable global threats.
