What is it about?
This paper analyses the android M3GAN in the 2022 film of the same name, problematising recent framings that celebrate M3GAN as a gay icon, a feminist figure, or understand her as embodying our collective fear of artificial intelligence. Instead, I place M3GAN in a long line of narratives that mediate on the role of women in society, following the loosening of possibilities for woman brought about in the Enlightenment. I go on to suggest ways in which contemporary neoliberal values are forcefully communicated in popular culture and how in turn, the subject reacts and internalises ideology.
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Photo by Jahanzeb Ahsan on Unsplash
Why is it important?
By challenging the celebratory readings of M3GAN as a gay icon, feminist figure, or embodiment of AI fears, the paper provides a deeper, more critical lens on the film, encouraging audiences and scholars to reflect on the underlying cultural and ideological currents shaping such interpretations. The work situates M3GAN within a historical trajectory of narratives addressing women's roles in society, drawing attention to how past frameworks influence contemporary depictions. This historical grounding adds depth to discussions about the film and highlights the persistence of certain cultural anxieties about gender. The analysis sheds light on how popular culture communicates and reinforces neoliberal values, contributing to the understanding of how individuals internalize and react to pervasive ideologies. This has broader implications for media studies and critiques of capitalism. The research bridges popular culture, social history, and ideology, offering valuable insights for discussions about how entertainment media reflects and shapes societal norms and expectations. By engaging with contemporary issues like feminism, representation, and AI, the research resonates with ongoing societal conversations, making it timely and pertinent for audiences beyond academia.
Perspectives
M3GAN struck me as a highly effective celebration of neoliberal values, framed and largely received as a feminist and queer representation with an ostensibly progressive message. While I enjoyed the film, I found this framing problematic and wanted to explore what I perceived as the sado-masochistic dynamic between M3GAN and the young girl, Cady. This dynamic, I argue, reflects the ideological pressures placed on contemporary women to embody the 'girl boss' archetype, along with the fraught moral and political implications that come with it.
Dr Michael Eden
University of the Arts London
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Sentimental Android? M3GAN (2022) and Monstrous Doubling as a Negotiation of the Gendered Neo-Liberal Self, CINEJ Cinema Journal, September 2024, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh,
DOI: 10.5195/cinej.2024.633.
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