Hive Mind (Collective Intelligence)


From Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons



Rick and Morty is the new science fiction phenomenon that combines the new worlds and creatures of Star Trek with the science of Back to the Future all being held by modern philosophy. Rick and Morty touch on a lot of issues but I think the episode “Auto Erotic Assimilation” shows the problems with hive minds and collective intelligence. In the episode, Rick finds his ex-girlfriend Unity who is a hive mind with his two grandkids. Unity then takes Rick and his grandkids down to the planet that she’s “assimilated” where Rick goes off to have sex with Unity and the grandkids explore what Unity has done for the planet. With the collective intelligence of the world Unity as said in the show has achieved world peace, made prostitutes scientists, made sex offenders not sex offenders, even achieve great feats like carving a mountain into the shapes of Morty and Summer, the grandkids. Though Summer objects to the way that Unity has achieved these goals saying that “they are being used, they are a planet of puppets.” This brings up an important part collective information, if everyone had the same information as everyone else who really is unique anymore, would we be puppets or better and more unified. Morty also brings this up saying that “Listen, Unity, I don't think my sister's trying to say that life would be perfect without you. I think she's just saying that life would be, you know, life.” Another issue which is brought up with the hive mind is that Unity has a strong message to become greater and stronger with her goal to take over the galactic federation and create a perfect society. Those are strong ideals and goals but when Rick enters the hive mind can be persuaded to let loose and relax a little. Rick’s ideals and personality overpowers the hive mind to do what Rick wants. This inevitably leads to the end of the episode where Unity leaves Rick. She says “Rick, forgive me for doing this in notes. I'm not strong enough to do it in persons. I realize now that I'm attracted to you for the same reason I can't be with you. You can't change. And I have no problem with that, but it clearly means I have a problem with myself. I'm sure there's no perfect version of me. I'm sure I'll just unify species after species and never really be complete. But I know how it goes with us. I lose who I am and become part of you. Because in a strange way, you're better at what I do without even trying. Yours, and nobody else's, Unity.” The big problem with a hive mind of collective intelligence is that it still comes with all the problems of being a living entity. The hive mind can never be perfect and based on the group that is assimilated is constrained to their flesh and mortality. The thing that can ruin collective intelligence and bring a hive mind to its knees are stronger ideals.

The whole Rick and Morty episode I was talking about: Link



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