Imagine Gugu Lourie, the South African columnist known for dissecting business, tech, and policy, suddenly thrust into a Black Mirror episode, where his very existence depends on a monthly subscription.
It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds.
The dystopian anthology Black Mirror, created by Charlie Brooker, has long been a chilling reflection of our tech-obsessed society. In its seventh season, the show takes aim at subscription-based living, a reality already creeping into our daily lives.
For someone like Gugu, who analyses the intersections of commerce and digital life, this premise hits close to home.
The Subscription Trap: A Frightening New Normal
From streaming services to AI-powered apps, subscriptions have become the backbone of modern capitalism.
But what happens when survival itself is paywalled?
Netflix’s Black Mirror’s latest episode, “Common People,” explores this horror through Amanda, a woman whose consciousness is preserved by a medtech company – for a price.
As her subscription costs skyrocket, she and her husband spiral into desperation, exposing the dehumanising side of the “everything-as-a-service” model.
Could Gugu, a commentator on Africa’s tech boom, find himself in a similar dystopia?
Imagine his premium insights locked behind escalating paywalls, his autonomy eroded by corporate algorithms.
It’s a terrifying thought – but one that Black Mirror forces us to confront.
A Warning for South Africa’s Digital Future
South Africa, with its growing fintech and subscription economy, isn’t immune.
As companies push rental models over ownership, from cars to cloud storage, the risk of exploitation grows.
Gugu’s writing often highlights the unequal power dynamics in tech, what if the next step is literal human commodification?
Black Mirror’s latest season on Netflix may not break new ground, but its message is urgent: we must resist letting convenience strip away our freedom.
One thing’s certain: in a world where even life is subscription-based, we’re all one missed payment away from disaster.
In Black Mirror‘s “Common People” (Season 7), Rivermind turns Amanda into a human advertising billboard as part of its escalating subscription model.
Here’s how it works:
Rivermind’s Dark Monetisation of Amanda
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Initial Promise – Rivermind preserves Amanda’s consciousness digitally, allowing her to “live” despite her terminal illness.
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Subscription Pressure – As costs rise, Amanda’s service tier drops, forcing her to involuntarily spout ads for random products mid-conversation.
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Dehumanising Complicity – Her husband, Mike, must perform humiliating acts on a livestream platform (DumDummies) to earn “Lux” passes – temporary ad-free moments for Amanda.
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Final Horror – The ads become so intrusive that Amanda begs for euthanasia, highlighting how corporations monetize human suffering.
Black Mirror exaggerates, but the core fear – tech turning people into profit streams – is already here (e.g., data mining, microtransactions).
Rivermind is just the logical extreme.
Watch Black Mirror Trailer below
