Violence, resurrection, and forgiveness: overthinking the second season of Westworld

PLUS: The politicization of the science's reproducibility crisis, the death of the selfie, and the WIRED guide to internet addiction. [View this email in your browser]( [logo]( [[WIRED Magazine]4.22.18]( You guys, it's here—the second season of Westworld premieres tonight. And WIRED staffers have assembled to discuss what they hope to see from HBO’s brainy drama about a robot-staffed Wild West theme park. As you might expect of chat about the gunslinging West, there was plenty of crossfire. One of the most important themes the show will have to address is how sexually violent the first season was, particularly in light of #MeToo. "The point of Westworld is for people to channel their bad behavior," says [editorial research fellow]( Ahalya Srikant "But it almost seemed like the first season condoned rape, or at least accepted it as an unavoidable reality, which I would be sad to accept without any sort of addressing of the issue." Then there's the pesky issue of what it even means to be human. [Deputy editor]( Adam Rogers doesn't think much of the notion that androids need to endure something terrible to become more human. "Westworld tried to tell me that the only way to make robot Pinocchios into Real Boys and Girls was to make them suffer—that rape, abuse, and murder make someone more human,” Rogers writes. “And that lesson can take a flying leap." But Wired.com [editor]( Andra Valdez is willing to play devil's advocate: "Isn't suffering an integral part of the human experience? And don't some espouse that pain provides the catalyst to achieve some form of higher meaning? And if we apply that to Westworld's hosts, a group that experiences constant resurrection, could that mean they eventually grow to forgive those who have sinned against them? The capacity for forgiveness, after all, is a hallmark of humanity." Are we overthinking the show? Probably! So what. As [senior associate editor]( Angela Watercutter notes, "that’s the purpose of thought-provoking television." PLUS: The [politicization]( of the reproducibility crisis, the [death of the selfie]( and the WIRED guide to [internet addiction](. Climate Change Science's "Reproducibility Crisis" Is Being Used as Political Ammunition By Michael Schulson A report from the National Association of Scholars takes on the reproducibility crisis in science. Not everyone views the group’s motives as pure. Internet Culture The Selfie As We Know It Is Dead By Margaret Andersen Selfies may not be cool anymore, but their spirit lives on—just as it always has. ideas Calling Facebook a Utility Would Only Make Things Worse By Susan Crawford Facebook is ubiquitous, yes—but we shouldn't put it on the same regulatory plane as telecom giants. TV Here's What Needs to Happen in Westworld's Second Season By Angela Watercutter, Andrea Valdez, Adam Rogers, and Ahalya Srikant HBO's futuristic thriller has a whole lot of explaining to do. [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [Ad Choices]( [WIRED Magazine Subscription] Get Wired Get unlimited access to an ad-free WIRED.com + a free YubiKey. Start your free trial now. Biotech Gets Some Silicon Valley Shine at Illumina’s New Campus By Megan Molteni With tons of amenities, the DNA sequencing giant hopes to attract the Bay Area's top life-science talent. Deep Dive The WIRED Guide to Internet Addiction By Nitasha Tiku Everything you ever wanted to know about screen time, likes, and pull-to-refresh. Privacy How to Make Your Nest Cam Baby Monitor More Secure By Adrienne So A few ways to help keep the footage of your kids away from mean old hackers. This item has no URL. It's probably not published. Product Review After Nintendo Labo, You’ll Never See Cardboard the Same Way By Jeffrey Van Camp Nintendo's big gamble on cardboard and imagination pays off. [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [AdChoices]( [WIRED Magazine]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Youtube]( [Instagram]( This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, [wired@newsletters.wired.com]( to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( Copyright © Condé Nast 2018. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.