The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is satirical and comedic science fiction. Douglas Adams created "a satirical rumination of human purpose, place in the universe, and our conceptualization of life"[1] in the novels. This film, in the spirit of the novels, also delves into our relationship with technology and computing technology, and how they fit into our purpose and identity. In trying to find the answer through deep thought, the Magratheans place too much trust and decision making into the hands of technology, while neglecting to think on their own. This reflects our overreliance on technology. In a short documentary on YouTube, there is mention of computing technology that is used in the film itself, for example the suit for Marvin which included some electronics[2]. There is also some discussion of many films around this time aiming for the wow factor over quality, and how CGI is beginning to take over practical effects; according to the director, "if you've got a scene that's supposed to be comedic and half of the set isn't there... then you run the risk of there not being that spontaneity" [2]. This can reflect on the idea of technology making certain things become obsolete, such as practical effects, but the original still having a certain charm that the technological counterpoint does not have. In addition, the Vogons are based off of cartoons of politicians, perhaps commenting on the bureaucratic nature of those with power and how that can influence innovation in computing technology [2].
Within our modern world, our access to technology helps us achieve things we would otherwise be unable to do. However, it’s not necessarily true that more technology will make you happier. According to a study from Global Economy and Development at Brookings, “technology access is positive for well-being in general, but with diminishing marginal returns for those respondents who already have a great deal of access to these technologies” [3]. Technological advancement and knowledge gathered through technology does not necessarily guarantee happiness.
Within the film, a hyper-intelligent alien race known as Magratheans are able to find the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything through a supercomputer known as Deep Thought. Unfortunately, they don’t know what the ultimate question to this ultimate answer is. In order to find this ultimate question, the Magratheans construct a planet-sized supercomputer known as Earth. However, Before the Magratheans are able to find their ultimate question, Earth is destroyed by the Vogons and the grand experiment is wiped away moments before the question would’ve been found. Later in the film, the Magrathean planet builder Slabartifast mentions that this experiment was in part a financial venture for the Magratheans. Slabartifast mentions He’d “... much rather be happy than right any day” [1]. Despite being part of one of the most advanced civilizations within the universe, he still doesn’t know all the answers and to him, it doesn’t really matter. This futility of searching for the ultimate question through technologies such as Deep Thought and Earth conveys how technological improvement to gain more knowledge may not always lead to happiness.
Zaphod, as president of the galaxy, and the Vogons have much power and powerful technology under their fingertips. However, the use of this power only leads to unhappiness for Trillian, Arthur, and the people of Earth. The technology used for destroying the earth caused a lot of devastation for the main characters. Though it was created to assist with developing intergalactic passageways, by using act utilitarianism ethics, we can see that the amount of happiness gained from such a passageway does not exceed the happiness destroyed by destroying earth [6]. Therefore, in this case, technology only serves to decrease happiness.
A big theme of the movie is the meaning of life and how to find it. The Magratheans attempt to use a computer, but it fails twice. By the end of the movie, an argument can be made that Arthur has found his purpose, but the Magratheans still do not have what they want. This points to there being no “point of the universe,” no “meaning of life” on a cosmic scale. However, an individual can find their purpose, but not through technology, only through living their life.
In some sense, this can be connected to certain philosophical ideas.
Existentialism, for example, goes against the idea of “The Ultimate Question”, as it declares that it is up to oneself to determine the meaning of life. Looking at the ideas of French-Algerian philosopher Albert Camus, “since we cannot evade or avoid the absurdity of our existence … all we can do is to meet it with defiance” [4]
Zaphod uses technology as a way to get the fame and popularity that he wants, but this ends up having pitfalls. When Zaphod seeks to be president, he claims “you can’t be president with a whole brain”[1]. Because of this, he splits himself into two heads, the hidden one holding all the undesirable traits. Although he does become president, later this leads to complications when Humma Kavula takes his bad head. Zaphod seeks to let his engineered “good traits” get him what he wants. However, it ends up only leading to negative consequences for himself. Zaphod relying too much on technology to get what he wants leaves him to end up with only half a brain. He also tries to chase his goals by finding the Ultimate Question. He only wants it so he can seem cool and popular, rather than actually improve his intellect. In the end, he isn’t benefited by the Ultimate Question in any way.
The Vogons, an alien race obsessed with bureaucracy, hold a lot of power and powerful technology, which leads to the destruction of Earth. Zaphod, who signed the order, didn’t pay a second glance at it and assumed it was an autograph. As a result of his carelessness, there was a big negative consequence. Lots of powerful technology in the hands of a careless man is dangerous.
According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Computer practitioners have a moral responsibility to avoid harm and to deliver a properly working product … regardless of whether they will be held accountable if things turn out differently” [5]. This responsibility is very important to make sure that things are done ethically, and if done carelessly there will inevitably be negative consequences. Therefore, if parties invested are not interested in complete ethicality and safety, bad things are sure to happen.
The Vogons also are apathetic to the effects of destroying the earth, only seeking to carry out their bureaucracy. The power they hold over their technology also ends up being very dangerous. A real-world parallel to this could be military weapons, which can help a country carry out its agenda while causing devastating harm. Computers play a crucial role in the military, and as an example “from the early 1940s until the early 1960s, the armed forces of the United States were the single most important driver of digital computer development” [6]. One can question the goals and motives of a military and mark the effects clearly, as the military holds lots of power and potential to kill. Such harmful effects can result from such a group with an agenda.
Zaphod also does what he wants with the Heart of Gold and Improbability Drive. Both are very advanced pieces of technology, but Zaphod seems to pretty much use them for his own whims. A lot of the time, he does not know what he’s doing with the Improbability drive at all, as he mostly uses it to jump through space with no plan since he doesn’t know where Magrathea is at all. This leads to certain risks, such as when they had to use the improbability drive without knowing the effects when there were two missiles chasing the ship, and although it turned out alright, it made clear that no one really knew what they were doing, and that given the randomness worse outcomes could have happened.
[1] Townsley, K. (2017, April 4). How Douglas Adams “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy” Challenges the Conceptualization of the Cosmos. Earthzine. https://earthzine.org/how-douglas-adams-the-hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy-challenges-the-conceptualization-of-the-cosmos-2/#:~:text=As%20a%20scriptwriter%20and%20satirist,and%20our%20conceptualization%20of%20life.
[2] McGleish, C. (2017). Making of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=terMYEIvBQA