The internet and dreams serve as outlets for human inhibitions.” This idea has been circulating widely in recent days—not in these exact words, but through Kanye West’s latest controversy. His so-called social experiment involved spending twelve hours on X. He hurled insults and praised Nazism. Yet, he still managed to keep his profile active. In the end, he deactivated his account himself.
Unfortunately, the internet often turns into a minefield. Anyone can find themselves as a victim. They can also be unexpectedly exposed as a perpetrator. A recent example—while less extreme, yet still significant—is the backlash against Karla Sofía Gascón, the lead actress of Emilia Pérez. Old posts resurfaced, revealing past racist and inappropriate remarks, leading to public outcry. Consequently, she was quietly removed from the final Oscar campaign. Netflix reportedly urged her to skip key pre-Academy events.
Once again, the internet proves to be a double-edged sword. It offers both a platform for expression and a space where past actions, however distant, can resurface with lasting consequences.
Some online spaces reveal horrors so extreme that they leave people in shock. One example is the infamous Telegram chat with nearly 70,000 men sharing advice on how to commit sexual violence. This advice targets strangers or even their own family members. This is a chilling reminder. The internet, for all its power and utility, can also be a breeding ground for the worst aspects of humanity. This instance represents merely one case among many similar situations. These range from private conversations to Facebook groups. In these spaces, real acts of violence are normalized and encouraged.
It’s a stark reflection of how the digital world has evolved—rapidly and, in many ways, for the worse. Yet, the idea that the internet exposes deep-seated human impulses isn’t new. It echoes a line from Paprika, Satoshi Kon’s 2006 anime masterpiece, based on Yasutaka Tsutsui’s 1993 novel. Nearly a decade after its publication, Tsutsui met Kon. He invited him to adapt the book. It was an ambitious challenge that no one had dared to take on before. Overflowing with surrealism, danger, and psychological depth, the story seemed almost impossible to bring to the screen. But for Kon, who had long dreamed of such a project, the opportunity was undeniable.
Now, nearly twenty years later, Paprika feels more relevant than ever. Its themes of technology, dreams, and human nature eerily reflect the digital chaos of today.
After finishing Paranoia Agent, Satoshi Kon dedicated himself fully to Paprika. He crafted a vision of the future rooted in the realm of dreams. Drawing from the collective unconscious theorized by Carl Jung, Paprika features a world where reality and illusion merge. They become a single, flowing entity, symbolized by the film’s surreal and chaotic parade. For Kon, dreams were closely linked to fantasy and paranoia, essential elements for navigating modern existence.
The internet has, in many ways, become the new container for this collective unconscious. It is a place where identities dissolve. Individuals reveal an unfiltered version of themselves. According to Jung, the digital space strips away the “Ego”—the rational, conscious self—allowing deeper, sometimes darker instincts to emerge. Kon’s portrayal of the internet warns of its dangers. It is a space where anonymity can embolden both connection and cruelty. Human interactions, though mediated by a screen, leave a profound impact on the mind and soul.
Concepts like deepfake and fake news have become central to the digital age. They blur the lines between truth and deception. Similarly, Paprika challenges the boundary between reality and illusion. The film’s surreal parade embodies the internet’s ability to connect people. It mirrors how dreams in the story are accessed through a website. However, it also represents the internet’s potential to overwhelm, distorting perception and eroding critical awareness.
Rather than condemning the internet outright, Paprika serves as a cautionary tale, eerily prescient of today’s world. Satoshi Kon’s works remain strikingly relevant. Perfect Blue (1997) dissects the hyper-sexualization of celebrities and the toxicity of online fandom. Paprika foreshadows the web’s inescapable presence in both our waking and dreaming lives.
Satoshi Kon’s film presents a vivid, surreal tapestry of imagery. It spans themes from psychoanalysis to technology, and from illusion to authenticity. It is a fever dream influenced by Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. That film itself draws inspiration from George Orwell’s 1984. The film delves into the digital double we create every day. This version of ourselves often differs from who we truly are beyond the screen. It represents digitized instincts, a cautionary tale about the growing threat of technological manipulation and its potential for harm.
This notion seems more relevant than ever in today’s world. Figures like Donald Trump are aligning with tech moguls such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. This illustrates how power and technology intersect in dangerous ways. It feels like a warning of an impending nightmare. We may not know how to protect ourselves in this scenario. We may also not know how to wake up.
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