History Fridge / DontLookUp

** That is a strawman argument, however -- just because the actors have wealth and luxury doesn't preclude them from sincerely wanting to combat climate change. It's like trying to insist that someone cannot fight world hunger if they're not hungry themselves.

** This could also mirror some criticism of the film and its themes. While the actors portraying the characters actually do seem to have everything: yachts, private planes, mansions, villas, good looks, large fortunes, numerous awards, incredible fame and power in their industry, the "we" of all humanity can feel pretty hollow to some audiences living paycheck to paycheck, let alone billions of people that still lack access to basic medicine, food and water. We really don't have it all, and the sacrifices that must be made to address a global,systemic issue like climate change would be far greater than simply blasting away a comet and would leave us with even less. One of the biggest barriers in tackling climate change is that the everyday lives of people would have to change, and the movie never addresses that in its metaphor the solution would be for us to not have everything.

** This could also mirror some criticism of the film and its themes. While the actors portraying the characters actually do seem to have everything: yachts, private planes, mansions, villas, good looks, large fortunes, numerous awards, incredible fame and power in their industry, the "we" of all humanity can feel pretty hollow to some audiences living paycheck to paycheck, let alone billions of people that still lack access to basic medicine, food and water. We really don't have it all, and the sacrifices that must be made to address a global,systemic issue like climate change would be far greater then simply blasting away a comet and would leave us with even less. One of the biggest barriers in tackling climate change is that the everyday lives of people would have to change, and the movie never addresses that in its metaphor the solution would be for us to not have everything.

** An alternate take: Isherwell mentions he knows everything about Dr. Mindy back to 1996. Part of the reason Dr. Mindy's wife forgives him is because she cheated on him in college, which was presumably before then. So Isherwell may not have actually had all the relevant data!

** The situation is reminicent of the Stuxnet virus that destroyed Iranian uranium centrifuges. Given Isherwell's apparent stranglehold on network technology in this setting, and his BreakingSpeech to Mindy showing how he'll gladly exploit his company's resources to remove obstacles to his plans, there does seem to be an implication, even if no character in the movie suggests it.

*** I took it to mean that he got it wrong because he forgot what it was and guessed wrong. He even said when he was telling about how Doctor Mindy would die that, "Your death is so unremarkable and boring... I can't even remember what it said".

** It could have been a SelfDefeatingProphecy, i.e. it was *telling* Mindy about this prediction that shocked him into the mind-frame to have his HeelRealization.

** Also, it is likely that the algorithm is limited by the choices the subject makes, and if the subject changes their path in life, they can prove the algorithm wrong. At the time Isherwell told Mindy about this prediction, Mindy's wife had left him due to him cheating on her, he was in a shallow relationship that would have burned out sooner or later and he'd sold out his principles for fame and money. In other words, he wasn't all that different from people like Orlean and Isherwell. If Mindy hadn't had a HeelRealization, Isherwell would have been right.

** It could have been a self-denying prophesy, i.e. it was *telling* Mindy about this prediction that shocked him into the mind-frame to have his HeelRealization.

** Also, it is likely that the algorithm is limited by the choices the subject makes, and if the subject changes their path in life, they can prove the algorithm wrong. At the time Isherwell told Mindy about this prediction, Mindy's wife had left him due to him cheating on her, he was in a shallow relationship that would have burned out sooner or later and he'd sold out his principles for fame and money. In other words, he wasn't all that different from people like Orlean and Isherwell. If Mindy hadn't had a HeelRealization, Isherwell would have been right.

** Also, it is likely that the algorithm is limited by the choices the subject makes, and if the subject changes their path in life, they can prove the algorithm wrong. At the time Isherwell told Mindy about this prediction, Mindy's wife had left him due to him cheating on her, he was in a shallow relationship that would have burned out sooner or later and he'd sold out his principles for fame and money. In other words, he wasn't all that different from people like Orlean and Isherwell. If Mindy hadn't had a HeelRealization, Isherwell would have been right.
* Dr. Mindy's last thought: "We really did have everything, didn't we? I mean, when you think about it" is chilling when taken in context to what the movie is really about. Humanity has every tool available to stop the comet (or climate change) and because of greed or ignorance or maliciousness we end up dooming everyone.

** Also, it is likely that the algorithm is limited by the choices the subject makes, and if the subject changes their path in life, they can prove the algorithm wrong. At the time Isherwell told Mindy about this prediction, Mindy's wife had left him due to him cheating on her, he was in a shallow relationship that would have burned out sooner or later and he'd sold out his principles for fame and money. In other words, he wasn't all that different from people like Orlean and Isherwell. If Mindy hadn't had a HeelRealization, Isherwell would have been right.

** It’s also continuis to show how President Orlean and Isherwell were so shortsighted, ignorant and narcissistic that they didn’t even think of how the human race was supposed to continue after they abandoned Earth, and is works a perfect LaserGuidedKarma that the people who doomed everyone to extinction and then ran away ultimately get their comeuppance.

** It’s likely both a case of continuing to show how President Orlean and Isherwell were so shortsighted and ignorant that they didn’t even think of how the human race was supposed to continue after they abandoned Earth, it’s also likely supposed to be LaserGuidedKarma that the people who doomed everyone to extinction and then ran away ultimately get their comeuppance.

** This depends on whether the original mid-credits scene is applicable, as it clarifies how the survivors whose pods failed were supposed to be serve as menial labor and thus presumably more physically fit. Whether they would have been qualified to survive and service everyone who refuses to work at the same time is still in question.

* The last-ditch SleeperShip mission was doomed from the start, as most of the passengers are middle-aged and elderly, meaning there were never enough people of child-bearing age who could procreate and continue the species. On top of which, they were all naked and the pods didn't seem to have anything other than the cryopods and their support systems. They didn't even have a simple knife.

** Also, it is likely that the algorithm is limited by the choices the subject makes, and if the subject changes their path in life, they can prove the algorithm wrong. At the time Isherwell told Mindy about this prediction, Mindy's wife had left him due to him cheating on her, he was in a shallow relationship that would have burned out sooner or later and he'd sold out his principles for fame and money. If Mindy hadn't had a HeelRealization, Isherwell would have been right.

* Isherwell boasts [[AwesomenessByAnalysis being able to predict anyone’s cause of death using social media profiling]]. His prediction turns out correct for President Orlean (eaten by an alien creature [[TooDumbToLive she carelessly approached]]), but entirely wrong for Doctor Mindy (predicted to [[DyingAlone die alone]], actually got to FaceDeathWithDignity at a supper shared with friends and family). What might have contributed to it is that Isherwell, and the prediction system he built, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood assumes all people are just as vain, greedy and selfish as himself]], which proves correct for Orlean (a straightforward PresidentEvil), but not for Mindy, who at worst embodies that HumansAreFlawed, and that threw the prediction off.

* The last-ditch SleeperShip mission was doomed from the start, as most of the passengers are middle-aged and elderly, meaning there were never enough people of child-bearing age who could procreate and continue the species. On top of which, they were all naked and the pods didn't seem to have anything other than the cryopods and their support systems. They didn't even have a simple knife.

* The last-ditch SleeperShip mission was doomed from the start, as most of the passengers are middle-aged and elderly, meaning there were never enough people of child-bearing age who could procreate and continue the species.

!!Fridge Logic

As a Fridge page, '''spoilers are OFF!''