Psychological Insights from 'Inception'

Inception is one of the most enticing science fiction films of the 21st century. In the film, Dom Cobb invades people’s dreams, develops dreamscapes, steals information, and then inserts ideas. The movie violates some facets of current science, i.e., developing dreams for other people. Currently, whatever individuals experience consciously is private. However, the film provides another depiction of the same, implying that dreams can be inserted into someone’s mind to make them shareable. As such, this paper focuses on certain aspects of the movie that involve Cobb’s memory and guilt surrounding his life with Mal. It dwells on inception, dreams, and the mind, as well as how these elements are portrayed in the film.

As Cobb states, “An idea is like a virus. Resilient. Highly contagious. And even the smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you.” Evidently, everything that prospers or destroys starts from a simple idea. The current advancement in technology is a typical illustration of how an idea can grow. Individuals who develop these technologies start them from a simple idea that is tested and applied over time to develop it. For instance, the internet was born from a simple idea meant to connect people across the globe. As the internet grew, current platforms were developed to make the advancement better. On the other hand, terrorist groups start from simple backgrounds, which go on to develop into large groups that seek to destroy the peaceful co-existence of people. As portrayed in the film, ideas can be developed to become a reality.

While experimenting with the dream-sharing technology, Cobb goes into limbo, spending around 50 years with Mal, building a world together. While in dreamland, Cobb realizes that Mal has some thoughts that are deeply rooted in her mind. “She had locked something away, something deep inside her. The truth that she had once known, but... she chose to forget. Limbo became her reality.” Moreover, Mal believed that the world was unreal. Even as Cobb thinks Mal has a problem, he does realize he is the one dreaming. Filled with guilt and pain over his wife’s death, Cobb interacts with Mal and almost commits suicide. The film portrays what is typically experienced by many people and how the mind operates. Sometimes, one goes into a dream to the extent that it seems real. As per the Association for Psychological Science studies, ideas can be inserted into someone’s mind and then integrated into an individual’s memory (Association for Psychological Science). The finding is aligned with this film, especially Mal and Cobb’s experience. On the contrary, the unreal cannot outweigh reality if one has something to hold on to. In other words, an individual who is emotionally troubled can easily surrender to illusoriness as compared to someone who is mentally stable. Mal’s choice to commit suicide is founded on the notion that she had psychological issues in the real world. She almost convinced Cobb to kill himself so that they could continue dwelling in the other world. On the other hand, Cobb’s subconscious was stable, reminding him of his children. He yearned to return to his children, which enabled him to come out of his dream. The elements shared in this passage correlate with challenges facing people in the contemporary practical world. It depicts the steps individuals experience when they go into depression. Without adequate care and support, such victims commit suicide. Depressed individuals tend to commit suicide when they feel the world is unbearable and perhaps find a better place in their dreams.

The mind is one of the most complex organs to comprehend. Even as scientists strive to prove certain theories regarding the mind, studies are inconclusive on the same. The mind is capable of storing many things, both good and evil; hence, it is upon individuals to know how to deal with the negative aspects of life. For one, the film encourages people to avoid regrets and guilt. Cobb was full of regrets and guilt to the extent that he almost committed suicide. The elements were deeply rooted in his subconscious since he felt culpable for his wife’s death. Similarly, people experience many challenges that are kept within their subconscious to devastating effect. The guilt and regrets can lead one to a dreamland, which he/she may not awaken from. As Cobb implies, “Dreams feel real when we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.” A dream full of regrets and guilt can lead to depression and, ultimately, suicide. Though they appear to be real, it is only when one is fully cognizant of his/her surroundings that they comprehend the strangeness of these thoughts.

Overall, the film is an accurate depiction of the contemporary society in which people live with significant burdens in their minds. People live with regrets and guilt that engulf their minds, which can lead to destructive effects. Nonetheless, the ultimate control is given to the individual to decide whether to wake up and face reality or surrender to the unrealities. Cobb drew strength from the zeal to meet his children; hence, he managed to pull out of the dream to embrace reality.

Works Cited

Association for Psychological Science. "The Psychological Science of “Inception”." August 2010. <https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/the-psychological-science-of-inception-2.html>.