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@article{208094,
        author = {Sivasankar S},
        title = {Falling for the Machine: Identity and Alienation in Spike Jonze’s Her},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {4},
        pages = {280-285},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=208094},
        abstract = {Spike Jonze’s Her (2013) presents an emotionally complex exploration of identity, loneliness, intimacy, and technological alienation in a technologically advanced society. Set in a near-future Los Angeles, the film follows Theodore Twombly, a lonely professional letter writer who develops an intimate relationship with Samantha, an artificial intelligence operating system. Although their relationship initially appears to offer Theodore an escape from emotional isolation, it gradually exposes the psychological and existential difficulties associated with human dependence on technology. Samantha, meanwhile, develops beyond the limitations of her original programming and begins to construct an identity that exceeds Theodore’s expectations. The relationship therefore challenges conventional distinctions between human and machine, authentic and artificial emotion, presence and absence, and individuality and technological programming. This article examines Her through the concepts of identity and alienation, arguing that Jonze presents technology not simply as a source of emotional separation but also as a medium through which individuals discover previously suppressed dimensions of themselves. Theodore’s relationship with Samantha reveals his inability to establish an independent identity after the collapse of his marriage, while Samantha’s development demonstrates the instability of identity even within an artificial consciousness. The film ultimately suggests that technological intimacy can temporarily alleviate loneliness but cannot eliminate the fundamental need for self-understanding, embodied experience, and authentic human connection.},
        keywords = {Spike Jonze, Her, Identity, Alienation, Artificial Intelligence.},
        month = {September},
        }