Minority Report - Precognitive Detective Work May Already Be Here

Back in 2002, Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg teamed up to bring us a science fiction thriller that is worth a fresh look. The movie itself, has aged quite well. This is a science fiction story from Philip K. Dick that warns us of the dangers of precognitive technology. While the movie is full of action, there is a great story that is more relevant today, than it was when the movie first came out. The technology that is part of the plot was not on the radar, however times have changed since its release.
The plot centers around the idea of the possibility that crimes can be solved using precognitive technology. This new technology could be life changing for future victims of crimes, as it would thwart the worst crime of all, the loss of life. Every idea has a beginning. In the movie, a new crime division is piloted in Washington DC which had one of the highest murder rates in the nation.  Thanks to the pilot project, murders have not occurred for 6 years. However, there is more than meets the eye regarding the ethics of the pilot program.
While there are plot twists and turns, the foundation of Minority Report is the ethics of such technology being used to solve crimes. I have always felt this is Tom Cruise's best movie. While he carries the action scenes with ease, he has to carry the burden of the technology throughout the movie. This involves him being more complex than we are use to seeing him in films. He was chosen to lead this unit for a reason. We travel on a journey, thinking we are going to see another movie with the "cocky" Tom Cruise we are use to seeing, however in this movie he is flawed. This serves the movie very well and his casting for this part was brilliant in my opinion.
The movie resonates more today. There is a connection to the 2016 election that many may not realize. Since 2002, the Russians and many tech firms have been mining our data for years to create precognitive models. Without exploring the ethics of such models, our current situation is hauntingly similar to the ethics that is the backdrop for this film. Once the technology exists, who manages the ethics behind such usage? Will tech firms and governments ultimately use it for the wrong reasons. Of course they will and we have the evidence now.
The 2016 election is about the usage of precognitive technology to rig elections. We are led to believe that it is about one side or the other colluding with the Russians.It is more complicated than we are led to believe.  In my opinion, this is why we have not seen indictments or impeachment proceedings. Doing so, brings out the truth about companies have create precognitive models for manipulating our elections. And, both parties tried to use the technology for their own benefit.
Ever wonder why your friends and families have such a strong reaction to social media posts about each party? Those posts are based on studies of our behavior via data mining. It is quite fascinating to think that precognitive technology already exists. Your friends and relatives have predetermined algorithms ready to strike at an moment to shore up a vote for certain party or candidate. Check it out for yourself the next time you are on social media. Watch how your friends share mindless posts constantly to get another person to support a point of view. They never question the origins of the post. Instead they embrace and support the leanings by trying to convince others to feel the same way. 
Science fiction tries to warn us about a future in which technology is used in manner that is unethical. Minority Report is a great example how a bold prediction in 2002 can come to fruition today. Precognitive technology is here folks, and we may want to heed the warnings from this movie.