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An optimally adapted parasite takes as much from its host as possible without damaging the viability of the host. In order for us to stay viable hosts for the media parasite, we need only enough waking hours away from media to make money and to spend that money on advertisers’ offerings and/or media’s costs (and of course to feed ourselves and, like, stay alive). Media will gladly take all our other hours.

The story starts with a “Raiders of the Lost Ark”-like action sequence: Kirk, Spock and the gang are embroiled in a secret mission on a red jungle planet filled with superstitious tribespeople whose lives are threatened by a volcanic eruption. The correct thing to do is leave Mr. Spock behind, because going back to rescue him would violate the Federation’s Prime Directive against messing with the natural development of primitive cultures. It’s in this opening sequence, for better or worse, that the movie establishes a vexing narrative pattern: The characters have urgently necessary arguments about the morally, ethically, and procedurally correct thing to do in a crisis, then one character (usually Kirk) makes a unilateral, straight-from-the-gut decision that worsens everything; and yet somehow at the end he’s rewarded, or at least not seriously punished.

Just as their costumes put up a physical boundary between themselves and their audience, Daft Punk enjoy a “total separation” between their private and public lives, which is precisely what they want. “We don’t talk about our private lives because they’re private,” says Bangalter with a laugh. “Plus, the public image is more fun and entertaining anyway.” Instead of desiring traditional fame and worldwide recognition, Bangalter says they’re more interested in “changing the world without anybody knowing who we are, which is a very different ego fantasy, and it seems to be the premise for much more exciting developments.