Bad creator: Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein in a new revival of ‘Frankenstein’. Mary Shelly’s real warning from her book is ‘don’t walk away from what you create’, say the writers. — Netflix/TNS
EVERYONE knows the story of Frankenstein. The gothic novel – adapted dozens of times, most recently in director Guillermo del Toro’s haunting revival now available on Netflix – is embedded in our cultural DNA as the cautionary tale of science gone wrong. But popular culture misreads author Mary Shelley’s warning. The lesson isn’t “don’t create dangerous things.” It’s “don’t walk away from what you create.”
This distinction matters: The fork in the road comes after creation, not before. All powerful technologies can become destructive – the choice between outcomes lies in stewardship or abdication. Victor Frankenstein’s sin wasn’t simply bringing life to a grotesque creature. It was refusing to raise it, insisting that the consequences were someone else’s problem. Every generation produces its Victors. Ours work in artificial intelligence.
