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Conspiracy
Anderton’s actions throughout the story are haunted by the idea of a conspiracy against him. His general paranoia highlights how life in his society—with its willingness to strip citizens of human rights and autonomy—is inherently full of anxiety. Anderton instantly assumes Witwer is all too eager to take his job because Anderton’s getting old. When Anderton’s name appears as a potential murderer, he transforms his initial suspicion of Witwer into a full-blown Senate plot to seize control over the police. Since Lisa is kind to Witwer and doesn’t immediately distrust him, Anderton works her into the plot, perhaps out of a combination of fear and sexual jealousy. Fleming builds on Anderton’s fears by confirming the conspiracy, making it seem more concrete and dangerous. However, Anderton’s paranoia doesn’t come from nowhere. He is the victim of Kaplan’s plan to seize control. The fact that there is a real conspiracy lurking in the shadows of the story emphasizes that Anderton’s fears are reasonable and rational. He simply misjudges whom he should be afraid of.
Obsolescence
“The Minority Report” is full of fears of being replaced. Most obviously, the fears that spark Anderton’s initial paranoia come from the fact that he is getting older, and he meets Witwer, the younger man who will take his job. Even Anderton’s assumption that Lisa is in cahoots with Witwer seems to stem from him seeing his “slim and attractive wife” cheerfully greet a much younger man. The interaction seethes with sexual jealousy and suggests that Anderton is afraid of being replaced by Witwer not only in his job but also in his marriage. However, the discussion of obsolescence carries throughout the story. Precrime is considered the new, up-to-date method of policing and has replaced old-school post-crime punishment. Kaplan’s entire coup plan comes from his distress over demilitarization and being unable to cope with the resulting loss of power. Even though some of these fears are tied to age, this motif appears to have little to do with actual mortality. Instead, Anderton and Kaplan treat being replaced as if society considers them parts of a machine that needs to be upgraded. This tone echoes the dehumanization that is rife in the systems of their society.
