Author: Adam Chou

Marshall McLuhan’s The Medium is the Message  is a strong testament to Jean Baudrillard’s idea of the simulacra. Can we think of a world in which media does not simply control people, but alter the perceptions of their environment? McLuhan provides several examples of technology to help us understand our bodies as they react to different types of stimuli. In such a case, McLuhan would think that with the interconnectivity of information technology systems as well as the power of electricity, these types of mediums would become intertwined in the near future. This interconnectivity of the psychic and social effects of ever-present mediums affect us in the same way that words might affect us. Mechanization, in this way, would allow for the birth of interpretations en masse. In such a way, the narrative of many articles would seemingly change, with new avenues for a similar message to be sought after.

In my response, I find this observation unique, as it would explain the various literatures quoted in the work. The extent to which McLuhan is able to dignify the response of the technologically ‘literate’ and technologically ‘illiterate’ citizen speaks bounds to the world in which we live in. The same concepts of the minority and model citizens allow for the narratives of different mediums to sometimes be misconstrued as they all have power in representation. The medium helps affect this sense of presentation as they can directly influence or control those who come in contact with it. This is not a very hopeful message, but I believe it to be a useful perspective – one that we should keep in mind when thinking of how we interact with others.

“Long Live The Web” Response:

In reaction to Tim Berners-Lee’s piece “Long Live the Web”, I feel conflicted as to his position. Although Tim is the one accredited with the invention of the web, I feel he does not understand the geopolitical implications of his invention to its fullest extent. As he highlights in the piece, his goals for the web was to levy a new medium of communications, where common rights were to be respected under this medium. The principle he speaks of, universalism, is one that I believe to be inherently flawed and a form of the decentralization that he has been seeking for his invention. This is seen in his commentary on monopoly restriction and open-sourced programs. His dream seems to mimic (to me) a similar socialist dream of shared resources.

The main components of his plan encourage creativity, while also simultaneously limiting the control of big companies. Essentially, because the web is ‘limitless’ in a sense, he believes that we will be able to expand and make room for all the appropriate users. By utilizing this environment, there will be ample space and time for everyone to create a semi-utopia. This means limited government involvement, self-regulation, Free Speech, Information.. etc. I would, however, argue that there are fundamental political issues stopping these goals from being achieved. First, we must consider current styles of business management in place, as well as the subjective sense of what might be ‘right’ in different areas. Although the web may be able to connect different areas of the world, it is not the web itself acting, but the user in the area that is connected. The web cannot fix many of the issues that we currently have. In an analogy, the web is not the one who brings over aid to a country. It is the people who communicate, who organize, and deliver aid supplies and volunteers to the country. Although the web presents itself as an almost instantaneous method, it works in tandem with many less efficient systems. Because of this, many of the methods of monopoly-style control can be utilized to pressure the dream that Tim Berner-Lee has. Therefore, although we can consider the benefits of such a system laid out, the rules that have been thus established in the trading and political economy will not allow for such a system to come about (at this moment). However, I will say that this world that he describes is an ideal that we can work towards.

“A Network of Fragments” Response:

Ingrid Burrington’s piece reminds me a lot about user interaction with the web. Although we interact with it, most of the actions we perform on the platform are very surface based – nonsubstantial. Many of those who use the web are unable to read or write code, unable to create – we are illiterate by today’s standards. And yet we are still able to perform basic functions like navigate sites, read directions, look up news, and all the other ways that we were able to before the internet – now in the palm of our hand. Most of us are oblivious to the functions of the internet, and therefore stand as passive users. In this case, we find the internet to be a cause of concern in some cases. Some parents take away cell phones in order to limit the ‘damage’ that it might cause children. They believe that being addicted to such an enormous databank of information is a detriment to their education. In some cases, they even believe that the information stored in a cell phone would replace the reality that we have in front of us.

To such an end, the internet seems to have qualities similar to that of a devil, or a succubus – a dangerous persona that would seek to take away our better qualities. However, it is interesting to take the time to understand it. When we think about it, it is simply many data – centers, microfiber cables, and people working to connect the world we live in. In that light, I can only see parents who shelter their kids from their phones as a makeshift boundary from entering the adult world unprepared.

http://imanas.shanghai.nyu.edu/~ac6596/HTML_Project/

Reflection:

To be completely honest, I was taken aback when I was initially given this project. The code was run through at an abrasive pace, where I struggled to copy down (line by line) the code that I thought would build my project. Because of the speed of such a process, to think that i could learn to code, even the basics, was hard to think. However, by experimenting in the workshop sessions, I quickly realized how simple and reusable many of the commands were. Because of this, I felt that I was well equipped (once I understood the functions) to do a little more than what was asked for. Within the limited requirements, I believe that I did this and I hope that any viewer of my project is similarly surprised. I will admit though, I doubt anyone will be surprised due to the simple goals of the project. 

Unabashedly, I must compare this piece to the same points repeated in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Although taken from a view of ‘successful technology’ the aphorisms of inhuman qualities within society are borrowed heavily in this piece. However the piece, by showcasing such dystopic aspects, helps to distinguish the unequivocal struggle of man versus machine. Due to the nature of progress, and its heavy reliance on processing and machinery, it is hard to embrace what had once been us. To clarify this point, humans have forgot what we once were. This is mainly due to the fact that technology has separated a sense of space between what we are now, and who we were before.

Ironically, we see this analogy presented in the opposite manner. The present day, which is generally considered young and hip, is portrayed in the perspective of the elder mother. Whereas the son is given the more adventurous role of describing his journey to the outside. The fear of the piece, I suppose, is that people have lost sense of their natural selves. This is comparable to Frankenstein and his monster – his ‘daemon” – to which he is haunted by for the entirety of the novel. That which was once considered normal – the animal that was man – is now frowned upon. And yet it is something that we use as a baseline to experience that which we no longer can. I think of this in the manner in which the son plays the role of mediator to the mother. In some sense, the story that is told to the mom can be categorized as entertainment. We can find similar aspects to this as the  comes into personal lives. As the voice of reason seeks to persuade us of the safety of conformity, our own intuition begs us to be curious of our past. Such is the relationship, in my eyes, of the relationship of Vashti and her son Kuno.

I will comment, however, that the bias shown of the machine turning on mankind is one that seems to be a bit pessimistic. We have no idea if this accurately represents future conditions, although they are terrifying to picture. But I suppose it is easier to do the latter than the former.