Week 3 Reading Response
Posted: September 9, 2015 Filed under: Assignments, Reading Responses, Sarah Lawler Leave a comment »There is only software
It’s fascinating to associate “digital” with “software” so directly. Of course software is the backbone of all media. Using the word “software” can seem intimidating to use. Software itself is a whole other language. Users use the word “digital” because they can associate with understanding how to use an app. If the user used “software” it implies that the user understands not only the app, but how it was built. I do agree that we should be taught what we use and rely on every day. It seems that Manovich has an underlying tone throughout the reading to appreciate what is being created and shared.
Jean Baudrillard A Very Short Introduction
This was most certainly a difficult read. I know as a society we have can get lost in what is real or not. However, I’m not sure if Baudrillard was leading to this or not, but here’s my takeaway. War is reality to him. Postmortem only takes effect after war, according to him. He even backtracks what he says about American culture when 9-11 happened, but criticizes how the military handled it. I think he makes some great points, but there is this certainly a pretentious air about Baudrillard’s work.
Dialogue with the Machines
I don’t think a computer needs to be an AI in order to classify it as interactive. The computer itself doesn’t speak to us. It does however, carry its own type of language that does allow users to learn from other users. If the user is capable, he/she could find out almost anything on their own using a computer. In a way the internet is the “human dialogue partner” and the computer serves as a medium. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be upset if I could have my own personal Jarvis in the future.
There is Only Software by Lev Manovich, Response
Posted: September 9, 2015 Filed under: Alexandra Stilianos, Reading Responses 1 Comment »Depending on which software you use to access it, what you can do with the same digital file can change dramatically.
Of course it is, in the eyes of a designer or programmer of course this realization is apparent but if ‘we’ are designing, creating, devising for the ‘masses’ the responsibility changes hands. In the same way that your experience with software can alter your experience, the same goes (in my opinion) on your lack of awareness of the capabilities therein. There is only software for the minority in the know of the in’s and outs of programming, for the masses who use the media- it is simply media, right?
To reverse back to Baudrillard:
“all we have now are simulations of reality (which aren’t any more or less real than the realities they simulate.)”
Jean Baudrillard by Doug Mann, Response
Posted: September 9, 2015 Filed under: Alexandra Stilianos, Reading Responses Leave a comment »“Death of the real” – “Simulacrum” – “Desert of real”
No matter which way he phrases the theory it is clear, we all are constantly and relentlessly immersed in the culture we live in. I have problem with any various sweeping argument in general, including Mann’s. I am also curious to place this article in the (near or distant) past since it has no date, and his pop culture references are Friends and Lara Croft.
While his refurbishing of ‘simulacrum’ is interesting, I think even a mildly self-aware person has the ability to speak about a fictional person/character in the context of the show (in the TV example.) The disillusioned minority who cannot would be similar to Brooke Shields cameo on the aforementioned show, Friends, where she believe Joey (Matt Leblanc) to actually be his soap opera character, Drake. META.
“Loss of reality isn’t so hard to understand but difficult for some of us to swallow.” So maybe, I am also just a lost lamb and this desert is too real for me to accept. *shrugs, turns Netflix back on*