Introducing the CosaNostra Pizza Headquarters, a place where the deliverator will deliver your pizza in exactly thirty minutes, according to their time, blazing proudly in LED. Immediately into Snow Crash, a reader is faced with two characters: Hiro, the deliverator and freelance hacker, and Y.T., a young girl represented with technology. Author of Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson represents America futuristically with much imagination in its characters.
The idea of Hiro becoming a deliverator for a pizza joint with the computer knowledge and imagination he has, is just unbelievable in the beginning. "Even the word "library" is getting hazy" (22). There were books, then magazines and videotapes, and then "all of the information fot converted into machine-readable form, which is to say, ones and zeroes" (22). More information became up to date and the number of media grew. Henry Jenkins argues in Convergence Culture that the media will help broaden cultures and across many others. Media content relies heavily on consumers' active participation. Hiro clearly stated that he learned "the hard way that 99 percent of the information in the Library never gets used at all" (22).
Stephenson proves media content and the use of technology to be prominant in the future with the use of Y.T., a young girl who is part of the art of new media. She is riding on a board that can detect when an object is a certain amount of space becomes in the way of a smooth ride. Is this the new age of video games? A virtual experience? Video games are used to take a person out of reality and into an imaginative creative world that is meant to take you out of your 'comfort zone'.
Video games and traditional media both focus on storytelling, which clearly Stephenson used as a way to commit Hiro to his ideal 'warrior prince' mode. The digital realm represents people who have created themselves in order to represent themselves in their own imaginative light. "The digital domain is assimilating greater powers of representation all the time, as researchers try to build within it a virtual reality that is as deep and rich as reality itself " (Murray 28). Hiro has created an audiovisual body to communicate with others in the Metaverse, where he reigns as Prince of hijackers. He vanishes back to reality, only to still be in the Metaverse, where communication is not needed with the outside world.
Media entitles communication whether by phone, television, or radio. Y.T. delivers and picks up packages all around the world, considering by this time of the future, there are no longer mailboxes. Y.T. has the visas of over three dozen countries laminated on her chest. Three Dozen! Laminated! This would definitely not be possible if it werent for technology in the age of new media. The idea of a "virtual reality" and reality in future America, is so widespread in ideas and the computer-graphics community. Without computers, things would just be reality. "Home? Mom says. Yeah, home seems about right" (Stephenson 468).
Hiro involves himself in media. "People make their living that way--People like Hiro Protagonist. They just know stuff, or they just go around and videotape stuff" (Stephenson 35). YouTube and other websites allowing for the sharing and viewing of uploaded files, allow for the 'remixing' and new storytelling to occur. Our culture has relied on these sources as primary sources for knowledge. Remixing and creating these videos rely on creativity of the mind, specifically the imagination.
Jenkins, Henry. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York University Press 2006.
Murray, Janet H. Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1997.
Stephenson, Neal. Snow Crash. Bantem Dell, New York 2003.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Machine Or The Body?
When thinking about how N.Katherine Hayles discusses art and the artist in new media in her book, Electronic Literature: New Horizons for the Literary, I immediately think of Chapter 3, The Body and The Machine. Media is programmed to transform the way citizens do business across other countries, how they communicate with technology, and most importantly according to Hayles, is how they construct themselves as contemporary subjects.
Being subject to a machine or machine to the body, remains a struggle when comparing dominance in society. Hayles determines that both the body and machine work through strategic gestures to compromise indifferences. In particular, electronic literature, allows continuities to bind both together. Technology increases feedback from the media, and positions literature as contemporary. This enables eliterature to become art in new media.
Not only is e-literature composed for the purpose of art/storytelling, but also for the effects of the composer and viewers. After skipping through a page or two, Hayles begins another intertwining argument relating how and why change in media is needed. New criticism rises on the accounts of work to be exciting only when partially or fully interacting with technology. In this sense, body is constructing to the machine. But, it could be the other way around also.
Media technologies has been rapidly changing since the American Civil War. Hayles states contemporary de-differentiation depends on digital media's ability to represent everything that art has to offer: text, sounds, images, video. So these modifications follow art, in relation to the body. These developments and technologies set the stage for emerging art in new media and the leadway to international communication.
Being subject to a machine or machine to the body, remains a struggle when comparing dominance in society. Hayles determines that both the body and machine work through strategic gestures to compromise indifferences. In particular, electronic literature, allows continuities to bind both together. Technology increases feedback from the media, and positions literature as contemporary. This enables eliterature to become art in new media.
Not only is e-literature composed for the purpose of art/storytelling, but also for the effects of the composer and viewers. After skipping through a page or two, Hayles begins another intertwining argument relating how and why change in media is needed. New criticism rises on the accounts of work to be exciting only when partially or fully interacting with technology. In this sense, body is constructing to the machine. But, it could be the other way around also.
Media technologies has been rapidly changing since the American Civil War. Hayles states contemporary de-differentiation depends on digital media's ability to represent everything that art has to offer: text, sounds, images, video. So these modifications follow art, in relation to the body. These developments and technologies set the stage for emerging art in new media and the leadway to international communication.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Underselling Talents in New Media
The reuse of technology to produce a new form of art we call "remix" tends to conform to the simple, uncreative media the new generation seems to be focusing on. To focus on art, you must focus on the artist and what they can be capable of to improve the generation of new media. With new expressions and techniques in writing, artists undermise their capability of producing real talent--not used talent.
Lawrence Lessig compares a few types of criticism that either relates with or repels the idea of "remix". Lessig proves both arguments to reason with or against the idea of creativity. In the "Differences in Value" chapter in the Cultures Compared section, Lessig begins with demising the blogging technique as "crap", just as any real work of art, for example, J.J. Abrams, is now being compared to any produced video on YouTube. Whats the difference? There are many, except for the criticism that we, as viewers, tend to accept as the same thing, because it seems as if we do not know the difference.
"Remix" is a form of art. Lessig definitely proves his opinion of the negativity of remixing, but in reality, we base our ideas, innovations, and creativity from the past. Although some videos uploaded on YouTube seem to have a lack of imagination, many others may have presented video clips just the same as documentaries, short movies, and digital collages. If this is not art, than I dont know what is. Just as Lessig states, "anyone who thinks remixes or mash-ups are neither original nor creative has very little idea about how they are made or what makes them great. It takes extraordinary knowledge about a culture to remix it well" (93). Art is based on culture and history, and the new generation seems to be attaining to culture. Everything is being remixed and improved in all forms of media, not just YouTube.
YouTube, and other new types of "writing" have become the new literacy to humans; a new form of expression. This type of expression has emphasized a new form of freedom to writers and readers, and this is what becomes the problem of underselling talents of artists in new media.
Lawrence Lessig compares a few types of criticism that either relates with or repels the idea of "remix". Lessig proves both arguments to reason with or against the idea of creativity. In the "Differences in Value" chapter in the Cultures Compared section, Lessig begins with demising the blogging technique as "crap", just as any real work of art, for example, J.J. Abrams, is now being compared to any produced video on YouTube. Whats the difference? There are many, except for the criticism that we, as viewers, tend to accept as the same thing, because it seems as if we do not know the difference.
"Remix" is a form of art. Lessig definitely proves his opinion of the negativity of remixing, but in reality, we base our ideas, innovations, and creativity from the past. Although some videos uploaded on YouTube seem to have a lack of imagination, many others may have presented video clips just the same as documentaries, short movies, and digital collages. If this is not art, than I dont know what is. Just as Lessig states, "anyone who thinks remixes or mash-ups are neither original nor creative has very little idea about how they are made or what makes them great. It takes extraordinary knowledge about a culture to remix it well" (93). Art is based on culture and history, and the new generation seems to be attaining to culture. Everything is being remixed and improved in all forms of media, not just YouTube.
YouTube, and other new types of "writing" have become the new literacy to humans; a new form of expression. This type of expression has emphasized a new form of freedom to writers and readers, and this is what becomes the problem of underselling talents of artists in new media.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
We Are The Media
Whether we, as viewers of a television show or film, have the ability to put ourselves into the "reality" of imagination, still thrive to be a part of new media. The object of becoming consumers becomes increasingly intelligent to the idea of convergence with new media. With consumers representing old media with a new twist on art and technology, convergence begins to overturn one or the other and conform with both ideas of an artist in new media, with a new updated strategies of marketing.
Convergence Culture depicts the idea of convergence culture , "where old and new media collide, where grassroots and corporate media intersect, where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways" (Jenkins 2). Old and new media collide? The idea seems simple when considering any aspect of media. Beginning with sitcom television shows, a theme is usually based on a stereotypical family and their everyday problems they must face. These shows represent with minor and many tweaks, the same source of "reality", representing old and new media, just with better technology.
Those that represent a better source of new media, are represented through large markets, such as Coca-Cola and American Idol, two very different aspects of the corporate world. Automobile corporations, clothing companies, and even restaurants must all keep up with technology and culture. Brands such as Coca-Cola, are built upon many contacts between the brand and the consumer. The connection promotes interest on an audience that continues long term. The intensification of how these companies draw in consumers, ables the company to break through "clutter" and create convergence, making technology apparant to old and new technology. Marketing becomes apparant in increasing profits in a company, and convergence into new media.
So, becoming a part, in some way, of these television shows, increases our ability to cope and communicate with new media. The "reality" of these shows, promote marketing, and in return a viewers investment in a company, allowing for new media to come through, at the expense of the viewer.
Convergence Culture depicts the idea of convergence culture , "where old and new media collide, where grassroots and corporate media intersect, where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways" (Jenkins 2). Old and new media collide? The idea seems simple when considering any aspect of media. Beginning with sitcom television shows, a theme is usually based on a stereotypical family and their everyday problems they must face. These shows represent with minor and many tweaks, the same source of "reality", representing old and new media, just with better technology.
Those that represent a better source of new media, are represented through large markets, such as Coca-Cola and American Idol, two very different aspects of the corporate world. Automobile corporations, clothing companies, and even restaurants must all keep up with technology and culture. Brands such as Coca-Cola, are built upon many contacts between the brand and the consumer. The connection promotes interest on an audience that continues long term. The intensification of how these companies draw in consumers, ables the company to break through "clutter" and create convergence, making technology apparant to old and new technology. Marketing becomes apparant in increasing profits in a company, and convergence into new media.
So, becoming a part, in some way, of these television shows, increases our ability to cope and communicate with new media. The "reality" of these shows, promote marketing, and in return a viewers investment in a company, allowing for new media to come through, at the expense of the viewer.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Challenging Humankind
"Any industrial technology that dramatically extends our capabilities also makes us uneasy by challenging our concept of humanity itself" (Murray 1). New media is used to extend our ability to communicate. The computer is a truly revolutionary invention humankind uses to merge into art. "All media are extensions of ourselves serve to provide new transforming vision and awareness," quoted in Hamlet on the Holodeck, by Marshall McLuhan.
A new vision of humanity comes from the idea of storytelling, which is created through computers. Famous literary critic, Northrop Frye, knew "it was possible to believe that the formal beauty of literary art is an expression of its deeper truth" (Murray 4). As with everything, in reality or the imaginary, stories do not tell the whole truth about the world. The accepted beliefs are created by society based upon the art created in its new age. The tendency of technology to overpower the imagination, has been directed to the senses of vision and hearing with immediacy, gearing the psychological aspects towards a better life with technology.
By depicting reality, integrating interactivity, and creating simulations, human awareness is raised to believe that technology is art, and art is the future. The future, representing the real world and the imaginations of the creator. Converging media into daily life has challenged art in the age of new media. "The technical and economic cultivation of this fertile new medium of communication has led to several new varieties of narrative entertainment" (28). Digital storytelling has led artists to recreate the imagination and tradition. "New narrative traditions do not arise out of the blue. A particular technology of communication--the printing press, the movie camera, the radio--may startle us when it first arrives on the scene, but the traditions of storytelling are continuous and feed into one another both in content and in form" (28). Media Convergence affects movies, television, plays, etc. to bend the boundaries of print (old) storytelling.
The age of new media represents humanity as real. Reality television is used to promote the active audience. As Murray states, a writer must expand a story to include multiple possibles for a reader to assume an active role. Imagination, vision, and awareness, is used to obtain a creative mind, therefore becoming an artist in the age of new media (38). Allowing a reader the tools to create what he/she believes to be true, paves way for self-awareness. By not giving a reader one way of interpreting a story, but the many possibilities of a blank page, the reader is challenged to provide a unique meaning, catering to the art of the new world.
A new vision of humanity comes from the idea of storytelling, which is created through computers. Famous literary critic, Northrop Frye, knew "it was possible to believe that the formal beauty of literary art is an expression of its deeper truth" (Murray 4). As with everything, in reality or the imaginary, stories do not tell the whole truth about the world. The accepted beliefs are created by society based upon the art created in its new age. The tendency of technology to overpower the imagination, has been directed to the senses of vision and hearing with immediacy, gearing the psychological aspects towards a better life with technology.
By depicting reality, integrating interactivity, and creating simulations, human awareness is raised to believe that technology is art, and art is the future. The future, representing the real world and the imaginations of the creator. Converging media into daily life has challenged art in the age of new media. "The technical and economic cultivation of this fertile new medium of communication has led to several new varieties of narrative entertainment" (28). Digital storytelling has led artists to recreate the imagination and tradition. "New narrative traditions do not arise out of the blue. A particular technology of communication--the printing press, the movie camera, the radio--may startle us when it first arrives on the scene, but the traditions of storytelling are continuous and feed into one another both in content and in form" (28). Media Convergence affects movies, television, plays, etc. to bend the boundaries of print (old) storytelling.
The age of new media represents humanity as real. Reality television is used to promote the active audience. As Murray states, a writer must expand a story to include multiple possibles for a reader to assume an active role. Imagination, vision, and awareness, is used to obtain a creative mind, therefore becoming an artist in the age of new media (38). Allowing a reader the tools to create what he/she believes to be true, paves way for self-awareness. By not giving a reader one way of interpreting a story, but the many possibilities of a blank page, the reader is challenged to provide a unique meaning, catering to the art of the new world.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Me Myself and I
My name is Francesca Massey, and I have been attending Macon State since 2007. I plan to graduate Summer 2010 or maybe even a semester before with a Bachelors degree in CIT. Although the classes offered this summer were very limited for me, I have high hopes this class will be interesting and informative on what "new art" means in "new media."
I live in Warner Robins with my sister who also attends Macon State, and we have two beautiful huskies as our babies...who are also spoiled brats. I work as a waitress, and although I complain about customers alot, I also am very used to it by now. Its been four years as of next month, and will continue another year until I receive my degree!
I live in Warner Robins with my sister who also attends Macon State, and we have two beautiful huskies as our babies...who are also spoiled brats. I work as a waitress, and although I complain about customers alot, I also am very used to it by now. Its been four years as of next month, and will continue another year until I receive my degree!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
