A Pretty Sorry Show

Nicodemus's picture
published by Nicodemus on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 16:15

  “Thanks to the computer, a notable idealistic dimension has been added to what would otherwise be a pretty sorry show” (19).  

The computer has become our cyber-mirror.  It has become our black pillar illustrated in Kubrick’s film “2001: A Space Oddysey.”  We tell it our secrets and expect it to crystallize our ideas and become something new, something priceless.  Is that want technology wants?  In Kevin Kelly’s “What Technology Wants” we find his answer to the previous question: “It wants what we want.”  In Spielberg’s “A.I.” we find a robot wanting love, wanting to be loved.  Why?  Because that’s want we (humans) want.  Because the robot was designed to simulate a human, it simulates our emotions, including our wants and desires.  In Asimov’s “I, Robot,” however, we find robots rebelling against humans, and controlling them.  There is nothing outrages about this idea.  Why?  Because we want to be free from oppression, free from being hurt and used.  Hence, is it not a natural outcome for simulated humans (robots) to become simulated masters?  I wonder, will we ever be subject to our computers?  And is this how Burke views language?  Will we ever be free from language?  Indeed, we do live in pretty sorry place, at least for the time being.   

Oh poetry, please save us,

I will wait for thee there,

at the place called Helhaven.    

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keoni25's picture

keoni25

Tue, 04/26/2011 - 17:02

There's a fascinating conversation to be had about LaSA's relationship to computers.  He uses it as a continual touchstone throughout Mind, Body, and the Unconscious as well as other essays.

 

 

Stephen's picture

Stephen

Tue, 04/26/2011 - 17:05

Doo we live in a pretty sorry place?  Do we?  Even if we do, I, at this moment, am choosing to disagree.

Nicodemus's picture

Nicodemus

Tue, 04/26/2011 - 17:17

Hail to you my friend,

hail to the aligned stars above your head,

hail to the narrowed streets

and hollowed windows,

hail to thee for being in Helhaven.

gsouthe's picture

gsouthe

Tue, 04/26/2011 - 17:09

To what degree can we claim mastery of language?  Ans: well, at least "my" answer (or...an answer aggregated from others with which I'm likely to agree) -- not much.  Likewise, I like your question regarding becoming subject to "the machine" and suggest that we largely are already.  What concerns me, much like Hayles notes, is that the brain responds to the environment (and the environment is remediated); so, in a round-about way, we are in some ways mortgaging our minds through the apparatus of the modes of production...

Or, at least that's what the 'net told me ;).

Jimmy's picture

Jimmy

Tue, 04/26/2011 - 17:09

I'd say we live in a sorry place.  But there's still fun to be had here...

unreal's picture

unreal

Sat, 04/30/2011 - 16:57

There is a lot of fun to be had, I agree. That is really the best way to interpret life Jimmy Jim. I hope that you continue to work with the word play, even if it isn't going to be your focus for now!