I am a fool who thinks far too much and does far too little. I should be doing art but imma go shitpost on discord instead. Primarily I utilize drawing in my art practise but in recent months I have begun to explore the digital realm and it’s effects on theory, praxis and my own perception of reality.
I intend to negotiate the themes of reality and hyperreality in this course and explore the simulacrum.
Essentially, from what I can gather from Burke’s ramblings is this: Man is the instigator and the primary force against entropy. It would appear that to Burke, the definition of man is not a biological being but a force of nature that rebels against the “primal”, “wild” and “unpredictable” nature around it. Man is seperate from all the beasts of the Earth due to its ability to conceptualize and symbolize. The unique ability to take abstract concepts and represent them allow the species to usurp the natural order and take control of the world.
But. Is that good? It would appear that from reading the Industrial Society and Its Future, this tendency for the species to ignore the natural order and mold the planet and society into its own image is leading humanity into a dark time. Theodore Kaczynski argues that industrialization and modern technology has spoiled humanity and removed it from the honesty of good ole hard work and relationships built on that. In his eyes society has decayed due to rampant materialistic desires and the presence of activities not essential for survival. He views pre-industrial societies as noble, hardworking and probably much better than what we have now,
However, its laughable to someone with half a brain. The average life expectancy in pre-industrial society was much lower than it is now. The fact that individuals have the time in their lives to contemplate and attain higher pursuits owes a large part to the fact that human technology either makes the task of surviving easier or automated. Kaczynski would not be able to receive the education and have the opportunities he had if it was not for technology and its effect on human society through the ages. Going back to a pre-industrial society would also herald a likely return to tribalism and less democratic and free forms of society. He holds a disturbingly romantic view of primitive society, so much so that I question whether he studied history at all.
He does make some interesting and somewhat valid points about materialism and the effect of popular culture and media on people. In questioning current forms of leisure, it does seem evident that many skills and ideas are lost with the ages. But he does this in such a convoluted and idiotic way that its difficult to truly take him seriously.
What is a man? A miserable pile of secrets. The colluding of man and machine, man and technology has already happened. Ever since the discovery of the stone tool, the bone club and the fire branch man has linked itself inextricably to technology. It is disgusting yet glorious.
My final project delves into the relationship of technology to the human desire to create. Inspired by the experimental film “Koyaanisqatsi”, this small film attempts to appropriate videos taken from the internet and juxtapose them with sounds modulated and created from a human voice. The title speaks to how the audio was created and it is juxtaposed with images both celebrating and showcasing humanity’s mastery of technology and its capacity of destruction with it. This film is not meant to have an overall meaning. Rather it is an exercise in juxtaposition and exploration of the very concept of technology as it applies to humanity as a whole.
I am a fool who thinks far too much and does far too little. I should be doing art but imma go shitpost on discord instead. Primarily I utilize drawing in my art practise but in recent months I have begun to explore the digital realm and it’s effects on theory, praxis and my own perception of reality.
I intend to negotiate the themes of reality and hyperreality in this course and explore the simulacrum.
WEEK 2 – What is Man?
Essentially, from what I can gather from Burke’s ramblings is this: Man is the instigator and the primary force against entropy. It would appear that to Burke, the definition of man is not a biological being but a force of nature that rebels against the “primal”, “wild” and “unpredictable” nature around it. Man is seperate from all the beasts of the Earth due to its ability to conceptualize and symbolize. The unique ability to take abstract concepts and represent them allow the species to usurp the natural order and take control of the world.
But. Is that good? It would appear that from reading the Industrial Society and Its Future, this tendency for the species to ignore the natural order and mold the planet and society into its own image is leading humanity into a dark time. Theodore Kaczynski argues that industrialization and modern technology has spoiled humanity and removed it from the honesty of good ole hard work and relationships built on that. In his eyes society has decayed due to rampant materialistic desires and the presence of activities not essential for survival. He views pre-industrial societies as noble, hardworking and probably much better than what we have now,
However, its laughable to someone with half a brain. The average life expectancy in pre-industrial society was much lower than it is now. The fact that individuals have the time in their lives to contemplate and attain higher pursuits owes a large part to the fact that human technology either makes the task of surviving easier or automated. Kaczynski would not be able to receive the education and have the opportunities he had if it was not for technology and its effect on human society through the ages. Going back to a pre-industrial society would also herald a likely return to tribalism and less democratic and free forms of society. He holds a disturbingly romantic view of primitive society, so much so that I question whether he studied history at all.
He does make some interesting and somewhat valid points about materialism and the effect of popular culture and media on people. In questioning current forms of leisure, it does seem evident that many skills and ideas are lost with the ages. But he does this in such a convoluted and idiotic way that its difficult to truly take him seriously.
What is a man? A miserable pile of secrets. The colluding of man and machine, man and technology has already happened. Ever since the discovery of the stone tool, the bone club and the fire branch man has linked itself inextricably to technology. It is disgusting yet glorious.
https://vimeo.com/254005402
https://vimeo.com/255002830
https://vimeo.com/263460232
My final project delves into the relationship of technology to the human desire to create. Inspired by the experimental film “Koyaanisqatsi”, this small film attempts to appropriate videos taken from the internet and juxtapose them with sounds modulated and created from a human voice. The title speaks to how the audio was created and it is juxtaposed with images both celebrating and showcasing humanity’s mastery of technology and its capacity of destruction with it. This film is not meant to have an overall meaning. Rather it is an exercise in juxtaposition and exploration of the very concept of technology as it applies to humanity as a whole.