Thursday, October 19, 2006
How *do* we relate to technology? This is a subjective question with variable answers, and the fact that Heidegger generalizes in his paper that we as an entity need to rethink our collective perspective on technology is oversimplifying the situation. Not everybody is enshrouded in their own little bubble, unaware of the implications of their actions. My argument sounds just as oversimplifying I'm sure, because as we discussed Heidegger is attempting to prove a point as well. For lack of a better (or real) word, I am all abstracted out. Therefore, I will move on to discuss the other topics from class.
The appeal in utilizing the theme of globalization/interrelatedness/unity lies in advertising's aim to appeal to our compassionate and human facets. To the extent that this theme has been used, it seems to be the "easy way" to attempt to capture our attention. Of course it is clear that the earth is what we human beings all have in common; however, the pessimist side of me says that this global and compassionate "fuzzy" feeling that we obtain from such commercials disappears once the screen zaps to the next commercial about the new apple-scented dish detergent. This earth theme in commercials so overused that after a while, all the similar sentiments just begin to cancel themselves out and lose their "magic". Sentiments like that are easy, "visual" methods of persuasion that tend to our emotions. It doesn't hurt to balance some of these means with some rational and informative pathways of persuasion as well.
About Google Earth... I'll be frank and say I've downloaded the software before and saved the amazing images I found while zooming into places such as Egypt, Australia and Monaco. Too bad I no longer have these images, or I would post them. As for this program's relevance to the reading, it does play on the "earth" theme in that once the program loads, we are presented with an ethereal image of the earth floating, as discussed, in a black vacuum. Some of the appeal, I believe, is the ease with which we can zoom into target locations and zoom out as we please. Somewhat reminiscent of the ending to Men in Black where once all zoomed out, Earth actually turns out to be a feeble marble used in a seemingly trivial game played by the aliens.
The appeal in utilizing the theme of globalization/interrelatedness/unity lies in advertising's aim to appeal to our compassionate and human facets. To the extent that this theme has been used, it seems to be the "easy way" to attempt to capture our attention. Of course it is clear that the earth is what we human beings all have in common; however, the pessimist side of me says that this global and compassionate "fuzzy" feeling that we obtain from such commercials disappears once the screen zaps to the next commercial about the new apple-scented dish detergent. This earth theme in commercials so overused that after a while, all the similar sentiments just begin to cancel themselves out and lose their "magic". Sentiments like that are easy, "visual" methods of persuasion that tend to our emotions. It doesn't hurt to balance some of these means with some rational and informative pathways of persuasion as well.
About Google Earth... I'll be frank and say I've downloaded the software before and saved the amazing images I found while zooming into places such as Egypt, Australia and Monaco. Too bad I no longer have these images, or I would post them. As for this program's relevance to the reading, it does play on the "earth" theme in that once the program loads, we are presented with an ethereal image of the earth floating, as discussed, in a black vacuum. Some of the appeal, I believe, is the ease with which we can zoom into target locations and zoom out as we please. Somewhat reminiscent of the ending to Men in Black where once all zoomed out, Earth actually turns out to be a feeble marble used in a seemingly trivial game played by the aliens.
# posted by Bonnie @ York : 6:01 PM
