“Freeze Frame”

“Freeze Frame: Sound in the Era of Digital Networks,” by Ken Jordan and Paul Miller, was an interesting look into what the internet and digital music has brought to us. It’s true what they state in the article that we were forced into this context based world of interactions with the computer rather then a physical person. We of course choose to put ourselves on the computer to do so, but I haven’t personally thought of going on the internet as something like that. It gives a new perspective in what our interactions entail. There’s no saying the person your interacting with is really a person, and it wouldn’t matter either way as long as the person got what he/she was looking for; whether that be information or a download of some kind. I have personal experience with this kind of thing on AIM. They have bots that you can actually have a conversation with and if you didn’t already know that they were bots you would be easily fooled. They answer your questions and even asks you questions to answer. The only way you’re thrown back into reality that this is a bot, is when their answers repeat and if you ask for the weather your given a specific link to your state within milli-seconds.

Music has truly grown with the internet and all the digital capabilities it allows you. The article gave a great perspective on just how much has evolved which allows the person to find exactly what they’re wanting whether it’s a bootleg or not. My own brother is a DJ, and the use of the computer and free music provided allows him an easy access to make his music that he loves.  It really has grown whether it’s a good or bad thing, it could be both in regards to legalities and what the music artists think about it all.  There’s always arguments on each and each argument has a good reason.  I personally feel that the internet is still pretty new and thanks to this there’s no real way to provide more benefits to those artists that could be getting ripped off, but that’s the risk you take when such a new thing comes out giving the ability for all to use tunes for their specific idea; whether for their personal use, or a more profitable use.

The article was very informative with all that took place over the years and what’s to come in the future.  It’s only going to grow even more and provide even more avenues for people to interact in the digital world that has become more then an interaction with people, but an interaction with the computer itself.  It’s a whole new process and a whole new way of life that’s just going to keep getting stronger and more entrenched.

The article:

http://www.williamlmoore.com/images/advanced/Freeze%20Frame.pdf

“Simulacra and Simulations”

In reading “Simulacra and Simulations,” by Jean Baudrillard, I was trying to understand the point it would have in regards to Digital Imaging, but didn’t see that there was one.  Regardless though, the reading was a deep look into our so called “truths” or “reality” that we look upon or interact with, in our daily lives.  There’s these so called real happenings going on around us when really it’s a simulated reality.  Baudrillard, from my understanding, was saying that nothing in this world holds complete truth like it did before.  This “truth” that we all take as real is just a simulaton of the real. 

Looking at Disneyland as the example gave a better understanding of what all this meant.  Adults take their children to a place where they can play the child as well.  Where really, Disneyland is just another avenue for the adult to act childish, an adult that acts this way even outside the theme park.  It’s a simulated fantasy world that has forms of reality, but it’s masked with all the characters and rides.  I never really saw it that way myself and at first I was a bit skeptical at what Baudrillard was even getting at, but I can see now that it could be seen this way. 

Reading further at all the covered up “truths” of our simulated reality, there’s a section where Baudrillard gives an example of if you were to simulate a fake hold up.  You make sure your gun is fake or not loaded and have the most trust worthy hostage.  You demand ransom and go through all the steps, getting a wide range of aired telecasts about this fake hold up that every one thinks is real.  Well the downfall to this simulation is the real will soon show it’s ugly head.  The police would shoot on sight and even though your weapon is harmless, they don’t know this.  So even though it’s simulated and not real to you, it’s very real to the world watching.  This was very interesting in regards to all the covered up stories that are told on the media today, or even all the things that Baudrillard discusses in this article (such as Watergate).  What’s true and what’ false?  Is there ever a way to truly know?  I have these questions still unanswered for me even with reading the article.  It’s gets you thinking, and it’s a bit disturbing to think that events that have happened are just covered up simulations, fake hold ups and fake stories that we all believe and we believe it blindly without question.  How would we think to question it though?  Most people feel the government in power is (or was, these days) on a high pedastal making all these important discisions, handling things the right way, but that’s all put in question with the article… even if that’s not what Baudrillard wanted.  That’s how I’ve taken the information, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t already questioned things before reading this, it just makes you think of other things that wouldn’t normally be thought of as a simulated look into a reality that we may never truly know as reality.  At least not a true reality.   

The article:

http://www.williamlmoore.com/images/advanced/Baudrillard_Simulacra_and_Simulations.pdf