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Hi Folks,<br>
<br>
Short time lurker (I just joined the list officially a few days ago),
but I'm already finding the conversation to be enlightening and I'm
looking forward to the conference in a couple weeks. I've been making
my way slowly
through the video introductions. I've posted these comments on Vimeo,
but
Trebor suggested it'd be useful to put them out on the list and who am
I to refuse an order to get to work!<br>
<br>
<a href="http://vimeo.com/6428435"><u>On Dominic Pettman</u></a><br>
<br>
I'm wondering what the functional role of metaphor is these days. Does
contemporary technology challenge the relationship between metaphor and
action that has so occupied critical theory for the past 50+ years? Are
we all cyborgs or are we all metaphors? Are they the same thing?<br>
<a href="http://vimeo.com/6428435"><br>
<u>On Saskia Sassen</u></a>
<br>
<br>
There is something really quite interesting about the setting up of
binaries in her provocative piece: we versus them; engineers versus
financial folks; electronic activists versus them. At some point, it
seems like "we" need to determine who the "we" is and how we are all
implicated in the progress of technology, for good or bad. The open
source movements are interesting examples of this type of energy,
though it's often the case that poor design and implementation are
encouraged precisely because of the revolutionary power of the free and
open "we." This promises to be a very interesting discussion.
Apparently, this conference is refocusing a great deal of my own
thinking on fundamental definitions.
<br>
<br>
I've also been thinking quite a bit about how I might direct some of my
thinking here, and have started to think about what book I might bring
to (re)read on the trip up. Michel de Certeau's <i>The Practice of
Everyday Life</i> is coming to mind a lot lately. It seems like it
might be time to update that work for the digital age.<br>
<br>
Looking forward to meeting everyone.<br>
<br>
Eddie<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Edward J. Maloney, Ph.D.
Director of Research & Development, CNDLS
Assistant Professor, Department of English
Georgetown University
email: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:ejm@georgetown.edu">ejm@georgetown.edu</a>
phone: (202) 687-9858
web: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://cndls.georgetown.edu">http://cndls.georgetown.edu</a></pre>
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