a few things

I had a lot of trouble reading both “Cognitive Mapping” and “The Precession of Simulcra.” I did notice however, a connection between the youtube video we watched in class and The Precession of Simulcra. The video we watched in class sparks the question, “Are we using the machine or is the machine using us?” Likewise, Baudrillard states, “’You no longer watch TV, it is TV that watches you,” (29) and “The TV watching us, TV alienates us, TV manipulates us, TV informs us” (30). This expresses the feeling of paranoia that increases with the growth and usage of machines and computers.

I don’t understand how/why were are supposed to think of the media as “a kind of genetic code that directs the mutation of the real into the hyperreal” (30). What does that mean? Does the media have ultimate control over a content? Can it not be manipulated otherwise? Is this a bad thing?

In Snow Crash, I found Juanita’s feelings about metaverse interesting: “But Juanita never comes to The Black Sun anymore. Partly, she’s pissed at Da5id and the other hackers who never appreciated her work. But she has also decided that the whole thing is bogus. That no matter how good it is, the Metaverse is distorting the way people talk to each other, and she wants no such distortion in her relationships.” I agree with her. I believe our version of the metaverse, the internet, and talking via iChat, AIM, or email does somewhat affect the way our current generation speaks and interacts with each other. First of all it has created ridiculous lingo, like “gtg,” “brb,” and “lol.” I cringe when I hear middle schoolers speak in internet language. Secondly, people are more inclined to share private information. Thirdly, teens who spend all their time on the internet will have a terrible time developing appropriate social skills. As of now, I wouldn’t say that simulations like Second Life is extremely popular, at least around the people I hang out with and as far as I know on the Brown campus. I wonder if it will ever get to the point where it will be a big thing and everyone will just hang out, or attend class and learn through computer simulations.