Eva Durant wrote:
>.....
>> Books by Beniger (The Control Revolution) and Kelly (Out of Control)
>> suggest, to me, the popularization of the ideas of cybernetics
>> (communication and control). Absorption by the general populace of such
>> ideas, reflected in current art (drugs and music (forms of control!)), may
>> inspire the changes in consciousness that you seek.
>>
>
>Very fuzzy stuff. The type of drugs and music we have at present plays
>more the role of the "opiate" than anything needed towards something
>"conscious" and constructive.
>Art has a role, I agree, the most remembered art
>in history worked to "enlighten" the people
>about the past and toward the future, made them think
>rather than putting them in a daze.
>
>Eva
You better believe it's fuzzy, chaotic even! There seems little doubt that
advertisers use art to influence behaviour subliminally. If art can be so
used explicitly, one has to wonder what other things in our environment are
influencing us and how? Many deplore the time spent by children playing
video games; others say it's a great way to acquire the habit of rapid
pattern recognition and quick response - in a world of convulsive change
that may well be a critical skill. But, of course, that is not the
conscious intent of video game manufacturers - at least, I doubt that it
is.
Tuning in, turning off: catch phrases of the '60s. Yet can the simple act
of turning electrical appliances and electric lights on and off be
conditioning us to view life the same way? Turn on a relationship; turn it
off when it's no longer rewarding. The matrix organization in which teams
come together to work on a project, then disperse when it's finished, is
another example. Networked manufacturing systems facilitate such practices.
Networked educational institutions will presumably exhibit similar
behaviour: academics on tap, not on top! Look to the US military for
interesting developments along the same line.
Historically, and one most people are familiar with, how did the print
environment change our attitudes to the church, state and one another?
And why did the Chinese lag behind the West technologically in spite of
having a head start in gunpowder, paper and hydraulic works? Because, so
we're told, they lacked the knowledge of perspective in art, and this
prevented them from developing an analytic mindset. They maintained what we
would consider a mediaeval consciousness until modern times.
Drugs and music are instruments of control but not necessarily at a
conscious level. That is, one can use them consciously to relieve stress,
inspire creativity, and alleviate many aches, pains and mental
disturbances. But what is happening at the subconscious level? New
environments are being created in the minds of those participating in such
activities as the rave and its like. (And there are bad drugs and good
drugs; bad music and good music: but which is which?)
I have no idea what such environments are, but I can speculate that they
may induce an attitude that, like playing video games, is appropriate
"training" for the emerging digital environment. It is probably not a good
parallel, but I wonder whether the current environmental activism was not
largely induced by TV and its dramatic images of earth from the viewpoint
of space. Once the mindset was established then came the many conscious
scientific investigations (jobs!!) to reinforce the preconceptions.
And, of course, all this can be directed toward the issue of Basic Income
(which may mean no need for income at all!). Remember the objective.
Whatever ....
Bob
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