"Language Bearers, Photographers, Diary Makers.
You with your memories are dead, frozen.
Lost in a present that never stops passing.
Here lives the incantation of matter.
A language forever."
Contemplate this until I see you on Friday.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Preview for August 20th Edition
"Language Bearers, Photographers, Diary Makers.
You with your memories are dead, frozen.
Lost in a present that never stops passing.
Here lives the incantation of matter.
A language forever."
Contemplate this until I see you on Friday.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Intrusion
The technique of using pop culture or consumerism against itself is not a new one. But like any type of controversial act, there must be a starting point or watershed. In the United States, the events on a chilly Chicago night in November, 1987 appears to have set a bizarre standard.
To have the proper perspective of this event, the year of 1987 must be taken into account. The U.S. had been contending with the failing theory of “Trickle Down” economics. Crack cocaine had become a major problem in many cities, met with a police response that was simply not strong enough to match it. The Iran-Contra affair was still a fresh wound, and the Cold War with the Soviet Union was still a black specter hanging over the consciousness of the country. The “Me Generation” had come into being, as such, the 1980s as a whole are remembered as a time period of crass consumerism. In response, a genre of fiction known as “cyberpunk” became popular. Generally set in a near and dystopian future ruled by large corporations, corrupt governments, and saturated in high technology, Cyberpunk stories focused on individuals, often disenfranchised or disillusioned, throwing themselves at the world in an attempt to break down the metaphorical walls of an oppressive world.
One of the most commercially successful pieces of Cyberpunk was Max Headroom. Set in a future of dangerous, aggressive marketing and technology gone awry, the memories and psyche of an investigative journalist are loaded into a computer network. This entity, whose name forms the title of the series, assists freedom fighters with combating this repressive regime. In an irony seemingly lost on many companies (which, in hindsight, is wholly befitting of the 1980s,) the character and image of Max Headroom became associated with Coca-Cola products through a series of television advertisements.
Viewers of the Chicago, Illinois based WGN news broadcast at 9pm were surprised and disturbed to see the nightly sports highlights interrupted by a strange sight. A man wearing a latex rubber Max Headroom mask behaving wildly in front of a sheet of corrugated metal, accompanied by a loud, atonal buzzing noise. WGN engineers, realizing what was going on, changed transmitter, leaving anchorman Dan Roan flustered and perplexed on screen, saying “If you are wondering what just happened, so am I.” At 11:15pm, WTTW, another local Chicago station was struck. This time, audio as well as video came through. For 90 seconds, WTTW viewers watched again as “Max” again to act erratically, mocking Coca-Cola ad slogans, make strange comments regarding dirty gloves, and in a surreal turn, remove his pants to be spanked by an individual off-screen wielding a fly swatter.
This is not, however, the first act of T.V. broadcast piracy. In 1977, a ITN in England news update (which aired on British Southern Broadcasting station) had it’s audio pirated by an individual claiming to be an extraterrestrial who delivered a message claiming to be offering humans world peace and salvation. In 1986, an individual identifying himself as “Captain Midnight” broke through a HBO broadcast with a text complaining about HBO’s monthly prices.
The “Max Headroom Piracy Incident,” as it’s widely known, is exceedingly strange for a number of reasons. Previous signal pirates seemed to have some sort of purpose or message to be conveyed. “Max,” on the other hand, seemed to have little intention beyond hurling irrational insults at local TV stations, humming the theme to a cartoon show, taunting soft drink manufacturers, and to be publicly spanked. One could argue that the acts of the individuals responsible for this act foreshadowed groups such as The Cacophony Society (a band of pranksters from 1970s San Francisco) or Anonymous (Internet hackers, activists, and “trolls” who utilizes websites such as 4chan.)
The television series and adverts featuring Max Headroom have since faded into (no pun intended) virtual obscurity, and are generally relegated to nostalgia, effectively disappearing from the pop-cultural consciousness nearly as quickly as it arrived. There is an irony to the fact that someone using the visage of a character designed to satirize a highly technological world actually being outlived by a further bowdlerization of itself. To date, the persons responsible for the “Max Headroom Piracy Incident” have never been caught, nor has anyone come forward to claim responsibility.
To have the proper perspective of this event, the year of 1987 must be taken into account. The U.S. had been contending with the failing theory of “Trickle Down” economics. Crack cocaine had become a major problem in many cities, met with a police response that was simply not strong enough to match it. The Iran-Contra affair was still a fresh wound, and the Cold War with the Soviet Union was still a black specter hanging over the consciousness of the country. The “Me Generation” had come into being, as such, the 1980s as a whole are remembered as a time period of crass consumerism. In response, a genre of fiction known as “cyberpunk” became popular. Generally set in a near and dystopian future ruled by large corporations, corrupt governments, and saturated in high technology, Cyberpunk stories focused on individuals, often disenfranchised or disillusioned, throwing themselves at the world in an attempt to break down the metaphorical walls of an oppressive world.
One of the most commercially successful pieces of Cyberpunk was Max Headroom. Set in a future of dangerous, aggressive marketing and technology gone awry, the memories and psyche of an investigative journalist are loaded into a computer network. This entity, whose name forms the title of the series, assists freedom fighters with combating this repressive regime. In an irony seemingly lost on many companies (which, in hindsight, is wholly befitting of the 1980s,) the character and image of Max Headroom became associated with Coca-Cola products through a series of television advertisements.
Viewers of the Chicago, Illinois based WGN news broadcast at 9pm were surprised and disturbed to see the nightly sports highlights interrupted by a strange sight. A man wearing a latex rubber Max Headroom mask behaving wildly in front of a sheet of corrugated metal, accompanied by a loud, atonal buzzing noise. WGN engineers, realizing what was going on, changed transmitter, leaving anchorman Dan Roan flustered and perplexed on screen, saying “If you are wondering what just happened, so am I.” At 11:15pm, WTTW, another local Chicago station was struck. This time, audio as well as video came through. For 90 seconds, WTTW viewers watched again as “Max” again to act erratically, mocking Coca-Cola ad slogans, make strange comments regarding dirty gloves, and in a surreal turn, remove his pants to be spanked by an individual off-screen wielding a fly swatter.
This is not, however, the first act of T.V. broadcast piracy. In 1977, a ITN in England news update (which aired on British Southern Broadcasting station) had it’s audio pirated by an individual claiming to be an extraterrestrial who delivered a message claiming to be offering humans world peace and salvation. In 1986, an individual identifying himself as “Captain Midnight” broke through a HBO broadcast with a text complaining about HBO’s monthly prices.
The “Max Headroom Piracy Incident,” as it’s widely known, is exceedingly strange for a number of reasons. Previous signal pirates seemed to have some sort of purpose or message to be conveyed. “Max,” on the other hand, seemed to have little intention beyond hurling irrational insults at local TV stations, humming the theme to a cartoon show, taunting soft drink manufacturers, and to be publicly spanked. One could argue that the acts of the individuals responsible for this act foreshadowed groups such as The Cacophony Society (a band of pranksters from 1970s San Francisco) or Anonymous (Internet hackers, activists, and “trolls” who utilizes websites such as 4chan.)
The television series and adverts featuring Max Headroom have since faded into (no pun intended) virtual obscurity, and are generally relegated to nostalgia, effectively disappearing from the pop-cultural consciousness nearly as quickly as it arrived. There is an irony to the fact that someone using the visage of a character designed to satirize a highly technological world actually being outlived by a further bowdlerization of itself. To date, the persons responsible for the “Max Headroom Piracy Incident” have never been caught, nor has anyone come forward to claim responsibility.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Another Preview
Where were you on the night of November 22nd, 1987? If you were in Chicago, Illinois on that night, this story requires no introduction.
If not, however, come back on Friday. I have something to show you.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
This Week
I will not be posting a new article this week as I am taking time to come up with a handful of new topics to work on. I hope to have some sort of "teaser" up when I get the subject matter all squared away.
See you soon!
See you soon!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
A Test Of Character
A common stereotype of young men is that they may be able to forge strong friendships out of confrontations with one another. Perhaps no group proves this more than the traditional fraternal organizations of German Universities.
The practice of dueling and training with swords is likely as old as the sword itself. During the 15th and 16th century, most well-to-do gentlemen would not leave their home unarmed. Weapons such as the rapier and smallsword were indispensable in a world populated by territorial political conflict and violent robberies while on the road. Young men attending college, who were invariably the descendants of wealth or nobility, would bring their weapons with them while traveling between campus and home. It does not take much imagination to see that young me, away from home, would come in to conflict with one another. The blood y and often lethal encounters were common enough to warrant multiple fencing schools forming in most major cities.
By the late 17th century, dueling was so common place that laws and customs were developed to attempt to set some restraint around this dangerous activity. By the end of the 18th century, most men of the aristocracy had been involved one or more duels, and laws eventually passed to outlaw this activity. This did not, however, change the fact that sword-play had become engrained into the cultural fabric of Europe. In France, blunted swords designed for thrusting (the forerunner of the modern Fencing Foil) were popular for men interested in sword training. The Germans, on the other hand, came to prefer a different sword for the “Gentlemanly Art.” This weapon, called a Schlager, was a heavy saber with a large bell or basket shaped hand guard, was used for slashing and cutting rather the thrusting weapons found elsewhere.
What separates Mensur, the Schlager Fencing art of German Student Unions, are three important facts. First, Mensur combat is not about winning or losing. While there are a number of traditions that surround this art, the purpose of Mensur is ultimately “character building.” Secondly, Mensur is a “static” art. Most people who are familiar with “traditional” Fencing are used to seeing the competitors moving and lunging at lightning speed across a platform. In Mensur, the combatants stand only a few feet apart, without dodging or feinting, and attack each other while standing in place. The largest distinction, however, that separate Mensur from other “sport” Fencing forms is that the blades of the Schlagers are razor sharp.
It is difficult to comprehend why seemingly intelligent young men (according to tradition, women are not supposed to join this activity) would engage in such a fool-hardy and dangerous activity. Viewed historically, however, Mensur dueling is not unique. The practice of young men and women training in formalized or ritualized combat as an educational experience is common across a multitude of cultures. The Nguni, a tribe within the Bantu language group of Central Africa, train young men in a form of staff fighting. Japanese school children, often times throughout High School and College, may study Judo (an aggressive form of wrestling emphasizing chokes holds and joint-breaking locks) Kendo (a form of Fencing that is rooted in the study of the Japanese Katana sword,) and Atarashii Naginata (Fencing with bamboo poles, based on a Samurai Polearm.) It could even be argued that American football could be seen as a form of ritualized group warfare.
Though made illegal by the Nazis in World War Two, Mensur has seen a slow return to practice since the 1950’s. While not every Fraternal organization on every campus takes part in this activity, groups who do take pride in being seen as “Fighting Fraternities.” Those individuals who participate in this sport now wear protection for the eyes, throat, sword-arm and chest, participants still stick to the tradition of striking for the face. In fact, a young man who has a Schmiss, or scar from a Mensur engagement, is considered to have a mark of distinction on his face.
It’s impossible to predict the future of Mensur. Provided that young men, loaded with a sense of invincibility and testosterone, the future of German Academic Fencing is likely bright, if not bloody and unpleasant.
The practice of dueling and training with swords is likely as old as the sword itself. During the 15th and 16th century, most well-to-do gentlemen would not leave their home unarmed. Weapons such as the rapier and smallsword were indispensable in a world populated by territorial political conflict and violent robberies while on the road. Young men attending college, who were invariably the descendants of wealth or nobility, would bring their weapons with them while traveling between campus and home. It does not take much imagination to see that young me, away from home, would come in to conflict with one another. The blood y and often lethal encounters were common enough to warrant multiple fencing schools forming in most major cities.
By the late 17th century, dueling was so common place that laws and customs were developed to attempt to set some restraint around this dangerous activity. By the end of the 18th century, most men of the aristocracy had been involved one or more duels, and laws eventually passed to outlaw this activity. This did not, however, change the fact that sword-play had become engrained into the cultural fabric of Europe. In France, blunted swords designed for thrusting (the forerunner of the modern Fencing Foil) were popular for men interested in sword training. The Germans, on the other hand, came to prefer a different sword for the “Gentlemanly Art.” This weapon, called a Schlager, was a heavy saber with a large bell or basket shaped hand guard, was used for slashing and cutting rather the thrusting weapons found elsewhere.What separates Mensur, the Schlager Fencing art of German Student Unions, are three important facts. First, Mensur combat is not about winning or losing. While there are a number of traditions that surround this art, the purpose of Mensur is ultimately “character building.” Secondly, Mensur is a “static” art. Most people who are familiar with “traditional” Fencing are used to seeing the competitors moving and lunging at lightning speed across a platform. In Mensur, the combatants stand only a few feet apart, without dodging or feinting, and attack each other while standing in place. The largest distinction, however, that separate Mensur from other “sport” Fencing forms is that the blades of the Schlagers are razor sharp.
It is difficult to comprehend why seemingly intelligent young men (according to tradition, women are not supposed to join this activity) would engage in such a fool-hardy and dangerous activity. Viewed historically, however, Mensur dueling is not unique. The practice of young men and women training in formalized or ritualized combat as an educational experience is common across a multitude of cultures. The Nguni, a tribe within the Bantu language group of Central Africa, train young men in a form of staff fighting. Japanese school children, often times throughout High School and College, may study Judo (an aggressive form of wrestling emphasizing chokes holds and joint-breaking locks) Kendo (a form of Fencing that is rooted in the study of the Japanese Katana sword,) and Atarashii Naginata (Fencing with bamboo poles, based on a Samurai Polearm.) It could even be argued that American football could be seen as a form of ritualized group warfare.
Though made illegal by the Nazis in World War Two, Mensur has seen a slow return to practice since the 1950’s. While not every Fraternal organization on every campus takes part in this activity, groups who do take pride in being seen as “Fighting Fraternities.” Those individuals who participate in this sport now wear protection for the eyes, throat, sword-arm and chest, participants still stick to the tradition of striking for the face. In fact, a young man who has a Schmiss, or scar from a Mensur engagement, is considered to have a mark of distinction on his face.
It’s impossible to predict the future of Mensur. Provided that young men, loaded with a sense of invincibility and testosterone, the future of German Academic Fencing is likely bright, if not bloody and unpleasant.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Valley of The Dolls?
As previously noted, one of the cornerstones of horror lies in things not happening as expected. While this is principle is easy to apply in the context of fiction, why is it so true yet so seemingly difficult to explain in the context of real life?
You would be hard pressed in this day and age to find someone living in an industrialized nation who hasn’t seen a Warner Bros. or Disney cartoon. There seems, on a base level, to be an innate charm to vaguely humanoid creatures gifted with speech and independent thought. Furthermore, Humans have a tendency to assign human characteristics to animals and other non-human entities. This habit is called Anthropomorphism. One need only take a brief stroll through mythology and fable to discover that this habit permeates nearly all elements of history and human experience.
So what would happen if you house pet began to speak?
While Science Fiction is full of seemingly human entities, actual science is only now beginning to make headway towards convincing replicas of human beings. Until recently, Robots have served a functional purpose in industry and mechanics for years, but Androids (robots which function to replicate human beings) have yet to find a function, in part due to failing to actually replicate people convincingly.
Japan and South Korea, both having a cultural and industrial leaning towards technology, have become leaders in the field of robotics research and development. The Intelligent Robotics Lab of Osaka University teamed with the Kokoro Co., Ltd. To produce an android called DER 2. A complex arrangement of servomotors and pressurized air allow this machine to mimic a wide variety of human mannerisms (though it is still incapable of independent movement.) Not to be outdone, a research group with the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, led by Baeg Moon-hong, unveiled EveR-1, a female android capable of limited speech in English and Korean, emotional display and response, as well as making and keeping eye contact. 
As fascinating as these development may be, an almost inevitable reaction to any sort of humanoid automaton that replicates the actions of people is discomfort. While this seems counter-intuitive, humans seem almost hard-wired to want robots and other creations to look and behave like robots, and can only tolerate a small amount of human appearance and behavior from them.
Sigmund Freud penned an essay in 1919 entitled The Uncanny. The article expanded upon an article written in 1906 by Ernst Jentsch, which described how cognitive dissonance is sometimes caused by a sensation of an item or experience being foreign and familiar all at once. Regarding robots that behave or replicate human behavior, Mori Masahiro may have an explanation.
Mori, a roboticist coined the term Bukimi no Tani, or “The Uncanny Valley.” Mori theorized that human beings can identify and empathize with non-human entities more as they begin to look less like machines and more like organic creatures. However, the closer this thing comes close to perfect replication of the human form, something dramatic occurs. As a non-human begins to become indistinguishable from an actual human (or by extrapolation, if a corpse, which is already considered mildly unsettling, where to suddenly reanimate and crave the flesh of the living) humans stop view it as a robot acting like a person, but instead begin to view it as a human who is acting strangely, even behaving incorrectly. On a graph, subjective reaction to one of the entities can be measured as rising to a peak; as the entity grows more likable, the line grows vertically. Suddenly, the line drops due to being disturbed by the android or entity, causing a “valley” in the chart.
The “Uncanny Valley” reaction begs a question: Why do humans continue to strive toward perfecting a human replica when such a large section of the population will invariably be repulsed by the results? Perhaps the desire to assign an anthropomorphic quality to our surroundings and world is an inevitability. Humans being locked into our own perceptions and notions of consciousness need to project that framework onto reality. So when an entity that “should behave as we do” does not, we are horrified.
From this, two more questions emerge. At what point does this sense of disgust stop? Will we ever outgrow this sensation? Perhaps, the fear lies at this: what if we were to discover a soul in the machine, or perhaps, that we do not have really have one of our own.
You would be hard pressed in this day and age to find someone living in an industrialized nation who hasn’t seen a Warner Bros. or Disney cartoon. There seems, on a base level, to be an innate charm to vaguely humanoid creatures gifted with speech and independent thought. Furthermore, Humans have a tendency to assign human characteristics to animals and other non-human entities. This habit is called Anthropomorphism. One need only take a brief stroll through mythology and fable to discover that this habit permeates nearly all elements of history and human experience.
So what would happen if you house pet began to speak?
While Science Fiction is full of seemingly human entities, actual science is only now beginning to make headway towards convincing replicas of human beings. Until recently, Robots have served a functional purpose in industry and mechanics for years, but Androids (robots which function to replicate human beings) have yet to find a function, in part due to failing to actually replicate people convincingly.
Japan and South Korea, both having a cultural and industrial leaning towards technology, have become leaders in the field of robotics research and development. The Intelligent Robotics Lab of Osaka University teamed with the Kokoro Co., Ltd. To produce an android called DER 2. A complex arrangement of servomotors and pressurized air allow this machine to mimic a wide variety of human mannerisms (though it is still incapable of independent movement.) Not to be outdone, a research group with the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, led by Baeg Moon-hong, unveiled EveR-1, a female android capable of limited speech in English and Korean, emotional display and response, as well as making and keeping eye contact. 
As fascinating as these development may be, an almost inevitable reaction to any sort of humanoid automaton that replicates the actions of people is discomfort. While this seems counter-intuitive, humans seem almost hard-wired to want robots and other creations to look and behave like robots, and can only tolerate a small amount of human appearance and behavior from them.
Sigmund Freud penned an essay in 1919 entitled The Uncanny. The article expanded upon an article written in 1906 by Ernst Jentsch, which described how cognitive dissonance is sometimes caused by a sensation of an item or experience being foreign and familiar all at once. Regarding robots that behave or replicate human behavior, Mori Masahiro may have an explanation.
Mori, a roboticist coined the term Bukimi no Tani, or “The Uncanny Valley.” Mori theorized that human beings can identify and empathize with non-human entities more as they begin to look less like machines and more like organic creatures. However, the closer this thing comes close to perfect replication of the human form, something dramatic occurs. As a non-human begins to become indistinguishable from an actual human (or by extrapolation, if a corpse, which is already considered mildly unsettling, where to suddenly reanimate and crave the flesh of the living) humans stop view it as a robot acting like a person, but instead begin to view it as a human who is acting strangely, even behaving incorrectly. On a graph, subjective reaction to one of the entities can be measured as rising to a peak; as the entity grows more likable, the line grows vertically. Suddenly, the line drops due to being disturbed by the android or entity, causing a “valley” in the chart.
The “Uncanny Valley” reaction begs a question: Why do humans continue to strive toward perfecting a human replica when such a large section of the population will invariably be repulsed by the results? Perhaps the desire to assign an anthropomorphic quality to our surroundings and world is an inevitability. Humans being locked into our own perceptions and notions of consciousness need to project that framework onto reality. So when an entity that “should behave as we do” does not, we are horrified.
From this, two more questions emerge. At what point does this sense of disgust stop? Will we ever outgrow this sensation? Perhaps, the fear lies at this: what if we were to discover a soul in the machine, or perhaps, that we do not have really have one of our own.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
I Need Help!
I don't know about you but I am happy with the progress I am making here at The Obscuritan Journal. While the content comes pretty naturally to me, I need help with getting the word out about this blog.
So I'm asking my readers for a little advice. What is the best way, do you think, to generate some hits? I want this to become a website with a large readership (not that you guys and gals aren't great.)
So if any of you have any ideas regarding advertising or getting the word out, I am all ears. Contact me via my email (for those who have it,) Facebook, or leave a comment with a suggestion. I am all ears!
So I'm asking my readers for a little advice. What is the best way, do you think, to generate some hits? I want this to become a website with a large readership (not that you guys and gals aren't great.)
So if any of you have any ideas regarding advertising or getting the word out, I am all ears. Contact me via my email (for those who have it,) Facebook, or leave a comment with a suggestion. I am all ears!
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