"The power of the arts to anticipate future social and technological developments, by a generation and more, has long been recognized. In this century Ezra Pound called the artist "the antennae of the race." Art as radar acts as "an early alarm system," as it were, enabling us to discover social and psychic targets in lots of time and prepare to cope with them. This concept of the arts as prophetic, contrasts with the popular idea of them as mere self-expression" - Marshall McLuhan
The assignment is for you to help us further understand McLuhan's quotation cited above. What does it mean for art to be an early warning system? What does it warn us against? What is the role of the artist in the entanglement of SYSTEMS, CULTURES, and MEDIAS that we are a part?You may answer this question either by branching out, finding connections between the quotation and other things, such as the images above, to demonstrate your interpretation of this quotation. Alternatively, you can dig deeper inside McLuhan's text, and find places where he can help us understand the relationship between the artist and the reality in which he/she lives. You can also connect this claim to examples we've looked at in class.
For example: one easy way of completing this assignment could be to compare the two images that I've posted above and their connections to each other in the context of McLuhan's arguments about the Artist and his/her role in the culture in which we live. But there are many more. You can use any image, text, story, or thing you wish as long as you show the connection between these things.
A few ground rules:
* Make sure to substantiate your points. You can make whichever argument you want, but be sure not simply to express your opinion on the issue but use materials from class or elsewhere to demonstrate what you claim.
* Avoid broad generalizations. Focus on one or two details, a few specific sentences, with very specific examples. Take our analysis of "The Lottery" or the Toyota Ad in class as an example.
* Avoid broad generalizations. Focus on one or two details, a few specific sentences, with very specific examples. Take our analysis of "The Lottery" or the Toyota Ad in class as an example.
* Length: 2 paragraphs minimum. More if necessary. Posting images, videos, etc. is encouraged if it is relevant.
* Please reply to other posts. You can and should reference other people's posts in yours.
* Post your original post by creating a "new post" not by replying to this one.
* Post your original post by creating a "new post" not by replying to this one.
* A few tips on cooperative conversation set down set down by the linguist H. Paul Grice...
1) QUALITY. You are free to express any viewpoint on any issue, but you must back any statement you make with sufficient evidence. This will often mean citing a page in a book, or other relevant sources.
2) QUANTITY. Express your viewpoints thoroughly, with good argument and evidence; at the same time, avoid writing unnecessarily long or repetitive posts.
3) RELATION. Keep your posts and comments relevant. Read other people's posts -- including our posting assignments -- before you write posts or comments, and we'll keep a much more coherent conversation going.
4) MANNER. Write as clearly as possible. The point is to make yourself clear to the rest of us, and to convince of the truth of your arguments.
...as well as one fifth rule of our own:
5) RESPECT. Please respect all participants in the discussion at all times -- even (or perhaps especially) when you must respectfully disagree. No flame wars, please!
1) QUALITY. You are free to express any viewpoint on any issue, but you must back any statement you make with sufficient evidence. This will often mean citing a page in a book, or other relevant sources.
2) QUANTITY. Express your viewpoints thoroughly, with good argument and evidence; at the same time, avoid writing unnecessarily long or repetitive posts.
3) RELATION. Keep your posts and comments relevant. Read other people's posts -- including our posting assignments -- before you write posts or comments, and we'll keep a much more coherent conversation going.
4) MANNER. Write as clearly as possible. The point is to make yourself clear to the rest of us, and to convince of the truth of your arguments.
...as well as one fifth rule of our own:
5) RESPECT. Please respect all participants in the discussion at all times -- even (or perhaps especially) when you must respectfully disagree. No flame wars, please!
*I'm not sure if this is the correct way to add to this blog, but I could not find another avenue to add a stream*
ReplyDeleteEzra Pound, I believe, is right on the stance that the artist acts as "an early alarm system". Artists are trained to dive farther into subject matter and perspectives than an average person. They have the ability to see beyond what is in plain sight and also to be able to read symbolism. As we see, obviously, in the first image above, there is more to the windmill image than just a windmill, as we see in the second image. I think the first image is representative of HOW an artist views the second. It as if the underlying content has been pulled into plain view. Artist are, essentially, the illuminating "electric light" that McLuhan speaks of.
The first image above, supports the text on page 9 of our reading from McLuhan, "IBM discovered it was not in the business of making office equipment... but that it was in the business of processing information." Sometimes the general public, and the businesses themselves, do not realize how far a corporation reach really goes. Let's say you are a customer of the energy company that saves you money by giving you electicity generated from a windmill. The windmill is not just a device that stands in the middle of a landscape utilizing wind as a means for creating energy. It may be funded by a company that also has a ties to a fast food chain (McDonalds symbol). That fast food chain has a deal with a credit card company (Mastercard) to offer reward points for purchases made at that restaurant. The if you are a card holder from that credit company, you pay an annual rate for having that card, as well as interest for making the purchase at the fast food restaurant. While the energy company is giving you a discount for using windmill processed energy, you are actually paying the difference by holding a credit card. This is an example of people, and the businesses, not realizing how far their reach actually goes. It reminds me of Liebling's quote (page 20, McLuhan) "a man is not free if he cannot see where he is going, even if he has a gun to help get him there". But even if we know of all of the connections from windmill to credit card, will we choose to be aware of them or choose to act blindly and ignorantly? This is the gift of the artist, who perpetually chooses to be aware of these perspectives in life and can act as the alarm for the rest of us.
On another point, even in real life the windmill has the potential to be a medium for messages. It can subconciously say to someone that the "green" revolution is here, and be a reminder to act more environmentally conscious. It could set a thought process in motion to remember to turn off all of one's lights off before leaving the house, or to recycle. It acts as any other blatant advertisement would.