Murray brought up some important points about the issues of the computer as an evolving vehicle that is provoking us as humans to increasingly be entertained and captivated by the computer’s ability to have us interact with it and that the computer has evolved to be able to create a space in which we feel comfortable to interact with it.
Early in her essay she spoke about Bush and his theories. She mentioned that, “he is alarmed to discover that the library shelf is no longer an adequate map of knowledge” (3). This was a significant point that was brought up in class. We were debating about if new media can be considered a revolution or not. What is crucial about this realization of our advancements in technology say from just having the library as a resource, but now having say the World Wide Web, is that no matter what way you look at it, revolution or not there is this definite transformation of our knowledge and capabilities and what the results of this has been. Murray also stated,
“but the anxieties aroused by a new medium are real, and worthy of attending to. The critics of technology are an important part of the development of a new medium because they challenge us to identify more clearly what we find so compelling about it, why we are so drawn to shape this new clay into objects that have not existed before” (8).
I felt that this statement also went along with our discussion in class. Various classmates were trying to identify what they felt constituted to revolution but just as Murray states there are anxieties as a result of all new mediums, but that worrying over these new developments can only keep us as humans grounded in the fast paced advances of technology. I guess why I agree with this statement is that people debate about how they want to define new media in general and debate about this and that, but every new anything whether is be through art, politics, social change is met with resistance and then normally over time is gradually excepted in to society.
This actually parallels much with what Manovich was trying to get across in his essay that yes, he acknowledges some mediums in digital arts that can be credited as original and new, but that for the most part there are connections that can be seen between works of the past that have now be reintroduced and become more elaborately used today. What is most significant is that both Murray and Manovich stress the importance of understanding this digital age, of acquiring knowledge of these new systems of media in order to not be completely absorbed by new media.
It is important that Murray draws on the fact that computers have the ability to create a world in which we could love and want to remain in. Computer programs these days are so real looking and interactive that we could truly feel as if we were in another world outside of reality. And this is so compelling to humans. But of course there are the downsides to this awe. On page six, I found that Murray has many vital points about the “space” that the computer can generate that is so intriguing to us. She mentions that the, unfamiliar rush of mind-power that makes us wonder if we might be capable of outthinking our very own humanity” is so important to our wonder with a digital and new media world where inevitably the computer could control us and be dominant over humanity (6). Why not, we put all of our information in to these machines and then they process this information due to how they are programmed. But at this point this is a partnership. Ultimately, the computer might not need humans at all.
What if computers could access any information off any other computer? Considering the infinite amount of information on the web as well as information on computers it could be possible that computers themselves could become the sole programmers of our world with no human input.
To end, Murray speaks a lot about Eliza and points out that this was an important milestone for the computer, “it has achieved the illusion of life through the rules of behavior” (7). It is significant that Murray reminds us of the illusion of the computer. Too many times I feel that we associate reality with the abilities of the computer. Murray draws to the fact that this illusion however has only been possible through the computers learning of our behaviors. This in and of itself brings up the question then of who really can be seen as the “enemy” in this case, the inventor or the product that has evolved due to the inventor.