jnech on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:41:26 +0200 (CEST) |
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Re: <nettime> language virus |
Hello Michael, et al Your point about the bio virus as metaphor is well taken (I might need to hear more about the "danger" however) but may I suggest that you take a look at Jussi Parikka's new book: Digital Contagions: A Media Archaeology of Computer Viruses, where he theorizes the computer virus as a cultural phenomenon stemming from non-linier human thought/imagination. I am only a third of the way through it, but so far I find it rather brilliant. It maps out the anomalies of network culture from the angles of security, the biopolitics of digital systems, and the aspirations for artificial life. If possible, I will post a full review of it on my blog - and elsewhere - asap. Best Regards, Joseph Nechvatal On samedi, août 25, 2007, at 08:56 pm, Michael H Goldhaber wrote: (...) In addition to my recently posted quibble about the phrase that interested you, I have a more serious quibble about the concept of a "language virus." This suggests a connection with two notions: computer "viruses" and "memes." Both in turn have their rots in a biological metaphor, and in my view have been accepted much too hastily. (...) Minds are not computers; neither are exactly like the contents of petri dishes in which biological viruses (or virii) can be grown. The primary things that pass from mind to mind are thoughts. Analogizing thoughts as either computer programs or as independent self-replicating forms of near-life (which are what biological viruses are) belittles thought and human culture. I see this as dangerous. # distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission # <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: majordomo@kein.org and "info nettime-l" in the msg body # archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@kein.org