“What I mean to say is more important than what I actually say.” — Oh how true!
When I started reading the introduction from Soft Architecture Machines, I wondered ‘what does architecture have to do with this masters program?’ Technology has become utilized much more by architects to draft blue prints and do more specifics. The software is able to give a visual rendering of the architect’s creation. This software enabled the architect to have his design reviewed, analyzed and critiqued, saving a great deal of money in the cost of the construction. Many influential architects working with computers developed innovation applications about space or about design. One of the most influential architects was Nicholas Negroponte who developed many new principles and theories. He believed that the user was empowered by the computer and should not merely comply with the parameters of the software boundaries. He founded the MIT Media Lab in 1985 to research into technology across many academic fields and co-founded the magazine Wired that promoted the digital modernization.
Negroponte, along with Groisser and Taggart oversee an experiment in man-computer relations. There are three “levels”: its model of you, its model of your model of it and its model of your model of its model of you. WTF does that mean?! Geez! Good thing the first model is straightforward, because nearly nothing he says is. He flat out sketches models showing his architecture skills and attitude along with mechanisms. This is the ‘getting to know you’ phase as he puts it. The next model takes some digging around his overkill use of words. His use of words comes off more to confuse rather than infuse. Essentially, he says not to assume the computer knows what you want it to do, TELL it what you want it to do. The final model frustrates more than the first. I think its talking about computer sex, because I’m like my computer and you’re like yours and yea…he should’ve stuck with just drawing the damn houses!
He has a great many other theories, concepts and ideas with multiple parts. His next theory is about user participation. This one actually makes sense. If building a house for a client and getting paid by the client, give them what they want and need! Don’t infuse your own building plan if it’s not what they want. Of course, as the professional, his job is to say what can and cannot be done and what things should and should not be considered. The idea is to please the client so the architect still has a good name in the field. Another stroke of brilliancy: as the one where he compares houses to cars and clothes, saying houses are in-between because “they are not as expendable as shirts but are more manipulability than cars.” He makes another comment people need to be their own architect. No, that’s what they pay YOU to do! The clients, yes, must and should have their own opinion as to what goes on with in essence, their money and their project. There is an intelligent and worthy, yet obvious comment, that man must make the decisions and not to rely on the technology for the creative rationale.
Negroponte says, “What I mean to say is more important than what I actually say.” Essentially, the idea behind all his fancy words and multitude of theories, is that man still needs to put the creativity into the project and let the computer do its more technical part and that the man needs to communicate his ideas, wishes, wants and needs to the architect so both parties are happy with the final results.
I probably should’ve read this “Worship at the Altar of Convergence” article first. It was written much better with a lot more to write about. This topic is entirely relevant to the society we live in today. We eat Peanut Butter Cup Blizzards, which mashes really 3 different foods, so why shouldn’t our society converge our TV, music, movies and computers into one?! We are a multi-functioning, multi-tasking, multi-faceted society. The more functions a single device can perform, the fewer things we need to carry on us, less money we need to spend on the separate devices, and the more convenient it is to us.
Jenkins writes about three concepts: media convergence, participatory culture and collective intelligence. He argues against the idea that convergence should be interpreted only as a process that brings together numerous media functions within the same machines and/or tools. Rather, convergence represents a “cultural shift” and recommends we learn about all the possible media relationships. He makes a brilliant quote about convergence and the individual:
“Convergence occurs within the brains of individual consumers and through their social interactions with others. Each of us constructs our own personal mythology from bits and fragments of information extracted from the media flow and transformed into resources through which we make sense of our everyday lives. (Jenkins, 3-4)”
The collective process is the information we collect from the media today. The snippet we hear from the morning news, the headline we read on the paper and the conversation we overhear between businessmen on the subway are our way of learning new items each and everyday. By “pooling resources and combining our skills,” we learn more from each other. He says this media is an ‘alternative source.’ I don’t entirely agree. It’s more of an extension. When I personally hear a story, I absorb what is said. If it’s something worthy, I will pursue more information on it via the Internet, news or newspaper. People want information, but they want the correct information. Then again, for many, word of mouth is the only source they have.
He names Ithiel de Sola Pool as “the prophet of media convergence.” In his book “Technologies of Freedom” (1983) he writes:
A process called the “convergence of modes” is blurring the lines between media, even between point-to-point communications, such as the press, radio and television. A single physical means—be it wires, cables or airwaves—may carry services that in the past were provided in separate ways. Conversely, a service that was provided in the past by any one medium—be it broadcasting, the press, or telephony—can now be provided in several different physical ways. So the one-on-one relationship that used to exist between a medium and its use is eroding. (Jenkins, 10)
The ‘blurring of the lines between media’ really is the perfect definition for convergence and how it’s used in society today. It should be thought of more as a positive advance in our technology and society as opposed to a negative.
Jenkin’s goal is to help everyday people understand the changes in society and technology. This goal is hard because technology is constantly changing and evolving. The phone, for instance, is no longer just a phone. It’s the Internet, instant messenger, calculator, games, music player, camera and more!
“Convergence involves both a change in the way media is produced and a change in the way media is consumed.” (Jenkins, 16) “[Convergence] occurs when people take media into their own hands.” (Jenkins, 17) The repeated theme through this article is that technology is what we make of it. The brilliant people coming up with the ideas and producing, along with how we in society use products them, determines the product’s success.
Nelson relates similar thoughts and theories to Licklider’s Man-Computer Symbosis. He says the most crucial part of the creative development comes from man, the computer merely “enables new generations of media.” Computers can do vast work, but only after the instruction and creative inspiration from man is programmed. He makes two valid points: the first should consider the design and the users they intend to design for. The second, an extension of the first, take the designs and expose them; publish for all to see.
His intentions were to produce a book useable by everyone no matter how savvy or clueless they are when it comes to computers. The material is used to motivate and encourage the user. He calls the computer the “Dream Machine,” however; this title should perhaps be reserved for the human mind. For without the idea, the computer would have nothing to do its job with. The computer may be used to help “think, write and show.” I often use many sources to help me think, then write. Finally when I feel I’ve reached a level of completion and am satisfied, I may then show my work, via blog, print, email and many other methods.
Nelson writes a great quote: “Technology is an expression of man’s dreams.” Technology makes dreams happen by taking them out of our mind and making them happen beyond our wildest thoughts. With technology, we can try several different routes, methods, even mash other ideas in with ours to expand on the original.
