#MACD103

[paddytatemacd]

MaCD101 – MaCD102 – MaCD103.

When I started my online journal in September, it began as a secondary blog on an old inactive account. This restricted me from fully using the “like” and “follow” features for my work blog, so I have created a new blog. This has resulted in me moving the first semester’s work to an archive blog, found at www.paddytatemacdarchive.tumblr.com

[theothersideof-nat]

PERFORM103

Trendy Flaws

For many years, the beauty/fashion industry have dictated trends and imposed beauty canons, therefore encouraging us to buy more products which give us the promise of a perfect body and thus, a perfect life. Over the years, trends have often changed and what was once unacceptable or perceived as a flaw; today it is percived as highly fashionable (thick eyebrows, big butt, glasses, freckles). As a person who does not fit into the imposed canon of beauty, I strongly support all initiatives in terms of body positivity and accepting ourselves as we are. I agree that instead of covering our imperfections, we should embrace them. However, I always try to think critically and look at trends with distance. That is why I began to wonder if we are being manipulated to the point where in a few years we will want to buy beauty accessories which we perceive as flaws today. Such an idea seems absurd, but is it really impossible, since we can see examples of such manipulation nowadays (e.g. freckles are trendy to the point that people tattoo fake ones on their faces)? By coming up with a final idea for my project, I wanted to trigger a discussion around this topic and to provoke people to answer the question:

Do we make our choices and create our views ourselves and consciously, or are we being manipulated?

A collection of unusual beauty accessories, presenting these the aspects of the human (female) body, which are perceived as unattractive or unacceptable. This project is meant to be provocative and playful. If today we consider the freckles (which used to be a reason to be laughed at) fashionable, to a point where we tattoo them on our faces, then why shouldn’t we apply fake pimples or stretch marks to our body in a few years?

I chose Too Faced Cosmetics, LLC as a brand that would introduce the collection to the market. It is a very popular brand among young girls and Instagram beauty gurus. Nevertheless, I believe that this brand promotes a very fake and overdone image of young girls. Therefore, it seemed to be the perfect brand for my project. I wanted the aesthetics of my work to refer to commercial products and trends, but in a slightly tacky way. Attracted by trends and having the desire to be a unique company, Too Faced would introduce a product that promotes all the aspects of the body that are considered as flaws (are outside the beauty standards). What is absurd, Too Faced Cosmetics presents girls with flawless skin and perfect features. As a model “Too Faced Girl”, I chose Kylie Jenner – an American TV personality, model and social media influencer. She is the founder and owner of the make-up company Kylie Cosmetics. Just like Too Faced, she promotes a flawless look and lifestyle. Kylie is a very trendy person and willingly shares the latest trends from the world of make-up and fashion with her followers. Regardless of her aesthetic being sleek and polished, she would definitely fit the trends of my collection.

REFLECTION / ART DIRECTION

I found this module quite challenging, yet very interesting. It was a great pleasure and an unusual experience to be able to work on such a speculative project which shows how research methodology and practice interplay (praxis) and that they are equally important. Therefore, studying the discourse between a maker and a reader made me think not only like a designer, but also an author. I was inspired to observe and question the chosen theme and create a critical design response from more theorized and speculative catalysts. As a result, I challenged the boundaries of contemporary design in order to generate a discussion about my topic in relation to present and future economic, social and cultural environments. This module encouraged me to play with aesthetics and themes in order to create a work that may be disruptive or provocative.

If I could develop my project in the future, I would engage more in the final idea, but also fully use all the research I have done and the theoretical knowledge I gained. I was always intrigued by human nature and its influence on the future (both cultural and social), in relation to the boundaries that human habits naturally create. Thus, I would develop the idea of ‘manipulation of choice’ and ‘language of sales’ in order to create a broader context and look at the topic from different perspectives, while considering various examples.

[joshuacollinsma]

INSPIRATION THROUGHOUT

This is a list of images, videos, links that you should follow if you would like to know what has inspired me the past three months, but not the projects directly - my style, ideas, the way I think and what I believe.

https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-radar/ireland-punk-bands-fontaines-dc-murder-capital-2415910?fbclid=IwAR1z9T2Xg5tlPJfJHlmIn2oo3RseKIKRo-fb_r9_rGeFYXw6bGNDJkuehxU

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/mvpbn4/interviews-with-people-who-just-smoked-dmt?fbclid=IwAR0LJshBOTyV3bi1L9upcEiutPH4-sONfHFx4Z3nz793RfoesxMnhb1ya5c

https://www.esquire.com/uk/food-drink/a24389938/how-to-create-a-successful-business-with-advice-from-a-man-who-has-actually-made-it/?fbclid=IwAR3QF8in1BROYfEKCyLOVq9aKD8gzuHoImcUFk6N-OsiEjMb0Klr7oIc-pw

https://www.facebook.com/boilerroom.tv/videos/310593969765339/

https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/lazy-oaf-take-a-break-exhibition-301018?fbclid=IwAR203IMbgd7B50vi4zVcg3HTQhZiFC9EYQUfiho87EUiagfvCDNTcmshtjQ

https://www.facebook.com/fu.pic.nny/posts/773852262817764

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbj2Zss-5GY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec3LoKpGJxY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulZrXxFaoUY

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvO6uJUVJQ6SrATfsWR5_aA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulZrXxFaoUY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQHQimMN33Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxHl5_wzr0A&t=84s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4BU-l2Q3-Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxBH2wpK10U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkLPFi4fmug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCd6SQ67k-Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuQG6_evFc8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqJNqmIzIKU

http://www.academia.edu/4094789/Design_and_Self_Expression_a_relationship_between_person_and_object_designed

https://economia.icaew.com/opinion/july-2018/risk-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly

http://www.franziskaloos.com/portfolio/enter-at-own-risk/

http://www.risktech-forum.com/opinion/risk-management-metaphors

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mitch-ditkoff/50-awesome-quotes-on-risk_b_2078573.html?guccounter=1

https://www.zalando.co.uk/zms/levis-justin-timberlake/?wmc=zms440__.99140904___..

https://dwynrhh6bluza.cloudfront.net/website_uploads/documents/e-books/pdfs/risk-is-right-1388566911.pdf

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/auto-destructive-art

https://blissandfaith.com/best-practices-for-giving-attribution-proper-credit/

http://www.kesselskramer.com/communication/projects/jantje-beton

http://www.kesselskramer.com/communication/projects/nemo

http://www.kesselskramer.com/communication/projects/we-love-graphic-design

http://bookcoverarchive.com/book/exit_a/

https://www.c-heads.com/2018/04/19/not-credit-artist-people-forget-photos-dont-exist-without-photographer/

http://www.contemporist.com/tag/droog-design/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Bakunin

https://www.dezeen.com/2014/06/16/coop-himmelblau-jammer-coat/

https://weburbanist.com/2016/11/28/how-to-be-invisible-15-anti-surveillance-designs-installations/

https://anarchistnews.org/content/topic-week-automation

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/04/will-2018-be-the-year-of-the-neo-luddite

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/11/08/the-dystopian-future-of-facebook/?

https://reallifemag.com/the-constant-consumer/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsKHaCIwyaY

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03vwfyp

http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2018/09/04122037/FT_18.09.05_FacebookPrivacy_MethodologyTopline.pdf

https://thebaffler.com/latest/nudging-the-lexicon-haigney

https://medium.com/@richardnfreed/the-tech-industrys-psychological-war-on-kids-c452870464ce

https://theconversation.com/will-the-ai-jobs-revolution-bring-about-human-revolt-too-86290

https://www.dezeen.com/2013/06/23/stealth-wear-anti-drone-clothing-by-adam-harvey/

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/mar/18/fully-automated-luxury-communism-robots-employment

https://www.dezeen.com/2013/06/23/stealth-wear-anti-drone-clothing-by-adam-harvey/

http://nyctaeus.tumblr.com/post/123280103843/dana-wsye-pills-remedies-from-the

https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/research/2017-01-26-artificial-intelligence-future-warfare-cummings-final.pdf

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6949509

https://interestingliterature.com/2017/04/26/a-short-analysis-of-william-blakes-jerusalem/

https://www.hackread.com/mark-zuckerbergs-laptop-cam-tape/

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/smartphone-apps-listening-privacy-alphonso-shazam-advertising-pool-3d-honey-quest-a8139451.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26372109

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTTp1fK4j_U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42OUuCgZ27A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH8Oyo7nF2w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk3fK4A-pjM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efQmM-oZ9_I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZfOQqZ-HZM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz4hlWIc58I

http://basquiat.com/

http://richardyoungonline.com/

https://www.instagram.com/somgang/

https://www.instagram.com/thepetties_/

https://www.instagram.com/milogoretheband/

https://www.instagram.com/katherineplumb/

how many optimists does it take to change a lightbulb, none, their butler changes it. always poor, never bored

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDClBBpCtYI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-EH4VOsyh0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGqvpgdLzh4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVhme1eb8SI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RETHWVXbiuA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsKXq8AQTZE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF9k3xhNp5o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oNRFhlX6qs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_YPvSPLm-g&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYb_SmooC_k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-WEXVJAb90

falmouth

bristol

london

travelling 

expeiriences

house mates

friends

musicians

album covers

anarchy

messy things

https://www.instagram.com/joewebbart/

https://lostartshop.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dougalofcourse/

https://www.instagram.com/postwook/

https://www.instagram.com/feliciathegoat/

taking risks

lemme know when you click all the links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkvPDx2qNjM&t=

[jpikejournal-blog]

tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyoNmOwJvyM

Finally putting a bit of time into the journal after a very complacent start to the project. I felt rather lost and overwhelmed by starting a new project vacant rather pragmatic teaching methods, I’m still adjusting to screen life. 

Reflecting on the projects undertaken in MACD103 and MACD104 theres similar themes that have emerged; a human connection, mundane life, everyones too busy, the rat race, technology overuse... etc. I think these projects have subconsciously pathed the way for this projects theme, living in the Present or the Now and what is it like, how is it achievable (if even possible)?

So how is it possible to remain present in a world infected by productivity. Two obstacles stop us from becoming Present, the past and the future. How do we overcome the constant struggle of reminiscing the past, planning a future? These imperious thoughts flood our consciousness removing the ability to live in the now. Yesterday has gone, and tomorrow is never guaranteed. To reiterate, yesterday has gone, and tomorrow is never guaranteed.

[macdbecbowler]

Week Eleven (End of Semester 1)

This has been the busiest week of the course.

Completing my projects for MACD101 & MACD102 and putting together the last pieces for MACD103 as well as my essay.

I have discovered I am mostly interested in speculative design, and so have been approaching writing my essay and creating my project with a speculative perspective. 

I have mostly been influenced by Dunne & Raby’s book ‘Speculative Everything’ which I have purchased to keep!

My favourite projects linked to speculative design have been “Meet Graham” and “The Ray Cat Solution”

Here are links to find them:

http://www.theraycatsolution.com/#10000

http://www.meetgraham.com.au

For my essay and project I have also been studying more about lab made meats. From A YouTube video I discovered here:

I am interested in how consumers are losing connection with products. We rely on food to eat yet the western world knows little about agriculture. 

We increasingly rise the demand in customer service to do with products we know little about.

I am exploring what the world will look like when service industries have to be completely transparent. With the example of using lab made meat. 

[theothersideof-nat]

RESOLVE103

How can I draw attention to unconscious consumption?

Culture jamming is a form of social activism, a tactic used by many anti-consumerist social movements  to disrupt or subvert media culture and produce negative commentary on it. It attempts to ‘expose the methods of domination’ of a mass society to foster progressive change.

They Live, John Carpenter

In the movie, a nameless drifter stumbles into a worldwide conspiracy when he finds a pair of sunglasses that enable him to see the world as it really is. Advertising billboards for conventional products now reveal their subliminal subtexts: OBEY, SUBMIT and CONSUME. MARRY AND REPRODUCE. NO INDEPENDENT THOUGHT.

Design ideas

UN–PACK LABELS

A collection of packaging for daily use products (such as: milk, soap, water, bread, etc.). New packaging would represented very simple aesthetic (black words on white background), that way consumers would buy only necessary products , as they wouldn't be tempted by design, images or slogans.

CAPITALISM MAKES YOU SEE FLAWS THAT DO NOT EXIST, TO SELL YOU THINGS YOU DO NOT NEED

UGLY & USLESS PRODUCTS

Collection of totally useless and ugly products that consumers would buy anyway, as a result of great commercials and promises that those particular products will change their life for better. Brands are using the language of sales, telling a background story to a product, and selling a lifestyle that people would like to have to build an emotional bond between the consumer and the product itself.

Paperclip-Shaped Money Clip, PRADA

Red Clay Brick, Supreme

Foam Platform Sandals, BALENCIAGA

Beauty gadgets that claim to fix your body (without a plastic surgery)

https://www.ranker.com/list/beauty-products-reverse-aging-no-plastic-surgery/ashley-reign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ink6JQjDDwk

American teleshopping commercials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7xTpttpCjk&t=4s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV2rkljheFI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xzN6FM5x_E

PARODY of teleshopping commercials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gMPhY1gs5A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMrNHJy-9K8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlSF0dtDRD8

trends in the past and future 

https://fashionista.com/2017/08/fake-freckles-tattoo-trend

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/pimple-nails

Get Hairy February organiser, Alex Andrews

http://archermagazine.com.au/2018/02/archer-asks-get-hairy-february/

https://www.beautyheaven.com.au/hair/hair-colour/dyeing-armpit-hair-beauty-trend-13842

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/fashion/women-who-dye-their-armpit-hair.html

Oriental Garden, Kaimin (models with pubic hair)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/dbc7a1bd-979b-4422-8996-31179bd4b643

Men’s fashion week in Milan, Moto Guo (models with acne)

https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/bjzezv/models-with-acne-take-nomakeup-next-level-in-milan

[theothersideof-nat]

SPARK103

ADAPTABILITY is the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions; the capacity to be modified for a new use or purpose.

Design ideas

How would the world look like in a 100 years, as consequence from waste and pollution production?

 – clothes, toys for kids or daily use tools made of waste 

– cities or houses made of waste / made on piles of waste

– masks and garments to keep our bodies away from polluted air, water and soil

– food made of plastic

– piles of waste

– taxes on certain amounts of waste

– things replacing feelings (post-apocalyptic vibe)

– body deformations as a result of pollution 

Libertarian paternalism is an idea that it is both possible and legitimate for private and public institutions to affect behaviour, while also respecting freedom of choice.

– we are influenced by who communicates information (we are biased)

– we are influenced  by what others do

– we ‘go with the flow’ of pre-set options (non-active choice)

– our emotional association can powerfully shape our actions (unrealistically optimistic or negative judgment)

– we act in ways that make us feel better about ourselves

MANIPULATION OF CHOICE

The Story of Stuff,  The Story of Stuff Project

The Story of Change,  The Story of Stuff Project

FINAL BRIEF

How might I challenge consumerism?

[joshuacollinsma]

Week Twelve

Monday - I was doing my essay to the best of my ability and am confused whether it is okay to include a song and poem as some of my referencing, also I got an email about not being able to pay my creative cloud which will run out in 28 days if I don't sort it out, turns out I have no money in my account whatsoever so that's fucking shit cause I can’t pay for my train ticket home, adobe creative cloud or phone bill till I get paid which is the 20th December. 

And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon Englands mountains green:

And was the holy Lamb of God,

On Englands pleasant pastures seen!

And did the Countenance Divine,

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here,

Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold:

Bring me my arrows of desire:

Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!

Bring me my Chariot of fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand:

Till we have built Jerusalem,

In Englands green & pleasant Land.

William Blake, Jerusalem. 

Tuesday began with me organising my shoot with peers and asking them to model. Looking back at my mood boards what I had in mind was a Mad Max-esque style shoot and the vision was good. However the ideas in my head did not connect with the imagery I was producing, the objects were unclear and the sense of dystopian-neo-luddism did not correlate. This really fucked me off as I completed the edits straight away. I was happy with the editing style and was aware that the images if within a different project, might work a lot better. The way I was feeling at the time was sparked a reaction, not as severe as the Unabomber that tried to start a revolution and injured people along the way.

Hand in hand with the essay I wrote my preface which gave the project more personality and would allow me to visualise the project better. 

Preface

The year is 2037 the world has progressed and the risk of AI (artificial intelligence) singularity is looking more and more probable. AI has already replaced day to day jobs and automated technology is everywhere ‘to make our lives easier’ and give us more freedom to explore education, science and art.

As time progressed from the 2020’s to the 30’s world governments began to work together to share information, initially for the use of security as civil unrest is foreseen, requiring households to be under surveillance and a revealed truth that technology does listen and governments are searching for better ways to control the population.

AI’s via Amazon’s; Google’s; Apple's; home helpers, CCTV and everything else the government can get a chip into, the rest of technology is being built by The Automated so everything can listen and watch your every move. Because of this increase in technology, the hyper-sensitivity towards it is rife with the military being called to action against human revolt, plus the increased risk of an AI takeover.

Neo-Luddites are living in fear of the AI’s and governments which are enforcing the use of AI as they say it’s making life easier, yet ignoring the impacts on climate change and the populations health.

Neo-Luddites refuse technology in all forms, subverting current AI tech is central to their ethos.

I found the photographs to suit the visual aesthetic compositionally and within the colours theme I was going for, however, the shoot needed to be art directed better with a bigger budget than I was working with. Ideally, models would be wearing rags and have much more of a pungent look rather than having very current outfits.

Following this, I looked to my peers to mitigate the use of the photographs and the ideas of collaging and paying homage to my previous projects arose while simultaneously making the artefacts better as I did not find the pictures appealing and they did not stand out enough. The collages I made did spike a reaction in a way that I can be as messy as I like and fit it well within the project - it was also a good venting exercise because I was able to go mad on photoshop rather than at someone. I feel the collages allowed me to how far I would be able to go with the actual artefacts once adding to the pre-existing ‘air purifier, electromagnetic-wave blocker, and can phone’. The collages would become part of my Design Boards as a visual aid to the project for titles and filler images, but in speculation of an exhibition would be hung as prints alongside the artefacts and final outcome photographs. 

After I had complete collages I went back to my essay, finalised the conclusion and also finished my design boards. 

After using the objects in the photographs, I realised the need to be much more dystopian and taboo-like to make it seem much more industrial and handmade. I progressed by adding more wires, string, holes to each object making them more probable in a dystopia, and a lot more interesting to look at. The final objects, for instance in an exhibition, would be placed by the side of the prints, collages and essay giving everything full context.  

The final pictures I used were from my initial shoot, I feel with all the contextuality within the collages, essay and newly improved artefacts the stand-alone images would work well with a caption/title and subtle post-production drawings from the collages onto the images. I feel the images now communicate my idea of ‘2037′,  because of the editing style and newly found context taken from collages and photographed artefacts.

[joshuacollinsma]

Week Ten

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXqqruJF9gI continued my research further before I could come up with a solid idea for automation, throughout I’m reminded of themes of Neo-Luddism and creating something completely not automated, in favour of the fears of technology. However, I prevailed looking further into automation and discovered Aaron Bastani the author of a book to be released next year, Fully Automated Luxury Communism, Bastani can be seen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmQ-BZ3eWxM in this video explaining the premise of his theory which is somewhat ludicrous but in an ideal world could actually work really well. Bastani speaks of 10-12 hour weeks on minimum wage as automated machines, AI’s could do most of the heavy duty work for us leaving humans to spend more time on education, science and art. At the minute the systems in place are the jobs occupied by the working class, such as factories where people are on minimum wage and have fewer hours as the AI can do it quicker and better. 

Furthering this, I delved further into YouTube and discovered various Ted Talks surrounding artificial intelligence. Some of the videos I came across that informed the project: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXqqruJF9g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRw4d2Si8LA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y7PLaxXUrs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr9oe2TZiJw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8HrKgYOqeQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ_NJkpdG2A

I found the varied perspectives from the Ted Talks informative as they covered many topics for and against, it was interesting because I learned quite a lot about technologies I didn’t know existed and when you’re informed it can feel quite scary. Moreover, it may also feel good as automated technology in an ideal world, without the fear of singularity could achieve a lot. 

One of the Ted Talks that I found the most interesting was Paul Josephson - Why We All Need to Be Neo-Luddites because he does the presentation free of technology and explains a lot about Luddism. This helped me get more knowledge of the subject I was focusing on for my essay and pervaded my project. I believe some of the things he says are speculative and a little zany, he may be coming from an educated background but sometimes his words come across as if he is fearmongering or a very anxious person at the least. It informed me a lot of Luddites and the fact that Neo-Luddism is now seen as the fear of technology not the neglect of technology - linking it back to the article where 44% of Americans had deleted the Facebook app off of their phones. This is a closer equivalent of a Luddite act due to it being the neglect of technology rather than fear of it. 

Upon discovery of the Boeing_X-45 an unmanned air vehicle that has advanced automated technology, the UAV’s internal systems can pick and choose what it kills based on what its computers information tells it, risk, worth, reason, all programmed into its computerised brain. If the jet needs ammunition it can go back to base automatically and get the ammunition if it needs to kill it can go and kill firing a counter strike amongst many or the few. With tech like this, I do understand the new call out for Luddism before its too late, however, it is understanding that it probably won't happen this way because the designers of the tech do have a conscious. 

Despite this, with the advances in the technology who knows when it will develop into the singularity. By no means did it, but Tay Talk a bot on twitter went from working perfectly fine to spurting out racist and abusive comments due to what it had learned from reading Twitter and common trends. 

Which is scary, dreaming, emotions and adapting are all human qualities, reacting to something and having to decide based on consequences rather than a set of numbers. Another example of this is Google’s DeepDream which is a program that can analyse imagery and reinterpreting it in a dreamlike sense - inherently a human condition. Choice Architecture is used in these products making them have more personality and easier to work with - an example being that a robot does not necessarilly need to have a face, they are tools/assistants/ motherboards and wires, that doesn’t have a personality. Having a face makes the automated machine more accessible and trustworthy; Will Smith, Del Spooner speaks of this in iRobot as he plays a somewhat Luddite roll in the film as he doesnt agree with the progression of the world. 

Isaac Asimov wrote The Three Laws of Robotics:

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Which is the premise of iRobot and how the world would react with a robot which does not follow these laws. I think its a very good piece of a modern perspective even though the film is fifteen years old now, but the laws a half a century.

My research from iRobot brought me to novelist, Samuel Butler. He wrote a novel called Erewhon which is a satirical utopia playing on the pastiche of Victorian England at the time. The book is based on Butlers travels to New Zealand and what his life was like living on a farm, in the book there is no such thing as technology, generally implying that there is a fear of it; furthermore, ill people are treated as if they are criminals and people that commit crimes get treated as if they are ill. Within the book, Butler writes one of the first ludicrous comments on machinery, The Book of Machines. This covers the three laws of robotics all the while inspiring George Orwell’s 1984. Orwell also said in an interview that The Book of Machines was way ahead of its time and for it to be heard truly people would have had to have a wild imagination - as at the time the amount of automated technology is limited and Butler was writing in a very speculative way. 

After coming across this book I found it to be crucial to my studies because I have been able to pull out ‘Erewhonian Impulse’ as a point to make when I am writing my essay and also gain a perspective of automated technology from complete lack of it.

[joshuacollinsma]

Week Nine

Boundaries was my final project for this semester, including an essay in conjunction with the project. I found the brief quite speculative as we had to basically design ‘something’. It would have to have relation or theme within the choice of Automation, Adaptability, Connectability, Surveillance, Territories; I knew from the start that Territories wouldn’t be the focal point of my project, as it was the word that jumped out at me the least, so I scanned the internet for a way in via the other choice of words.

Connectability quickly became the second word I dropped due to not being interested in the topics surrounding the word.

What came up in the searches were things like: 

https://connectability.ca/en/

https://connectability.ca/visuals-engine/

https://connectability.ca/category/kids/

https://www.ct.gov/connect-ability/site/default.asp

Which focus primarily on disabilities, a topic I am lacking in knowledge of and in such a short time would not be able to produce an idea to the best of my ability. On top of this, I came across some articles which are promoting the use of connectability https://www.cso.com.au/mediareleases/33271/verrency-strengthens-presence-in-asia-with/ yet portray the situation in quite a boring way so I was unable to truly find an interesting way in. Plus the connotations that connectability has within technology is also covered in the other words. 

My research into Adaptability, Automation and Surveillance was quite synonymous as they intersect and cross over. It was interesting scanning the internet for a way into the topics, from the general notes that I made from the words given to us. I found ample articles and web pages on the subjects:

https://medium.com/@richardnfreed/the-tech-industrys-psychological-war-on-kids-c452870464ce

https://thebaffler.com/latest/nudging-the-lexicon-haigney

http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2018/09/04122037/FT_18.09.05_FacebookPrivacy_MethodologyTopline.pdf

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/a3q5nk/44-percent-of-americans-18-27-have-deleted-the-facebook-app-this-year-poll-finds

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03vwfyp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsKHaCIwyaY

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2018/nov/02/the-ancient-greeks-warned-us-about-ai-chips-with-everything-podcast?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Post_on_Reddit

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/11/08/the-dystopian-future-of-facebook/?

https://reallifemag.com/the-constant-consumer/

https://weburbanist.com/2016/11/28/how-to-be-invisible-15-anti-surveillance-designs-installations/

These two quotes from the articles earlier stuck out the most from the pieces I fond, of a not so distant future of automated technology that can become adaptable due to the way it reacts to us, which is inherently a human quality. While looking into surveillance I came across the article on how to be invisible which was a big insight into the things people are making to avoid contact with technology that is becoming so prominent in the current world. Such as the anti-surveillance mask which changes your face to an unrecognisable, making you invisible to CCTV. 

At the end of the week, I looked at the book Design Anarchy by Adbusters which was probably the most inspiring part as it helped me decide between the remaining words. The book had some interesting pieces of design it, one where it had a painting of a leaf saying “this is a living machine” next to it which opened my eyes to automation giving me the idea of doing the complete opposite to the meaning of the word automation. I could create something that promotes the use of automation or not, but more research was needed to be done to further the few initial ideas that I had. Furthering through Design Anarchy a design stood out which correlated with my ideas is that ambient used to be wind rain insects and birds, whereas now it is white, pink, brown and blue due to the sound of computers, appliances, and the dull roar of traffic; I was influenced by this due to strong metaphorical meaning. Moreover the link to Ecocide - the destruction of the natural environment, especially when deliberate - within that statement is quite strong really enforcing the fear of technology. 

Fear of technology has become a more prominent phobia in recent news due to the number of issues surrounding it, if it’s useful, helpful or dangerous. Many people are afraid of the exponential growth of the tech in such a short time. Bill Gates even mentioned when interviewed by the BBC that he doesn’t “understand why some people are not concerned”. I found this quite unsettling as he is known as one of the worlds greatest tech entrepreneurs saying that he’s concerned the way his work could go. 

When bigger technology came into fruition and began to take over in the 19th century, with machines like the Jaquard Loom, there were many riots and uprisings against the machinery. It was putting the working class out of work for a lesser quality piece produce by a machine, rather than a person. Within riots there was an anarchic theme that I latched on to that was the Luddites, ran by Ned Ludd a fictional leader, is that during the riots they destroyed the machinery using guns, sledgehammers, muskets, and other weapons which instigated interesting looking posters with cool aesthetic promoting the riots.

[joshuacollinsma]

Although I did not want to go, I am impressed and proud of us as a class for critically thinking and coming up with this idea as a team. Go to MACD103 our OG receipt idea. If this doesn’t make you want to commission one of us who even are you?