Friedrich Nietzsche once said that the ''writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts.'' For me, this is evident not in writing but in graphics. For architecture studios we are constantly juggling digital medium, like 3D modeling softwares, Adobe Illustrator, or Photoshop, with physical or analogue medium, drawing, sculpting, or building. It is not only the end result that differs between the two methods, but the process and form of thinking. Creating and thinking digitally will result in a different concept and or realization of the object than if it was created in a physical sense. I can easily relate this to Nietzsche's experience of changing writing styles to a more ''staccato'' form when he began using a typewriter instead of pen and paper. The medium that one creates in dictates the thought.
So when approaching a new world where internet is becoming our primary medium, our thought changes respectively. The way in which our mind functions adapts to the new medium, and in a way the machine changes us. From personal experience in studio, it is difficult to bridge the gap between the previous way of thinking and the new, it's an exhausting process that sometimes seems irrelevant. Why should we even bother keeping the old way of thinking if we are forced through evolution of society to think in an entirely new way '' medium dictates the method''? It's important to struggle between the two worlds, to evolve our thinking while maintaing the advantages of previous methodologies. Yes, I agree that we are constantly modifying ourselves as technology changes, but I don't agree that we are losing ourselves in the machine. We are adding new dimensions to our minds as we expand our concept of thinking, creating, being. We don't ''lose'' a technology/thinking methodology in the shadows of its successor.
It is easy to become confused today in the labryinth of ever-changing technology - for example I still am struggling with the concept of phones becoming our computers and computers becoming our phones thanks to Apple- but it's important that we understand that we are the creators of our virtual World. Its thoughts, are our own. Google doesn't necessarily ''think'' for us, it enables us to access others' thinking in order to build upon it, expand it, evolve it.
I appreciate the opportunistic and positive tone you ended your post in. Unlike some of the reading materials for this section, your post helps me feel less depressed about humanity and technology; It doesn't make me feel like I have to worry about the impending doom of an apocalypse byway of Terminator-esque machines. :)
ReplyDeleteThe different mediums used in studio is interesting... from 3d modelling to 2d representations and diagrams of what is modeled; often simultaneously!
ReplyDeleteAlso I think you should make the font a bit bigger? :)
Early on in studio, I lost my ability to articulate verbally when I was drawing. I could go days without speech. Calculations, not such a problem. I found it difficult to flip flop between the two. Later my writing skills took off then my defense skills strengthened. Perhaps, we don't recognize it so much due to the rigors of studio training.
ReplyDeleteTHanks for sharing how this discussion applies to your situation as an architecture student. Good insight!
ReplyDeleteI think we're lucky we can still go to libraries to read books. The typewriter may be gone, but plenty of previous technologies are still around for us to experiment with.
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess you could even go find a typewriter in a second hand shop and use that.