In Wallace Steven's article "Art, Entertainment, Entropy", he argues that media holds great control over the general public, while also eliminating the presence of art in entertainment. In a world increasingly involved and interwoven with media and technology, it seems inevitable that we should judge and criticize the entertainment industry and the information it presents. Wallace argues, however, that we essentially overlook the downsides and shortcomings of media and wholeheartedly accept it; a fact which he largely laments. Wallace's final argument is that of the erasure of art and the creative process in relation to media. Entertainment, he says, no longer fulfills any sort of ingenuity or creativity, it is merely the repetition of formulaic patterns. His critique is based upon the reaction of the public to media: we no longer have individual responses, but instead have been programmed.
Wallace's arguments supply an effective connection to today's current media-driven social-networking society. The strongest correlation lies with social networking sites, namely Facebook. Prior to today's technological abilities, communication occurred via phone, letter and face-to-face encounters. with the introduction of such an impersonal media form, in which one can connect without connecting at all, reality and sincerity are lost. The artistic and un-programmed responses involved in personal contact are eliminated in the wake of a false reality. The emotional and artistic elements of our reality as a human race are discarded for formula and conformity to the new socially acceptable form of communication.
In conclusion, Wallace's dramatic defacing of media's control and sway over the public, while subject to individual interpretation, does hold an undeniable relation to today's technological tendencies. We are completely reliant and utterly dependent upon media and technology for essentially all aspects of our lives. The art and magic of originality and uniqueness have been replaced with formula and duplication.
No comments:
Post a Comment