Week 9: Cyberpunk and Neuromancer

I think that human computer interaction is the soft jazz to Neuromancer's garage punk. So much of the work between the two fields are the same, but instead of exploring creative lines and ubiquity, HCI tends to shy more on the analytical side. The cyber artists, the seem to push the boundary more, but at what cost? This is similar to the NASA paradox from Kennedy times. Kennedy said we're going to the moon, many said why? He said why not? The "why?" was not a point of questioning the journey (for some it was actually), but a statement about exploration of our world, and exploration of self. There are places on this planet that man has and will never see, leaving now to explore somewhere else is like finishing half of a cookie and then getting a sandwich. (I haven't had lunch yet)

This is not to invalidate the work of the new media artist, but rather to provide counter point. Just because you can is not always reason enough to do something, but just because you can't validate it is certainly no reason to do something as well. That's the beauty of academics. Art + theory = creativity + rationale.

In terms of the story line of Neuromancer, I agree with Melissa. The essence of the commercial punk movement (dark and dirty), mixed with technology did a great job of getting at the essence of the rebellion. To truly rebel against everything, to be anarchist to the point of a system of random chaos, is to desire to be destroyed on an physical level. Art that destroys itself comes to mind. The idea of being successful from being a brooding artist also plays a paradoxical role.