Along for the Ride

I read a blog recently that reminded of the main reason I think hypermediacy, or Freekyfro’s “web–induced ADD,” is a dangerous thing. At a time when we have a chance to become more aware of ourselves due to the incredible rate of growth in almost every area of learning and knowledge, we are also becoming more and more distracted from recognizing who we are due to a “network that has become the object rather than any real source fixed in space” (Freekyfro). In a frantic effort to erase any semblance of immediacy, hypermediacy demands “look at me.” Or, I suppose I should say “look at my disunity.” In its attempt to devour unity, it is the consummate snake eating its own tail, unaware it seems, that if it were to ever succeed in its efforts it would not only destroy unity, but also itself.

If the circle ever closed, it would lose its nature as a circle and become a dot, which I find ironic, because that would mean hypermediacy’s success would depend upon the creation of a unified field of vision. But at the same time, I see hypermediacy as not much different from any of the ways we have employed in the past to distract ourselves from ourselves... we’re just using digital technology to help us along in that process at a pace that at times seems to border on hysteria. Through the use of digital technology the dissemination of knowledge is growing exponentially while our ability to put that knowledge to good use is decreasing exponentially. We seem to be simply spellbound by it all, and unable to make a collective move toward conscious use of technological media, and our toys, that seem to be doing everything faster and better, also seem to be contributing to unconscious robotic behavior. And maybe that’s our future.

Maybe because we have grown exponentially as a species, hypermediacy is simply a reflection of what we are becoming. As time quick–marches into the future, at ever–increasing speed, we are beginning to look a lot like ants or bees, and questions concerning who we are as individuals are losing their value and meaning. This is perhaps the most dangerous result of hypermediacy. After all, in the end, we’re facing the same reality, and although a sense of contributing to the collective greater good is very important, this “sense” can only be achieved through an individual’s own growth in consciousness.

But then there is the thought that a person can be incredibly creative using hypermediacy in an inspired way. Artists will obviously end up using digital technology in the most thoughtful ways, the ways that have always had the most profound effect on us, although a scientist might argue that point. And who can really say, maybe the dot would be a better form than the circle because it would compress all views into one. But would that really be all that good? And around, and around, and around I go. In the end, all I can say for sure is that Bolter and Grusin’s Remediation is quite a circus ride.