Happy Birthday, Lyotard

I found Lyotard's writing to be similar to that of Benjamin's.

Lyotard states, "...capitalism inherently possesses the power to de-realize familiar objects, social roles, and institutions to such a degree that the so-called realistic representations can no longer evoke reality except as nostalgia or mockery, as an occasion for suffering rather than for satisfaction." (40) This reflects what Benjamin is trying to get across to his readers--"The technique of reproduction detaches the reproduced object from the domain of tradition." (20) Both are saying that the mass production of goods make it available to everyone and a huge shift occurs. This shift is what we as society values...originality and tradition vs. reproduction. Also, this idea can be related to when Benjamin states, "The instant the criterion of authority ceases to be applicable to artistic production, the total function of art is reversed. instead of being based on ritual, it begins to be based on another practice-politics." (23).

Another way i found this reading relatable to Benjamin's is when Lyotard mentions the use of photography and the camera. Lyotard states,"photographic and cinematographic processes can accomplish better, faster, and with a circulation a hundred thousand times larger narrative or pictorial realism..."(40) This process speeds up the process of us gaining knowledge over something. Instead of going to Paris to see and witness the Eiffel Tower, photography allows us to gaze into the picture and see it...and imagine being there instead of planning the trip and sending all the time and money to go visit it. This ties into Benjamin's idea that we only need to see a sliver of a photograph to know what the image is. I think it's safe to say the the Eiffel Tower is one of those "iconic" images where we only need to see a tiny bit to know what the image represents.

Both Lyotard and Benjamin make similar points and have good points.