post-it note, 3/2/2009

“The problem for capitalism is how to contain the word and the image, to bind them to proper names and logos when they flit about at the speed of light…” (Poster 538).

This statement is reminiscent to me of De Saussure’s concept of the coexistence of language and sound: “in language, one can neither divide sound from thought nor thought from sound” (6). Without sound, language would purposely exist; same with sound. But when paired together, they create meaning.

In a capitalist world, the environment created is not natural. Therefore the merging of two separate ideas does not happen naturally as did with language. Rather an entirely new language has to be created within the context of the existing languages so that the “information superhighway” can become a natural part of our daily life. In this way it makes sense to us as a tool to use the preexisting communication methods available to us as integrated with the new mediums available to express these ideas.

Now that more information can be expressed at faster rates of speed, the images that represent ideas must become more and more coherent and concise. Otherwise, the capitalist ideas will get lost within the metaphorical piles of information available to the consumer.

A duality that exists between Bollier and Kapor about the future of the Internet and the way it operates. Bollier sees the Internet as “open[ing] qualitatively new political opportunities because it creates new loci of speech” (537). Kapor sees the Internet as a catalyst for “more enlightenment, more rationality” (537). Either way, the Internet means more information, whether the information is a new way to express oneself or a way to collaborate and come to a public understanding, which, according to Roger, is a post-modern thought…to find an answer to everything. Now we wait to see which is true, although I think that the duality still exists. There are realms of useful information on the Internet. Then there is that website about the guy who thinks he is Peter Pan – he is not advancing the race at all, but embarrassing himself in those tight, green leggings.