Exploratory Writing 3B
I will start off by saying that the Glitch Feminism reading was at first a lot to take in, and really took some time to reflect in order for me to formulate a response of any kind. The way in which this manifesto was written is almost fiendlike in its simple boldness. I truly found the reading to have a personal quality left by the author. This immediately caught my attention, and I couldn’t help but some of it quite relatable. (Especially the word choice, as I found a lot of the words to bring a sense of nostalgia) Even the more fabricated concepts like machinic mutiny, or glitch feminists is quite creative and effective as far as conveying these more complex ideas.
One quote from the reading that stood out to me is All technology reflects the society that produces it, including its power structures and prejudices (25). I found this quote to be quite profound, and very progressive in nature. I don’t think many people consider how much our creations reflect the creator. Perhaps this idea is more familiar with the fine arts, or other forms of visual arts. But this concept is applicable to all forms of creation and more importantly has a unique quality when thinking in relation to technology. Technology is generally comprised of many facets, components, and various elements both physical and digital, as a result these creations embody so much more than one individual. But rather represent a collective shared desire meant to enrich, entertain, assist, support, and push beyond the limits of our own creativity. I appreciated how the reading made a point to emphasize that this reflection of technology has its downsides as well. I believe we see this more and more as larger tech corporations appeal to the needs of their target audience, and governments begin to take more notice of the potential corporate power any of these companies have.
The author also took the time to incorporate the concept of hyperobects and used this concept in the philosophical sense. Meaning that a hyperobect is something that can has vitality(Or life) to it but cant necessarily be contacted physically or by touch. While rather simple hyperobjects can be quite complex, as they are generally considered to be about race, or class. I would agree with the author that gender is perhaps one of the most notable hyperobjects of our current time, and this is in part due to a new found understanding of gender itself. I also believe that embracing hyperobjects for their true nature is critical to cultivating not only personal but larger cognitive understanding for these complex topics. (I also cant help but think how vital technology is when it comes to sharing thoughts, feelings, and ideas about hyperobjects, and more importantly how this “sharing” effects others)
I must also say that the overall layout, typography, and design of the manifesto spoke volumes about the authors artistic side. I felt that a lot of the various typographic elements had been very intentional to not only grab the readers attention but to help establish a guiding framework. For example the quotes at the start of each section helped give me a sense of what to expect as well as the larger message to be had.