Becky Erickson (960117):
In response to your query regarding "the state of the self in 1996"
I would say that the modern (post?) self is alienated, divided,
commodified, narcissistic, minimal, saturated, and not yet comfortably
numb. I would have people go to a supermarket and look at the magazines
on the shelves and at the text of popular TV programs. There they will
find the 1996 self, but, most likely, they will not recognize it as
such. They will see a story, or a mozaic of pictures, text, icons, and
lists - some of which interests them. And so, a pause. Like the remote
control for my TV life is dipped into, then clicked, then onto a new
home page.
Academically, I think the self of 1996 closely resembles that of
secondary orality as described by Walter Ong. Also, in the last
issue of Wired there was an interview with the reincarnated Marshall
McLuhan. I thought it was right on. I hope my remarks aren't seen
as too flip. This was not my intention.
Later,
Dan Miller
millerd@saber.udayton.edu