One connection I found between the writings of Albert Einstein and Dick Higgins is the way they talk about how communication technology has effected society. Higgins states that art is a form of communication, which is something I had never contemplated before. Art is a way of getting your message heard, which connects with what Einstein says-that now is the time for people to have their ideas and voices heard. Art is a way of expressing ideas and creativity, in a world where Einstein says that originality has become obsolete. I had never realized that everything I use today was actually invented by someone else. Art however, can be one way of overcoming this. Although Higgins and Einstein have two different ways of discussing what technology has done to society, the one thing that I believe they share in common is the belief that now is the time for change, and it is up to us to make the most of it.
Evan Caminiti
February 11th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
“Society and the Individual”, although written in 1934, is still applicable to the modern relationship of the individual to a high technology society. Einstein states that, “In two weeks the sheeplike masses of any country can be worked up by the newspapers into such a state of excited fury that men are prepared to put on uniforms and kill and be killed, for the sake of the sordid ends of a few interested parties.” Little has changed since 1934, except now Einstein’s “newspapers” can be replaced with television, the internet, and other technologically advanced media outlets. Einstein’s concluding optimism comes of a bit naïve in hindsight, but it is hard to judge his perspective. Perhaps since 1934 the spare time and energy various technologies have allowed us has possess have lead to the development of individual personality, consequently aiding the health of the community. In 1966 of course things were quite similar also, Higgins makes references to the same injustices of war and the power of media’s influence, emphasizing the redemptive qualities of art. An underlying point in both author’s articles is the importance of the artists relationship to technology. The advances of new media forms alone serve to document specific moments of history, but the role of the artists becomes to merge into a symbiotic relationship with technological evolution. In our modern environment where technology seems to be growing at an exponential rate artists face the monumental task of mediating between humanity and technology, uncovering truths and exposing the fallacies and advances of continuous corporate exploitation and the military-industrial complex.
magropp
February 11th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I like what higgins writes about the different media: “artists have changed their media to suit this situation, to the point where the media have broken down in their traditional forms, and have become merely puristic points of reference. […] This is the intermedial approach, to emphasize the dialectic between the media. A composer is a dead man unless he composes for all the media and for his world.” Intermedia, the space between media where the concept is the real medium.
Einstein states that individuality was on the decline during his time. He says the main reason for this is the rapid increase in technology and industry. But haven’t these things been happening since the industrial revolution and the coming of the automobile and the train? I don’t know enough about history to say this with confidence, but to me (and say this with inherent bias for I live today, not during the forties), it seems like personal identity has declined even further. The the digital revolution has brought instantaneous information to our fingertips, but it has taken our personality in turn. Higgins is saying that as artists, we must be the shining individuals that Einstein was writing about. We must show others our individuality by freely expressing our love or hate or both, and ally against higgins’ “dangerous forces at work in our world.” How idealistic, I know. And naive as well, but Bush has demonstrated that our individuality is most definitely at stake. “In two weeks the sheeplike masses of any country can be worked up by the newspapers into such a state of excited fury that men are prepared to put on uniforms and kill or be killed, for the sake of the sordid ends of a few interested parties,” writes Einstein. Is this not too true even today? Or maybe more so, even.
ryanburmeister
February 11th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I enjoyed how they both drew conclusions about war makers, and the worthless idealogical values sold to people to go fight wars.
Kerry001
February 11th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Both Dick Higgins and Albert Einstein have very similar sentiments concerning the well being of society in general. Both call out to humanities artists, beckoning them to reignite society with creative thought. For Higgins, intermedia was key to this change, which is the manipulation and cross-sampling of all media. New media and intermedia to create art with is not so necessary, Higgins continues, instead calling for artists to learn how to use what is already at hand to create work of genuine heart and significance. I found this to be a very apt perspective on art even today, what with the proliferation of more and more media that lack substance.
Einstein calls for similar change in regard to society, speaking of the need for creative people to make their voices heard for the betterment of humanity in general. Society determines the behavioral patterns of people, as they are raised to reflect the common perception the general public holds at that time. Creative thinkers are able to move society toward an enlightened future. Einstein goes on to discuss the importance of society and the individual, which share a kind of mutual relationship. The individual cannot live without society, being very much social creatures, while society cannot function without the creative input of the individual. In general, we must bring about a kind of creative overhaul for the betterment of human-kind in general.
cassandra
February 11th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Cassandra Sechler
Art410
02-11-08
Higgins discusses how art is a way of communicating and emphasizes that a debt is owed to technology (i.e. the radion, television), which has helped spread information, alter peoples’ sensebilities and outlook on the world. He says:1) “We must find the ways to say what has to be said in light of our new means of communicating” and 2)A composer is a dead man unless he composes for all the media and for his world.” Both of these quotes seem to ask the artist to utilise the assets that the changing world presents to them to state their opinions and improve their communications.
Einstein’s article also speaks of communication. His article emphasizes the importance of the human language and its connection to our existence. Language is a necessity for humans to be able to communicate with each other, therefore function, in society. One quote that I felt linked the two articles was: “Only the individual can think, and thereby create new values for society, nay, even set up new moral standards to which the life of the community conforms.” Einstein goes on to debate how economic and technologic developments have hindered or helped society.
Both articles encourage critiquing society and communicating creative thoughts for the greater good of man and the society in which he lives. It is refreshing to read two articles where the spiration of man and his need to express individual feelings regarding advancements in civilization is an undying and constantly relevent topic.
Jennytam
February 12th, 2008 at 12:09 am
in reading higgins’ statement on intermedia and Einstein’s essay “Society and the Individual”, both agree that communication between creative individuals (as well as communication period) is key to a flowering society and that technology will be a big help. i think that given the speed of technology’s evolution, some individuals are getting lost or left behind and maybe those individuals that are creative enough and sensitive enough to the needs of their community should help those left behind by communicating in new and innovative ways.
Aya
February 12th, 2008 at 9:56 am
In those readings I have had in this class, this reading about Dick Higgins was the most understandable and easily acceptable reading to me. His idea is that our society is stable, which based on values made by people in the past, and our next step is to develop our individual personality. From the wikipedia page about him, he is the one of 1st people who published computer generated text. He merged fast developing technology to our culture. I think this idea applies my basic purpose of taking this class that we use technology to explore new art of culture.
Daphne
February 18th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I enjoyed how both the authors recognized how art and communication go hand in hand. Both writers are concerned about their societies, and are well aware of the technological advances and how they are affecting their present.
Elyse Mercedes
March 5th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I enjoyed ready about Higgins. I think it is crucial for this coming generation to know technology, and that we use technology to see other cultures. Using technology in art is amazing and very new to society. Having technology be about something else besides its daily function make technology more digestible.
One connection I found between the writings of Albert Einstein and Dick Higgins is the way they talk about how communication technology has effected society. Higgins states that art is a form of communication, which is something I had never contemplated before. Art is a way of getting your message heard, which connects with what Einstein says-that now is the time for people to have their ideas and voices heard. Art is a way of expressing ideas and creativity, in a world where Einstein says that originality has become obsolete. I had never realized that everything I use today was actually invented by someone else. Art however, can be one way of overcoming this. Although Higgins and Einstein have two different ways of discussing what technology has done to society, the one thing that I believe they share in common is the belief that now is the time for change, and it is up to us to make the most of it.
“Society and the Individual”, although written in 1934, is still applicable to the modern relationship of the individual to a high technology society. Einstein states that, “In two weeks the sheeplike masses of any country can be worked up by the newspapers into such a state of excited fury that men are prepared to put on uniforms and kill and be killed, for the sake of the sordid ends of a few interested parties.” Little has changed since 1934, except now Einstein’s “newspapers” can be replaced with television, the internet, and other technologically advanced media outlets. Einstein’s concluding optimism comes of a bit naïve in hindsight, but it is hard to judge his perspective. Perhaps since 1934 the spare time and energy various technologies have allowed us has possess have lead to the development of individual personality, consequently aiding the health of the community. In 1966 of course things were quite similar also, Higgins makes references to the same injustices of war and the power of media’s influence, emphasizing the redemptive qualities of art. An underlying point in both author’s articles is the importance of the artists relationship to technology. The advances of new media forms alone serve to document specific moments of history, but the role of the artists becomes to merge into a symbiotic relationship with technological evolution. In our modern environment where technology seems to be growing at an exponential rate artists face the monumental task of mediating between humanity and technology, uncovering truths and exposing the fallacies and advances of continuous corporate exploitation and the military-industrial complex.
I like what higgins writes about the different media: “artists have changed their media to suit this situation, to the point where the media have broken down in their traditional forms, and have become merely puristic points of reference. […] This is the intermedial approach, to emphasize the dialectic between the media. A composer is a dead man unless he composes for all the media and for his world.” Intermedia, the space between media where the concept is the real medium.
Einstein states that individuality was on the decline during his time. He says the main reason for this is the rapid increase in technology and industry. But haven’t these things been happening since the industrial revolution and the coming of the automobile and the train? I don’t know enough about history to say this with confidence, but to me (and say this with inherent bias for I live today, not during the forties), it seems like personal identity has declined even further. The the digital revolution has brought instantaneous information to our fingertips, but it has taken our personality in turn. Higgins is saying that as artists, we must be the shining individuals that Einstein was writing about. We must show others our individuality by freely expressing our love or hate or both, and ally against higgins’ “dangerous forces at work in our world.” How idealistic, I know. And naive as well, but Bush has demonstrated that our individuality is most definitely at stake. “In two weeks the sheeplike masses of any country can be worked up by the newspapers into such a state of excited fury that men are prepared to put on uniforms and kill or be killed, for the sake of the sordid ends of a few interested parties,” writes Einstein. Is this not too true even today? Or maybe more so, even.
I enjoyed how they both drew conclusions about war makers, and the worthless idealogical values sold to people to go fight wars.
Both Dick Higgins and Albert Einstein have very similar sentiments concerning the well being of society in general. Both call out to humanities artists, beckoning them to reignite society with creative thought. For Higgins, intermedia was key to this change, which is the manipulation and cross-sampling of all media. New media and intermedia to create art with is not so necessary, Higgins continues, instead calling for artists to learn how to use what is already at hand to create work of genuine heart and significance. I found this to be a very apt perspective on art even today, what with the proliferation of more and more media that lack substance.
Einstein calls for similar change in regard to society, speaking of the need for creative people to make their voices heard for the betterment of humanity in general. Society determines the behavioral patterns of people, as they are raised to reflect the common perception the general public holds at that time. Creative thinkers are able to move society toward an enlightened future. Einstein goes on to discuss the importance of society and the individual, which share a kind of mutual relationship. The individual cannot live without society, being very much social creatures, while society cannot function without the creative input of the individual. In general, we must bring about a kind of creative overhaul for the betterment of human-kind in general.
Cassandra Sechler
Art410
02-11-08
Higgins discusses how art is a way of communicating and emphasizes that a debt is owed to technology (i.e. the radion, television), which has helped spread information, alter peoples’ sensebilities and outlook on the world. He says:1) “We must find the ways to say what has to be said in light of our new means of communicating” and 2)A composer is a dead man unless he composes for all the media and for his world.” Both of these quotes seem to ask the artist to utilise the assets that the changing world presents to them to state their opinions and improve their communications.
Einstein’s article also speaks of communication. His article emphasizes the importance of the human language and its connection to our existence. Language is a necessity for humans to be able to communicate with each other, therefore function, in society. One quote that I felt linked the two articles was: “Only the individual can think, and thereby create new values for society, nay, even set up new moral standards to which the life of the community conforms.” Einstein goes on to debate how economic and technologic developments have hindered or helped society.
Both articles encourage critiquing society and communicating creative thoughts for the greater good of man and the society in which he lives. It is refreshing to read two articles where the spiration of man and his need to express individual feelings regarding advancements in civilization is an undying and constantly relevent topic.
in reading higgins’ statement on intermedia and Einstein’s essay “Society and the Individual”, both agree that communication between creative individuals (as well as communication period) is key to a flowering society and that technology will be a big help. i think that given the speed of technology’s evolution, some individuals are getting lost or left behind and maybe those individuals that are creative enough and sensitive enough to the needs of their community should help those left behind by communicating in new and innovative ways.
In those readings I have had in this class, this reading about Dick Higgins was the most understandable and easily acceptable reading to me. His idea is that our society is stable, which based on values made by people in the past, and our next step is to develop our individual personality. From the wikipedia page about him, he is the one of 1st people who published computer generated text. He merged fast developing technology to our culture. I think this idea applies my basic purpose of taking this class that we use technology to explore new art of culture.
I enjoyed how both the authors recognized how art and communication go hand in hand. Both writers are concerned about their societies, and are well aware of the technological advances and how they are affecting their present.
I enjoyed ready about Higgins. I think it is crucial for this coming generation to know technology, and that we use technology to see other cultures. Using technology in art is amazing and very new to society. Having technology be about something else besides its daily function make technology more digestible.