[-empyre-] Netopticon as Matrix

[Heidi May]

I am easily compelled to follow this path of thought, but have learned  
from past experiences that for my own psychological survival and  
mental well-being, I need to resist entering this spiral. I tell  
myself to be actively and constantly aware, especially of the "false  
prophet disguised as democracy". During moments in which my mind  
becomes convinced of this I see no point to move forward in a life  
that involves critical inquiry. But that's just me, a networked self  
who has chosen to be explicitly self-reflective for this week's  
discussion.

> For me the netopticon is a representation of Yamo's grip on the world
> and in facing his eyes, you are facing death

This is where my artist self becomes separated from my other selves.  
Artists need to create works that address these questions and allow  
for others to reflect on the work, ideally others whom are not artists  
and writers already reflecting on these ideas. For my artist self, the  
netopticon might be similar to what you have described above. For my  
teacher self, the netopticon is us. When these selves merge,  
contradictions and complications arise....and that is often the most  
interesting part of it all.

On a completely unrelated but humourous sidenote....I was reminded of  
the plot to "Village of the Damned" when thinking of a saviour  
actively constructed with our collected mindsets...

Thanks for this.

~ Heidi


On 28-Jan-11, at 5:00 PM, empyre-request at gamera.cofa.unsw.edu.au wrote:

> Hi
>
> Indra's web is also a Hindi / Budhist metaphoor of the 'world' as
> experience
>
> It is actively fooling perception of its existence and tightly binds
> the experiental state of 'being' to the mind.
>
> In trying to escape the migthy Indra, companion of Rama, the first
> ruler, one had to face Yamo in the Eye
>
> For me the netopticon is a representation of Yamo's grip on the world
> and in facing his eyes, you are facing death
>
> So is the netopticon the logical conclusion of society or will there
> be a saviour?
>
> Is that saviour actively constructed with our collective mindsets,
> internet, wikileaks, civic disobedience or will it come as a false
> prophet disguised as democracy, transparency and complex power  
> politics?
>
> Andreas Maria Jacobs
>
> w: http://www.nictoglobe.com
> w: http://burgerwaanzin.nl