[-empyre-] collective capture, distributed identity

[simon]

I would like to answer Johannes Birringer's question as to whether the 
discussion has addressed the "collective virtual experience" enough, 
given the "stipulation" on - as I read it - a 'convergence' between 
"popular social media" and "shared VR experiences" brought about by a 
perception of 'pervasion', which seems to imply the inescapability of 
the phenomena for the 'collective', such that, so the statement from the 
beginning of the month continues, discussants may speculate on the 
'shifting' "social conventions", particularly as these are 'underpinned' 
by "notions of selfhood and collective". The statement allows the 
possibility that this convergence - between social media and VR - 
"contribute to notions of extended or distributed mind, agency or 
identity", a contribution specified as engaging a dependence further to 
the previous 'underpinning' - notions of selfhood and collective - on 
'embodiment' and 'bodily practices'. The statement, as Johannes has 
excerpted it, culminates finally in "quotidian affects", asking after 
the series that starts with inferring the pervasion of "shared VR 
experiences" from - again, as I read it now - the 'popularity' of social 
media, as if in this popularity - an inescapable conclusion - the 
collective already experiences 'affects' of 'virtual reality'. Mass 
social media represents a real virtualisation of the collective 
experience, of the collective's experience of itself and of the selves', 
who comprise the collective, experience of selfhood: this is my 
inference. The statement directs its speculative gaze on to the distinct 
lines which such a thing as a real virtualisation of collective 
experience may lead: "distributed mind, agency or identity". A real 
virtualisation of collective experience as it is represented by popular 
social media means to distribute mind, agency and identity.

I apologise for taking the time to re-read the statement and my 
re-reading is highly tendentious but I think it at least listens to the 
assumptions under which such a stipulation is being made since there is 
a ready dissimulation already in process, that is, a given illusion, 
given that the logic of inescapability of collective experience of VR 
captures - like a war photograph or snapshot of conflict, or dramatic 
(and critical) image - us, both lurkers and discussants, in its view.

Has the discussion captured the collective virtual experience enough? I 
would humbly answer that it has been captured by it.

Best,
Simon Taylor