[-empyre-] Machine Dreams

[Margaret J Rhee]

I'd love to continue this wonderful thread that Mark started, and for 
any thoughts Saba may have on the symposium space. In particular, I'm 
really interested in the two innovative works you both presented, Mark 
you gave a talk on chatbots and intersectionality, and Saba, you focused 
more specifically on cyborgian poetry. I'm wishing I had your talks 
right in front of me, and glad we do have the google link for the 
gathering! If you could share a bit on the works, and how it has 
developed since the gathering, that would be wonderful to hear.

Again, Mark, thank you for being such a vital guidance for the 
gathering, and excited you can participate here. I know you were the 
Keynote speaker for the offshoot conference two attendees organized at 
CSU, would love to hear how that space went?

Saba, you published In the Crocodile Gardens after Machine Dreams, did 
the symposium shape the manuscript in anyway?

Also, have you both ever written poetry, or creative writing after a 
symposium as we did?

More soon, as Ana will join us later on in the week, but excited to 
continue the conversation here, and reflect together.

warmest,

margaret

On 2017-05-22 21:06, Margaret J Rhee wrote:
> ----------empyre- soft-skinned space----------------------
> Dear Mark,
> 
> I am also so excited for this week's discussion, and gathering again
> together! I will send a "formal announcement" shortly to introduce
> this exciting week.
> 
> The Machine Dreams gathering was incredibly special, in part because
> of your guidance, and mentorship to the space! It was a gathering of
> really inspiring scholars and artists, and created such a generative
> space of engagement. I am so glad the space was also special to you,
> and others, especially because it was made so special by way of your
> contributions, guidance, and others who joined us there.
> 
> I am struck by your moving words,
> 
> "Why are we so drawn to the machines of our machine dreams, as people,
> as artists, as dreamers? I'm starting to think that it is not their
> inability to be completely human but instead their ability to fully
> embody one part of the human attributes without manifesting the full
> meat sack of messy, squishy embodied being. In other words, they allow
> us to imagine intensely our humanity in part."
> 
> I want to stay with your words above, because perhaps that is what
> characterizes the gathering, and what I am curious about as well. "Why
> are we so drawn to the machine of our machine dreams," and how robots
> and machines "allow us to imagine intensely our humanity in part."
> 
> machine dreams, and the ties forged and soldered through. more soon.
> 
> warmly,
> 
> Margaret
> 
> On 2017-05-22 08:45, Mark Marino wrote:
>> ----------empyre- soft-skinned space----------------------
>> Hi, Machine Dreamers,
>> 
>> I'm so excited for this week's discussion.  Our Machine Dreams
>> encounter was one I will not forget.  For those of you who missed it,
>> you can watch a somewhat pixelated version here.
>> 
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFYFaWrqZik
>> 
>> As I read over our publication from Machine Dreams, flip through the
>> pages of Radio heart, or think about our time together, I'm struck by
>> the shear humanity of the whirls with robots.  Or rather, I'm struck
>> by the parts of humanity that emerge from the whirls.
>> 
>> Why are we so drawn to the machines of our machine dreams, as people,
>> as artists, as dreamers? I'm starting to think that it is not their
>> inability to be completely human but instead their ability to fully
>> embody one part of the human attributes without manifesting the full
>> meat sack of messy, squishy embodied being. In other words, they allow
>> us to imagine intensely our humanity in part.   Not metonymic but in
>> isolation.
>> 
>> An emotion.  A logical flow.  A sense of consideration without
>> empathy. Knowledge without understanding.
>> 
>> But our intense encounter with even that part of humanity -- that part
>> of humanity isolated from the whole -- is transformative.
>> 
>> "I still hear you radio heart beating
>> Inside the meat of mine."
>> 
>> And of course, no doubt this partiality is part and parcel of our
>> experience of one another.
>> 
>> That is my first thought.  Looking forward to our conversation.
>> 
>> Best,
>> Mark Marino
>> _______________________________________________
>> empyre forum
>> empyre at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au
>> http://empyre.library.cornell.edu
> 
> --
> Margaret Rhee, Ph.D.
> 
> Visiting Assistant Professor
> Women's and Gender Studies
> University of Oregon
> _______________________________________________
> empyre forum
> empyre at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au
> http://empyre.library.cornell.edu

-- 
Margaret Rhee, Ph.D.

Visiting Assistant Professor
Women's and Gender Studies
University of Oregon