April 29, 2004

pure cultural energy

  ROB tracks you down during your work day and excitedly convinces you to DUCK INTO his office so he can show you an IMAGE he has on HIS SCREEN  

Look at this!

This image of an event that happened a couple of weeks ago in Norway . . . this image is what raw cultural energy looks like! Kids sharing creative work; lil' computer animations 'n graphics. This is an art-making scene that is actually happening. Context for this event is found here.

As opposed, I'm afraid, to our beloved e-literature scene, which I love wholeheartedly, but which, objectively, is not happening, and which I believe could use to think about its relationship with its audience a bit.

Yeah, yeah . . . I know how stultifying and trivial most of the stuff in the wacky-hacky demoscene is. But pure cultural energy is, in itself, a force to be reckoned with (and channeled toward depth, complexity, history . . . in our roles as teachers and mentors).

The impulses are among us . . . William and Scott spinning music while we write together . . . awareness of the experience of 'wordsmanship

I think we e-lit types should be aiming at an energy level like the one in this picture.

Posted by rob at April 29, 2004 10:45 AM