Web Page
Yood, J. (2006) Matt Siber: Peter Miller Gallery Ltd [Online]. Available at:
http://findarticles.com/ [Accessed: 25 November 2008].
Books
Blessing, J. (2008) Jeff Wall: Exposure . 1 st . ed.
New York, USA : Guggenheim Museum
Online Newspapers
Lubow, A. (2007) The Luminist. Nytimes.co.uk, February 25 2007 [Online]. Available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/magazine/25Wall.t.html?_r=1&fta=y&pagewanted%20=%20all
[Accessed: 10 December 2008].
by
Ali Rashid
INT. Dark Room
A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, who is lit with a strong spotlight, is sitting in a dark room.
MAN
It’s the worst place you could ever go, it ruined my life.
I lost my job, the boss found out the truth.
(BEAT)
He saw my folder, he saw me.
I’ve been burgled, I know it’s someone from there, they know everything about me, they knew when I was out of my house.
My girlfriend dumped me for just visiting; she said I spent too much time there, checking out other girls, and...
(BEAT)
I was obsessed
It’s the worst place you could ever go, it ruined my life.
He stands up and walks out of the shot, leaving an empty chair.
END
To what extent has digital technology transformed travel?
This essay will be investigating on digital technology and how it has transformed travel. Travel is understood here in the sense of mental rather than physical travel. It will look into the way films, video games, portable media players and the Internet as media, which redefine the nature of mental travel. Travel may be understood in a more abstract, disembodied sense of movement of the mind. For example when watching a film, one would be in another situation and location psychologically but not actually being there physically.
Digital technology has provided more ways and possibilities of travel. Foremost, the Internet and social networking sites such as ‘facebook’ has provided the opportunity for people to easily stay in touch with long distance family members and friends. As a result technology has made us more sociable.
Digital technology has redefined the nature of travel. In 2009 ‘Google Street View’ was introduced to the UK, a feature that provides 360° views of streets via the Internet. Google street view and digital technology has transformed travel as people can travel from to places without actually being there physically.
Escapism and digital technologies may be seen to have transformed travel for both the good and the bad. People turn to escapism in the form of films and gaming. However, we see the negatives for escapism when we question whether; is there really a need for it, and what it is used for.
Mental travel has always been possible. Long before the revolution of technology, people were travelling mentally through books and theatre. Until now it would seem digital technology hasn’t added anything new or broken any boundaries of culture.
In fact digital technology has created new boundaries. Digital technology has transformed travel by damaging culture. Digital technology causes differentiation between people. A Digital division is created between those who can and can’t use it and those who can and can’t afford the technology. In this respect digital technology travel is responsible for social division.
Video games are types of digital technology that make us travel psychologically, hence escaping to another location and situation. The emergence of video games in the 21st century has brought along with it controversy on whether video games are linked to violence. Thus, digital technology travel is accountable for unsettling communities.
To what extent has digital technology transformed travel?
This essay will be investigating on digital technology and how it has transformed travel: It will look into films, video games, portable media players and the Internet. Digital technology has significantly transformed travel in modern period for the worse. Human powered travel such as walking, travel by waters or use of animals has existed since time immemorial and was the most efficient way of travel before the industrial revolution. Living in an era of post-modernism, a lot of our travel can be inferential to be psychological. Travel may be understood in a more abstract, disembodied sense of movement of the mind. For example when watching a film, one would be in another situation and location psychologically but not actually being there physically.
Digital technology has transformed travel by transforming and damaging culture. Digital technology causes differentiation between people; those who can and can’t use it and between those who can and can’t afford the technology. In this respect digital technology travel is responsible for social division.
Video games are another form of digital technology that makes us travel psychologically and escape to another location and situation. The emergence of video games in the 21st century has brought along with it controversy on whether video games are linked to violence. In 2007 ‘Man Hunt 2’ was banned by the British board of film classification (BBFC) for constantly encouraging youngsters to kill. The original game ‘Manhunt’ was certified 18. Although there’s no evidence, in 2004 the parents of a 14-year-old schoolboy victim believe the killer was inspired by the game. In this respect digital technology travel is accountable for unsettling communities.
Travelling psychologically via digital technology has resulted to the negative impact of alienation. Portable media players such as iPods make us travel psychologically. Such technologies reinforce alienation between people: For example, people listening to iPods on the bus will not talk to each other as they have their headphones on. Psychological travel via video games is also accountable for alienation. Portable consoles such as ‘Nintendo DS’ and ‘PlayStation Portable’ create situation where a person can’t interact or socialise with anyone else. As a result, digital technology can be liable for social transformation.
The development of digital technology has also brought along with it issues of privacy. In to 2009 the controversial ‘Google Street View’ was introduced to the UK, a feature that provides 360° views of streets via the Internet, where people have been spotted leaving strip clubs and urinating in public. The feature has been seen by many to be invading the privacy of people and communities as the scheme went along without the public having their say or giving permission to be included in it. Google street view and digital technology has transformed travel as people can travel from to places without actually being there physically.
Sorry only 475 words so far. Ali.
