Empowerment, Literary Copyright, and Virtual Reality

Three Questions

  1. In Hayles' essay "Electronic Literature," a preacher argues that the printing press threatened the Church's hierarchy by empowering the "commonplace" followers who no longer had to rely on priests "to interpret writing for them" (2). How might this preacher have used these arguments against new technologies like the internet, particularly in cases like the SOPA/PIPA protests in which subjects empowered themselves and resisted authority?
  2. Hayles argues in her essay "Print is Flat, Code is Deep" that the author creates literary property by "mixing his intellectual labor with the materials afforded him by nature" (70). With this concept of labor and resources in mind, what are the benefits and costs of literary copyright? Does the benefit of capturing profit that allows creators to sustain their use of resources outweigh the cost of restricted access and lost opportunities for innovation?
  3. Hayle discusses "mixing virtual reality with actual movements through urban spaces" (5). What are some modern examples of this?

Response

"Give modern examples of mixing virtual reality with actual reality."

Digital programs like Foursquare and concepts like geocaching mix virtual and actual realities, and although I've never participated in either, I've heard of both. Facebook users can "check into" places in Foursquare to let others know (and potentially go see them at) their location and to see who else has checked into that location. This hybrid of virtual and actual realities enables users to turn virtual reality into actual reality. Geocaching mixes virtual reality with actual reality even more than Foursquare. According to the site, players use GPS-enabled devices like iPhones to find hidden containers called "geocaches". Foursquare and geocaching allow users to integrate virtual reality with real world locations.

Hayle pushes the envelope when discussing CAVE, which is performed "in a three-dimensional space in which the user wears virtual reality goggles and manipulates a wand" (5). This sounds eerily like the Wii, which people use in a three-dimensional space with a wand. And as geocaching provides resources for users, Wii games often provide exercise and social interaction for their users; both benefit users in their real life. Finding new, innovative ways to blend virtual and actual reality can further benefit users of digital technologies. As Hayle comments about CAVE productions, new technology could "increase the audience and impact" (6) and potentially catalyze "cultural, political, and economic changes" (13).

References

Hayles, N. Katherine. "Electronic Literature: What is it?" 2 January 2007. Web. Accessed 21 February 2012.

Hayles, N. Katherine. "Print is Flat, Code is Deep: The Importance of Media-Specific Analysis." Poetics Today 25.1 (2004): 67-90. Web. 21 February 2012.