Captain PMS, 10/03

Captain’s Blog Stardate 10/10

I found Dr. Rog’s diagram on string theory somewhat helpful and somewhat confusing at the same time. This idea that the simulacra is a copy without an original is a bit like when they used to tell me that before anything else there was God and I would ask, “what came before God?” and they would say, “God was the beginning” and my little eight year old brain would swell and almost explode. Not to go on a tangent but that’s what it reminds me of. Without the original what can we be copying? Dr. Rog pointed out that Baudrillard’s theories have holes big enough to drive trucks through and I agree, however his perception of the simulacra is so confusing I think I could drive a train through it. That said, after viewing the Matrix again this week I get the idea as long as I don’t concentrate too much on the whole no original thing. Perhaps the best way to read these theorists is to try and ignore anything that actually causes physical pain behind your eyes. Then again maybe not.

I’ve been listening to a lot of talk radio this week just for kicks. Honestly nothing pisses me off faster than political talk radio. It made me think of Poster when he says, “What distinguishes the telephone from the other great media is its decentralized quality and its universal exchangeability of the position of sender and receiver.” I listened as these radio show hosts talked over the people calling them and basically hung up on anyone who disagrees with their opinions. The convergence of two different medias often brings interesting results. In this case the phone was topped by the radio just by sheer loudness. One on one has its advantages but radio wins out for the power of its voice, and all that without the images Baudrillard holds so dear.