It's Deja Vu All Over Again
Thursday, October 30, 2003
interplay and writing center practice
I cannot help thinking about writing center practice when I read Hayles’ discussion of the interplay of the body and embodiment, of inscription and incorporation.
“In contrast to the body, embodiment is contextual, enmeshed within the specifics of place, time, physiology, and culture, which together compose enactment� (p.196). ‘Embodiment is akin to articulation in that it is inherently performative, subject to individual enactments, and therefore always to some extent improvisational � (p.197). She also warns us of the danger of the metanarrative: “for theory by its nature seeks to articulate general patterns and overall trends rather than individual instantiations� (p.197). I believe writing center is where praxis takes place. It is where context, performance, individual cases, heuristics all come together. The tutor always tries to ask the student questions, to learn as much about the context as possible, and to learn about the students’ background and learning style, too. It is, to me, where the interplay takes place all the time.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Monday, October 27, 2003
Bender's Projectile Musings
It's been some time since I posted, so let me dust off my keys and work the typos out . . . ah, there. . . . I like this book. So much so that I have read a head by a few pages. The whole discussion about Wiener's discomfort in the lab setting strikes me. The fact that he gave up a PhD in Biology for computers (EE) is even more interesting. Ok, now that I have shown I read the book, I want to mention one thing that hit me and stopped my reading cold - on p. 124, first full paragraph, Hayles refers to the vol-amps as "capable of feats that even pros like O.J. Simpson and Mike Tyson would envy." I don't think it is unintentional that she uses two of the most criminalized black athletes in recent times. Of course there is Strawberry, and a host of others who beat their wives - but O.J. and Tyson are guilty of the worst possible crimes against humanity Murder and Rape. There is something animalistic about Tyson's ability to bite off an ear and O.J.'s ability to butcher the mother of his children (alledgedly and yes he was acquitted, but come on folks). I question what type of actions these vol-amps are capable of producing that is enviable. Certainly OJ and Tyson were great athletes, but Hayles could have used several figures. What's up with the black violent male? I don't have an answer to this. But my thinking is going along the lines of minorities taking the less attractive jobs, and duties in war, and already being seen/treated as somehow (sub)(other than)human.
