Art, advertising, and what we believe is true

Mulling over the implications of the work coming from the Computational Visual Cognition Laboratory (see post below), I pulled down John Berger's Ways of Seeing from my bookshelf. Seems like I read this little book every couple of years, and every reading produces new insights along with new conundrums.

I read Vance Packard's The Hidden Persuaders when I was a kid. I remember being left with a vague feeling of paranoia, not unlike the general unease I get reading this article on subliminal advertising. Although I eschewed television beginning in the early 70s, I embraced the internet as it unfolded in the 80s. (It's a love affair that continues today, although I am hampered by outdated equipment.)

Shortly after I began my internet escapades, but before the advent of The Sims, I composed this poem.

Virtual mom and virtual dad had virtual sex in their virtual pad. Their virtual units puddled all night in a virtual room under a virtual light. In virtual time came virtual schools, with virtual kids bucking virtual rules, taking virtual tests, getting virtual grades, going virtually nuts as they virtually pray to a virtual god who has nothing to say.

Angst as artist.

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Last night I cracked open Chessmaster for the XBox.

After playing three games and winning two, I went through the first tutorial by Josh Waitzkin of Searching for Bobby Fischer fame. I'm glad I did; I learned (or relearned) a good bit. I'm looking forward to the intermediate and advanced tutorials.

There are lots of bells and whistles to explore, but the interface is a bit confusing, so it will take some work to unearth all the goodies. For example, the splash screen features the gorgeous strains of Bach's cello concertos. I think I'd like to hear that while I'm playing a match. I'll find out today if it's a go.