Comments on: Next Transformations: A Response To Transformations By Grant McCracken http://www.weatherpattern.com/2008/07/next-transformations-a-response-to-transformations-by-grant-mccracken/ a blog on design / culture / telecom / networks / work / life / online-offline / new york Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:18:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Ray http://www.weatherpattern.com/2008/07/next-transformations-a-response-to-transformations-by-grant-mccracken/#comment-343 Ray Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:48:09 +0000 http://www.weatherpattern.com/?p=269#comment-343 Peter: Thanks for the comment. Maybe I was a little quick with the camo reference. I see a lot of camouflage on the streets of New York. When worn as cut-off with flip flops and designer t-shirts, I get the sense of that the shorts are more of an ironic fashion statement, (albeit a comfortable one) over a statement of belief about the military or the current war in Iraq, per se. That said, I do agree that there are definitely inner transformations, that are quite powerful, even if they are not believed or perceived for external observers. However, I still believe that some are disposable, which are casually absorbed only to be thrown away as quickly as it was adopted. Peter:
Thanks for the comment. Maybe I was a little quick with the camo reference. I see a lot of camouflage on the streets of New York. When worn as cut-off with flip flops and designer t-shirts, I get the sense of that the shorts are more of an ironic fashion statement, (albeit a comfortable one) over a statement of belief about the military or the current war in Iraq, per se.

That said, I do agree that there are definitely inner transformations, that are quite powerful, even if they are not believed or perceived for external observers. However, I still believe that some are disposable, which are casually absorbed only to be thrown away as quickly as it was adopted.

]]> By: peter http://www.weatherpattern.com/2008/07/next-transformations-a-response-to-transformations-by-grant-mccracken/#comment-342 peter Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:27:07 +0000 http://www.weatherpattern.com/?p=269#comment-342 great thoughts on the book - i like the idea of the networked self, and the language of reflection and fragmentation. i'm a newcomer to a lot of this language, so bear with me . . . . you use the camo gear as an example of an entirely superficial interaction and valuation of the object - which feels a bit of an unfair assessment of the wearers experience. what i found illuminating in grant's book is the overwhelming amount of evidence provided for the legitimacy of these transformations - despite the fact that they're evidenced superficially - isn't the broader argument that these are powerfully inner transformations? they may operate from the outside in, but surely there is an authenticity of the experience? i'm curious how, in your description (and in the previous comment), where the porousness goes? great thoughts on the book - i like the idea of the networked self, and the language of reflection and fragmentation. i’m a newcomer to a lot of this language, so bear with me . . . . you use the camo gear as an example of an entirely superficial interaction and valuation of the object - which feels a bit of an unfair assessment of the wearers experience.

what i found illuminating in grant’s book is the overwhelming amount of evidence provided for the legitimacy of these transformations - despite the fact that they’re evidenced superficially - isn’t the broader argument that these are powerfully inner transformations? they may operate from the outside in, but surely there is an authenticity of the experience?

i’m curious how, in your description (and in the previous comment), where the porousness goes?

]]> By: Ray http://www.weatherpattern.com/2008/07/next-transformations-a-response-to-transformations-by-grant-mccracken/#comment-341 Ray Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:02:10 +0000 http://www.weatherpattern.com/?p=269#comment-341 Frank: I'm not sure if he specifically references Lasch or Bellah. The Foreman quote is interesting, especially of his use of the word "cathedral." The use may be coincidental, to Eric Raymond's famous article, "the Cathedral and the Bazaar," which describes the differences between the commercial and open source software development. http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue3_3/raymond/index.html As a culture, we're definitely moving from the formal aspects of the cathedral into a much more chaotic and uncertain bazaar. However, the self organizing nature of the bazaar can be a confusing and intimidating space for many.. Frank: I’m not sure if he specifically references Lasch or Bellah. The Foreman quote is interesting, especially of his use of the word “cathedral.” The use may be coincidental, to Eric Raymond’s famous article, “the Cathedral and the Bazaar,” which describes the differences between the commercial and open source software development.
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue3_3/raymond/index.html

As a culture, we’re definitely moving from the formal aspects of the cathedral into a much more chaotic and uncertain bazaar. However, the self organizing nature of the bazaar can be a confusing and intimidating space for many..

]]> By: Being Grant McCracken « eyecube http://www.weatherpattern.com/2008/07/next-transformations-a-response-to-transformations-by-grant-mccracken/#comment-340 Being Grant McCracken « eyecube Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:12:08 +0000 http://www.weatherpattern.com/?p=269#comment-340 [...] related Grant McCracken news, WordPress Marketing Blogger Network member Ray Cha has a great look at Grant’s recent book, Transformations that is also worth a [...] [...] related Grant McCracken news, WordPress Marketing Blogger Network member Ray Cha has a great look at Grant’s recent book, Transformations that is also worth a [...]

]]> By: Frank http://www.weatherpattern.com/2008/07/next-transformations-a-response-to-transformations-by-grant-mccracken/#comment-339 Frank Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:03:59 +0000 http://www.weatherpattern.com/?p=269#comment-339 Does McCracken's book delve into some other commentators on the "pomo" self, like Christopher Lasch in culture of narcissism or Robert Bellah in Habits of the Heart? I find the mere description of such a self oddly disconnected from the type of normative vision of an ideal self that would seem to underlie it. In other words, what is the baseline version of self from which the pomo self departs? Anyway, I agree with his description of selves stuck on surfaces, a development I critiqued here: http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/07/beware_the_baby.html And the following lines from the playwright Richard Foreman were in Carr's article on Google: "I come from a tradition of Western culture, in which the ideal (my ideal) was the complex, dense and “cathedral-like” structure of the highly educated and articulate personality—a man or woman who carried inside themselves a personally constructed and unique version of the entire heritage of the West. [But now] I see within us all (myself included) the replacement of complex inner density with a new kind of self—evolving under the pressure of information overload and the technology of the “instantly available.” " Does McCracken’s book delve into some other commentators on the “pomo” self, like Christopher Lasch in culture of narcissism or Robert Bellah in Habits of the Heart? I find the mere description of such a self oddly disconnected from the type of normative vision of an ideal self that would seem to underlie it. In other words, what is the baseline version of self from which the pomo self departs?

Anyway, I agree with his description of selves stuck on surfaces, a development I critiqued here:

http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/07/beware_the_baby.html

And the following lines from the playwright Richard Foreman were in Carr’s article on Google:

“I come from a tradition of Western culture, in which the ideal (my ideal) was the complex, dense and “cathedral-like” structure of the highly educated and articulate personality—a man or woman who carried inside themselves a personally constructed and unique version of the entire heritage of the West. [But now] I see within us all (myself included) the replacement of complex inner density with a new kind of self—evolving under the pressure of information overload and the technology of the “instantly available.” “

]]> By: Wordpress Marketing Blog Roundup « smartbrandblog http://www.weatherpattern.com/2008/07/next-transformations-a-response-to-transformations-by-grant-mccracken/#comment-337 Wordpress Marketing Blog Roundup « smartbrandblog Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:35:37 +0000 http://www.weatherpattern.com/?p=269#comment-337 [...] And finally, Weather Pattern takes a visionary look into what happens after Postmodern Transformations [...] [...] And finally, Weather Pattern takes a visionary look into what happens after Postmodern Transformations [...]

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